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ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITY, ISLAMABAD
(Department of English Language & Applied Linguistics)
Welcome to the MA TEFL course 559 “Modern Grammatical Theory”. This is the final course in which you are required to do assignments since the last phase of the MA TEFL programme mainly involves research work. By this time you must be quite familiar with the terminology related with English language and English language teaching, including the meaning and sound system of the language, the construction of structures, the traditional grammar, the psychology and sociology of language, the language learning and teaching strategies and finally the evaluation and correction techniques. The current course is aimed at giving you an insight into the theories and application of modern grammar, as suggested by the course title. The textbook being provided is entitled ‘Reader and Guide’ since it is based on two sections, a) Reader b) Guide. This course comprises mainly six units, provided in the Guide section. The seventh unit is the summary/achievement of the course. The Reader section provides detailed information on the areas covered in the Guide.
In addition to the actual ‘Reader and Guide’ you must have received a ‘Supplementary Reader’ in your study package. Although the actual ‘Reader and Guide,’ includes some extra reading material from the latest foreign ELT books, available at the time of the production of the course,’ the Supplementary Reader further clarifies relatively complex topics/areas that require more explanation and extra reading. This Supplementary Reader has been compiled by putting together material from some useful books on the subject; keeping in view the difficulties you might encounter searching these books in the libraries.
You are strongly advised to go through the Supplementary Reader thoroughly and with the same spirit in which it has been prepared in order to have full grasp over the subject and to perform better in the examination as well as the assignments. In case you still face any difficulty in comprehending the given concepts/ideas, you may discuss these with your tutor and seek his/her guidance. We strongly hope and wish that you derive the maximum from this course and apply the knowledge for effective classroom teaching so that the desired objectives are achieved and the propose of offering the course is justified.
Best of luck,
Course Coordinator
ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITY, ISLAMABAD
(Department of English Language & Applied Linguistics)
1. PLAGIARISM OR HIRING OF GHOST WRITER(S) FOR SOLVING THE ASSIGNMENT(S) WILL DEBAR THE STUDENT FROM AWARD OF DEGREE/CERTIFICATE, IF FOUND AT ANY STAGE.
2. SUBMITTING ASSIGNMENTS BORROWED OR STOLEN FROM OTHER(S) AS ONE’S OWN WILL BE PENALIZED AS DEFINED IN “AIOU PLAGIARISM POLICY”.
Course: Modern Grammatical Theory (559) Semester: Autumn, 2010
Level: M.A TEFL Total Marks: 100
Pass Marks: 40
ASSIGNMENT No. 1
(Units 1–3)
Q.1 Explain Chomsky’s view that grammar is generative and an infinite number of sentences can be produced with finite number of sentences present in one’s mind. Also discuss properties of TG. Support your answer with relevant examples. (20)
Q.2 What do you understand by the concept of ‘competence and performance’ as put forward by Chomsky? Discuss in detail in the light of his theory of Transformational Generative Grammar. (15)
Q.3 What does Chomsky mean by the terms Surface Structure and Deep Structure? Draw distinction between the two terms with the help of a least three examples explaining these concepts. (15)
Q.4 The constituent elements of a sentence can be explained with the help of tree diagram. Elaborate the Phrase Structure rules and the rules of tree diagram with the help of an example. (15)
Q.5 Draw Tree diagrams of the following sentences: (20)
i. A man climbed up the hill without a stick.
ii. My car was stolen by the thieves living in the nearby village.
iii. In the bank, there was a huge amount of money.
iv. The black buck was being chased by the big cat.
Q.6 Discuss in detail how structural change occurs during the process of transformation of sentences from one structural formation to the other. (15)
ASSIGNMENT No. 2
(Units 4–6)
Total Marks: 100 Pass Marks: 40
Q.1 Explain the difference between ‘PS rules’ and ‘T – rules’ in detail. (15)
Q.2 What are ‘T – rules of passivisation’? Discuss in detail and exemplify. (15)
Q.3 Write a detailed note on Syntax. What difference do you find between English and Urdu syntax? Elaborate with the help of examples. (15)
Q.4 While defining the Universal Grammar, Chomsky says: “ [it is]…..the system of principles, conditions and rules that are elements or properties of all human language-, the essence of human language” (Chomsky, 1976: 29) elaborate. (15)
Q.5 Head parameters vary from language to language. In the light of this comment explain the difference between the head parameter of Urdu and English. (15)
Q.6 How would you explain the term ‘structure dependency’ as discussed in Chapter 4 & 5 of your guide? (15)
Q.7 Is the projection principal common to all languages or does it apply to certain individual languages? (10)
ASSIGNMENT No. 3
(Units 7–9)
Total Marks: 100 Pass Marks: 40
Q.1 Explain the difference between rules of language and principles of language. (20)
Q.2 What is LAD (Language Acquisition Device)? Explain what you understand by the language faculty being innate in human mind. (15)
Q.3 Discuss the idea that certain principles are not universal / not common in all languages and yet they create a syntactic movement. Justify your answer with examples. (10)
Q.4 Explain in detail what is Plato’s theory of language acquisition and how is it different from Chomsky’s views on this topic? (15)
Q.5 “The language property appears to be a separate property, common to all species and unique to it in its essentials.” Discuss the properties of Language Faculty in the light of the above statement. (20)
Q.6 Elaborate how does Universal Grammar help you in teaching learning environment, i.e. in the class room? (20)
ASSIGNMENT No. 4
Total Marks: 100 Pass Marks: 40
Written report: 16 out of 40 Presentation: 24 out of 60
The 4th assignment is based on a research based activity / project. You are required to study the relevant area / conduct the research and prepare a brief report on the findings in the area. You will then have to submit one copy of the report to the tutor within the given date and present the report in the Assignment Presentation Workshop to be held at the end of the semester. (The schedule of this workshop will be communicated to you by the tutor / RD concerned) The fourth assignment carries 100 marks; 40 for the written report and 60 for the presentation. You have to score at least 16 in written report and 24 in the presentation failing which you will be declared fail in the course.
A few guidelines for the written report and presentation are as follows:
a) The written report should have an introduction, body and conclusion.
b) It should be written in clear, concise and correct English.
c) It should be 5-8 double spaced typed or handwritten pages.
The presentation will be assessed mainly in:
i. Contents of the assignment / report
ii. Communication skills
iii. Language accuracy
iv. Language fluency
v. Presentation style
Project:
Select any one of the following areas, in consultation with your tutor, for your written report and presentation.
1. Record at least ten utterances / sentences of a child of about two to three years. Analyse these utterances / sentences in the light of Chomsky’s theory of innate language that states that “Each speaker of a language has an internalized grammar or set of rules which enables the meaning of a sentence to be extracted from its constituents and word order.” Write a detailed report based on your findings.
2. “UG tells us that all languages have certain common grammatical principles. For example a common principle is that every language will have certain syntactic categories (Noun phrases, verb phrases, prepositional phrases and so on). All these principals have a head which is always a noun is a noun phrase, a verb in a verb phrase, etc”. Everything else in the phrase is a compliment.”
Explain the statement in detail so that the concept of Universal Grammar that ‘all languages have common grammatical principles” becomes clear. Prepare a questionnaire based on the statements given by Chomsky regarding Universal Grammar and get it filled by at least 10 teachers / experts for their opinion on whether, and to what extent there are similarities in the syntax of more than one language. Write a report on the responses you get through the questionnaire.