Page 99 - Beyond Methods

Minimizing perceptual mismatches 87
At the surface, this episode shows a perfectly normal interac- tional exchange between the teacher and the learner. However, a detailed analysis of the intentions and interpretations of the par- ticipants reveals a different story. During this lesson, the teacher used the phrases too expensive and too large more than once. In the learner’s mind, this usage conflicted with his prior knowl- edge of pedagogic grammar learned in previous classes, namely, that too plus an adjective should be followed by to plus a verb, as in too expensive to buy—a simple grammatical rule that, accord- ing to the learner, the teacher did not bother to follow. So, as part of his continual self-evaluation, he seeks feedback to confirm or reject his previous understanding of the rule. Not knowing the real intention of the learner, the teacher not only fails to clarify the learner’s legitimate doubt, but creates additional confusion by responding affirmatively to both too expensive and too expen- sive to buy.
8. Procedural mismatch: This source refers to stated or unstated paths chosen by the learners to do a task. The procedural source pertains to locally specified, currently identified, bottom-up tac- tics that seek an immediate resolution to a specific problem whereas the strategic source, discussed earlier, pertains to any broad-based, higher-level, top-down strategy that seeks an over- all solution in a general language learning situation. Consider this episode:
Episode 4.8
T2 (to S2) Do you have any idea?
S2 I think ... uh ... we have to imagine that situation, we have to find an apartment ... so ... I have to call them ... ask price or something. . .Ithinkitisbetterforus,thissituation,so. . .uh. . . imagine you are the landlord . . . and you don’t say anything . . . hmm . . . I have to ask you how much is the price or where is it or can I have a pet or something . . .
T2 (turning to S1) Do you understand? S1 No.
T2 OK, let’s try again . . .