Cambridge CELTA Written Assignments Criteria

Assignment 2 – Language Related Tasks

Grade: Pass
Pass on
resubmission
Fail

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I declare that this assignment is my own work and I have not copied from others nor let
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Specific assessment criteria:

 analysing language correctly for teaching purposes

 correctly using terminology relating to form, meaning and phonology when

analysing language

 accessing reference materials and referencing information they have learned

about language to an appropriate source

 using written language that is clear, accurate and appropriate to the task

Tutor’s comments:

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 You are allowed one resubmission. Include the original with the resubmission.
Assignment 2: Language related tasks

Length: 750 – 1000 words

 This assignment assesses your ability to analyse target language and identify
significant features of the language items. You will analyse meaning, form,
pronunciation. You’ll also consider some of the problems learners may have with
the target language and find suitable solutions.

 You must demonstrate that you can use correct terminology

 You are expected to use reference material. Please ensure that it is sourced.

Copy this format for each question:

Language sample I went to Broome for a week. (grammar)
1. Identify the Teaching point: Past Simple
teaching point & Meaning: we use Past Simple to talk about a completed
meaning past action/event.

2. Outline a context Talking with a colleague in the office about how I spent
you could use in the my Christmas holidays. Students listen to a short audio
classroom to teach text and hear examples of holiday activities and places
the language. visited.

3. Provide concept 1. When am I talking about? The past, present or

questions and future? (the past)
answers 2. Am I in Broome now? (no)
(two or three) 3. Is the holiday complete? (yes)

4. Provide other
means of checking Past Now
concept: e.g. Future
realia/visuals/timeline

<_________x___________|_______________________>

5. Highlight the form I went to Broome for a week.

of the language Subject + past verb (irregular) + object

I didn’t go to Broome.
Subject + auxiliary verb did not + infinitive without to

Did you go to Broome?

auxiliary verb did + subject+ infinitive without to
6. Anticipated Meaning: Students may not understand that the past
problems simple is used for completed actions eg I lived here for 5
and solutions years (meaning they still live there: I have lived here …)
(provide at least two
problems and Solution: Use timelines and context to highlight
solutions related to completed action.
meaning, form or
pronunciation) Form: Students may be confused with the change in
word order for questions.

Solution: Use marker sentences on whiteboard and

name the parts of the sentences highlighting the order
change.

Phonology: Students may over-generalise the /Id/

ending eg /pleiId/ instead of /pleid/

Solution: Drill pronunciation and monitor discussions.

7. Another example of I ate fish and chips yesterday.

the same
structure/function

8. Highlight
phonological features
(sentence stress, IPA, I went to Broome fora week.
features of connected Use: http://www.e-
speech and intonation) lang.co.uk/mackichan/call/pron/type.html
/ai wen tə bru:m firə wi:k/
9. References Swan, M (2002) Practical English Usage Oxford:
Oxford University Press

Repeat Steps 1 – 9 for each of the following: The language point is underlined.

1. I picked up some French. (vocabulary).

2. I’ve been learning Spanish since last year. (grammar)

3. If I won a million dollars, I’d travel the world. (grammar)

4. Could you help me? (function)

Assignment 2

Language sample I picked up some French. (vocabulary).

1. Identify the Teaching point: Phrasal verbs
teaching point & Meaning: to get information or a skill by chance
meaning rather than by making a deliberate effort

2. Outline a context Talking with a friend about a holiday in France. Students

you could use in the read a short article describing someone's experience of
classroom to teach holidaying in France, one of the things mentioned can be
the language. that they learnt some of the language.

3. Provide concept Did she study French in detail or just learn a small
questions and amount? Just a small amount.
answers Did she pick up french intentionally or just by chance? By
(two or three) chance.

4. Provide other Literal hand -picking up pen

means of checking non literal - picture of person standing in front of eiffel
concept: e.g. tower
realia/visuals/timeline

5. Highlight the form I picked up some French.

of the language Subject + past tense verb + adverb particle + object

6. Anticipated Meaning: Students may not understand the the literal vs

problems non literal/figurative meaning of picked up.
and solutions
(provide at least two Solution: display images of person picking up an object,
problems and and a person speaking french near the Eiffel tower
solutions related to
meaning, form or Form: It may be necessary to explain that “picked up”
pronunciation) occurs as a verb + adverb particle operating as a single
unit or 'phrase', acting as a verb.

Solution: Write marker sentence on white board and

underline phrasal verb to highlight that it is a single unit.

Phonology: Students may mispronounce 'picked' as pick-

ed.

Solution: Make sure to explain the correct pronunciation

and drill
7. Another example of I dropped off a delivery.
the same
structure/function

8. Highlight Stress is placed on the verb 'picked up', /pɪktʌp/,

phonological features intonation rises in the middle with the stress and
(sentence stress, IPA, descends towards the end of the sentence.
features of connected
speech and intonation)
9. References Swan, M (2002) Practical English Usage, Pp 421. Oxford:
Oxford University Press

Language sample I’ve been learning Spanish since last year. (grammar)
1. Identify the Teaching point: Present perfect continuous
teaching point & Meaning: Present perfect continuous is used to show
meaning that an action started in the past and has
continued up until the present moment.
2. Outline a context Talking with a friend about hobbies. Students read a
you could use in the dialogue of two students talking about their hobbies, one
classroom to teach says they have been learning Spanish since last year.
the language.

3. Provide concept Do we know when he started learning? Yes, since last

questions and year.
answers Is he still learning? Yes.
(two or three)

4. Provide other <____I've been learning spanish since last

means of checking year.x____________>
concept: e.g.
realia/visuals/timeline Timeline shows that it's an action that began in the past
and has continued until the present.

5. Highlight the form I have been learning Spanish since last year.
of the language Subject + have been + ing + object

6. Anticipated Meaning: Students may not understand the difference

problems between present continuous, “I am learning” and present
and solutions perfect continuous “I've been learning”
(provide at least two
problems and Solution: Explain that the difference between the two is
solutions related to that the difference between the two is that “I am
meaning, form or learning” means a continuing process occurring in the
pronunciation) present while “I've been learning... since last year”
means it's an action that began in the past, last year, and
 has continued until now.

Form: Word order changes when it becomes a question.

Solution: Write marker sentences as examples to show

the differences in form and underline the differences in
order.

Phonology: Students may not know that the 'been' is soft

so it is pronounced as 'bin'.

Solution: Demonstrate and drill pronunciation

7. Another example of I've been learning piano since 2010.

the same I haven't been reading any books since a few months
structure/function ago.
Have you been learning English for very long?

8. Highlight Stress is placed on 'Spanish' since it is the object of the

phonological features verb. aɪv biːn ˈlɜːnɪŋ
(sentence stress, IPA, I have is contracted to I've. Intonation rises towards the
features of connected middle of the sentence where the stress is then
speech and intonation) descends.
9. References Swan, M (2002) Practical English Usage, p. 458-459. Oxford:
Oxford University Press

Language sample If I won a million dollars, I’d travel the world. (grammar)
1. Identify the Teaching point: second conditional
teaching point & Meaning: Talks about an unreal situation, which will
meaning probably not happen.

2. Outline a context Teacher sets the context by talking about hopes and
you could use in the dreams and gives a text with numerous examples in
classroom to teach which people talk about their hopes and dreams.
the language.

3. Provide concept Is this a real or imagined situation? Imagined.

questions and Are we talking about the past, present or future? Future
answers or present, since it is imagined.
(two or three)

4. Provide other Teacher would have to explain the meaning of a

means of checking conditional sentence and give examples until students
concept: e.g. understand. Teacher could a visual depicting 'travel' and
realia/visuals/timeline 'million dollars' on a slide to convey the gist.
5. Highlight the form If I won a million dollars, I'd travel the world.
of the language Conditional(main clause) + subject + past simple verb +
object, (conditional clause) subject + modal
auxiliary verb + infinitive verb + object

6. Anticipated Meaning: Students may think it is talking about winning a

problems million dollars in the past due to the presence of 'won'.
and solutions
(provide at least two Solution: Explain that the 'if' makes it conditional and
problems and that nothing actually happened in the past.
solutions related to
meaning, form or Form: Students may not recognise that this a conditional
pronunciation) structure

Solution: Write a number of different example sentences

on the board until they understand what conditional
sentences look like

Phonology: In ordinary conversations pronunciation of

the 'if' is soft, so students might not be able to hear it.

Solution: Explain then drill ordinary conversational

pronunciation

7. Another example of If I felt hungry, I'd go to McDonald's.

the same If I wasn't tired, then I wouldn't sleep.
structure/function If you were happy, would you smile?

8. Highlight Stress is placed on the object 'a million dollars', ,

phonological features intonation rises in the middle with the stress and since it
(sentence stress, IPA, is an object, then descends towards the end of the
features of connected sentence. /ɪf aɪ wʌn/ /aɪd ˈtrævl/
speech and intonation)
9. References Swan, M (2002) Practical English Usage. pp. 256-260. Oxford:
Oxford University Press

Language sample Could you help me? (function)

1. Identify the Teaching point: Request
teaching point & Meaning: The 'could you' construction is a request if help
meaning is possible.
2. Outline a context Audio listening exercise in which people are doing some
you could use in the chores at home, and one person asks for help from the
classroom to teach other.
the language.

3. Provide concept Is this a request or a statement? A request.

questions and Is could a polite way of making a request? Yes.
answers
(two or three)

4. Provide other Images of person asking for help

means of checking
concept: e.g.
realia/visuals/timeline
5. Highlight the form Could you help me?
of the language Modal verb + subject + infinitive + object

6. Anticipated Meaning: Students may not understand that this is a

problems request, may be interpreted as a question about ability.
and solutions
(provide at least two Solution: Explain that the use of could makes it in to a
problems and request.
solutions related to
meaning, form or Form: The word order changes the meaning. “You could
pronunciation) help me” means something different from “Could you
help me?”

Solution: Write marker sentence on white board and

underline the differences between the two sentences,
explain how the word order changes the meaning.

Phonology: Students may not know that a question

would necessitate rising intonation

Solution: Demonstrate pronunciation with correct

intonation and drill

7. Another example of Could you come here?

the same
structure/function

8. Highlight Stress is placed on the verb 'help', /kʊd juː hɛlp miː?/,
phonological features intonation rises towards the end, stress is on 'you' as its
(sentence stress, IPA, the subject of the sentence.
features of connected
speech and intonation)
9. References Swan, M (2002) Practical English Usage, p. 283. Oxford: Oxford
University Press