what conclusions can we draw about dialect and social status? Have them present
an oral report on their findings.
- Have students pair up. One person in the pair will assume the role of an em-
ployer, the other person the role of a job seeker. Each pair can decide the nature of
the business, but it should be something in the professions. The employer has an
opening and is looking for candidates. Have the employer write up a job descrip-
tion. Ask each job seeker to write an application letter to the employer outlining
his or her qualifications and asking for an interview. Have each employer write a
response letter that either rejects the application or accepts it. Then ask each pair
to analyze the job description, the application letter, and the response letter for
structures and word choices that do not conform to the usage conventions govern-
ing this context. - Give students a lesson on the semantic features of subordinating conjunc-
tions that are commonly confused:while/because, while/whereas, since/because,
and the like. In small work groups, have them examine a newspaper or magazine ar-
ticle to determine whether the writers used subordinating conjunctions in keeping
with their semantic content. They should share their findings with the whole class.
Next, have them pair up and exchange drafts of a paper in progress. Then ask them
to examine each subordinate clause to determine whether it begins with the correct
subordinating conjunction.
TEACHING GRAMMAR 49