tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue May 28 12:23:05 2002
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Re: Help with a short beginner's class in Klingon?
- From: [email protected]
- Subject: Re: Help with a short beginner's class in Klingon?
- Date: Tue, 28 May 2002 12:22:28 EDT
In a message dated 5/28/2002 7:29:34 AM Mountain Daylight Time,
[email protected] writes:
> I've done a few classes in an elementary setting, and the materials I made
> are available
I looked at your lessons. They are very good, having pictures and simple
introductory sentences. A few pointers, though:
When I was in methods courses, first in Taipei Teachers' Normal University,
then in Sonoma State College, I was taught that no first lesson in any
foreign language should have more than 19 words in the vocabulary list.
There might be an additional vocabulary list after the main lesson, plus a
second set of drills. Try to introduce no more than 3 patterns per lesson;
in the first 5-6 lessons only 1-2 patterns is ideal. Drills, drills, drills!
Substitution drills going over and over the patterns are essential. Grammar
patterns should be learned BEFORE plugging in exhaustive amounts of
vocabulary. Emphasize speaking, particulary with nonprofessional linguists.
Many KLI members are exceptions. We can sit with a book packed with
linguistic jargon and absorb the language visually. Generally, whether the
students admit it or not, oral drills are much more important that seeing the
text.
Because the language I teach professionally is Chinese, I refuse to allow
students to write anything during class time. We ONLY drill, with limited
English explanation. This is known as the deductive method. After class, I
send home some drills in Pinyin in order to teach the students how to read
Pinyin and in order to reinforce their learning of the materials covered
orally in class. They must study 5-6 weeks minimum before I allow them to
start writing characters.
tlhIngan Hol is much more difficult than Chinese putonghua. You probably
need to use more English explanations of the grammar just to get students to
understand the different basic sentence structure. But, I would still follow
up with lots, lots, and more lots of substitution drill practices. If your
students turn out to be average, add translation drills from correct tlhIngan
Hol into Federation Standard. If they turn out to be somewhat above average,
have them translate into tlhIngan Hol. Never, I repeat never, trick the
students with words or patterns they have not had in class.
Even though beginning students claim they will mispronounce the foreign
language when the instructor is not there to make them imitate him/her, I
tell my students, even those learning such difficult pronunciations as
Chinese appears to have, to practice daily at home. I will correct their
lousy mispronunciations when we are together again in the classroom.
I encourage all students to learn some sentences they can use in daily life.
"I see ....."
"I have one/two/three ....."
I have often taught numbers early. Then, I tell the students to say their
PINs, key card codes, page numbers, etc. at every appropriate occasion.
bIghojmoHtaHvIS, Qapla' yISIQ!
peHruS