Form, Meaning, Use in GrammarPrepared by: NurulJannah Nabihah binti Mohd Rodzi Saraniah A/P Kalidasan Nur Fadhilah binti Mohd Shaher Rita Doreen Richard Kok Akmal Faiz bin Azhar F-M-U • F-M-U is a grammar teaching framework (teaching approach) where it stands for F-M-U (Form-Meaning-Use). • This framework integrates grammar and its context. • It was introduced by Janey Moon (2008) through a British Council’s program concerning about the development of English teaching and learning in elementary school in Asia. • English teaching and learning should follow the sequence of activities that help students to reach their optimum potentials. • For this reason F-M-U framework can be used as a reference. • The framework has five important elements to be applied in developing lesson plans. • The elements are Topic, Activities, Language Focus, Situation and Sequence. They are known as TAFLSS. TAFLSS. FORM • This refers to the mechanics of the language. students must understand the sentence structure of a specific grammar rule. With regards to grammar. . either in terms of grammar or vocabulary. they have to follow this specific structure.• In the example below is on the past perfect tense. . this would be: • subject | had | past participle | object/complement So whenever students want to use the past perfect tense. especially at the intermediate and advanced levels. suffixes. and roots are also important. • Prefixes.• With regards to vocabulary. . • Students should be able to breakdown the components of a word to guess at the meaning. • If in a written text. students must understand the pronunciation of a word. then students must know how to spell a word. "dis" means not. so the new meaning is "under water" . so the new meaning is "twice a year" • distrust ."bi" means twice.• Take the following prefixes: • biannual ."sub" means under. so the new meaning is "not to trust" • submarine . adjective. students don't always have to scurry for a dictionary every time they encounter an unknown word. . or adverb. • This is becomes possible by devoting a portion of the lesson to form. students should also learn to readily recognize that the word may be a noun. • However. verb.• With an understanding of prefixes and suffices. • Thus. teachers have the responsibility to attract children’s attention to language forms during English lesson. . which means that the teachers are making the children aware of accurate language use both orally and written.• Children are subconsciously notice form of language (grammar) and tend to use language naturally in accordance with their need. • This means that the teachers have to introduce the language form with meaningful context. which to make the children feel motivated to use English as well .• Children need certain conditions to make them understand meanings of English vocabularies and to use the language in natural context. • Activities that increase students’ awareness on grammar— teacher asks “What is similar about these sentences? • ●He is talking • ●She is listening • ●They are eating at the restaurant . or completing dialogues. and their left hands if teacher says plural animals. arranging words into good sentences. • Writing—completing sentences.Some Strategies • Games—children raise their right hands if teacher says singular animals. MEANING • This is the mental image/comprehension that is generated by the grammar or vocabulary. • Students connect the grammar structure with the meaning. . the past perfect signals earlier actions/events in a narrative. • Once the teacher has presented the structure. the past tense signals events in the past. . he should talk about the meaning too.• For example. Students understand the image triggered by a specific word . students connect the form of the word with its meaning.and macrolevels.• When vocabulary is the focus of the lesson. • This occurs both at the micro. • At the micro-level. the word stands alone. at the macro-level. . • There is often nuance or some other concept generated. • In addition. there may be other associated word choices selected or triggered. a word may have a different meaning because of the sentence in which it appears.• However. when someone uses a word. teachers introduce a new language to children in MEANINGFUL CONTEXT to help the children understand the meaning of the language that they are learning. • Meaning can be created through situations that are related to children’s life.• For the first step. . WAYS TO CREATE MEANING • Set situations or dialogues that are fun for children using dolls or other media. . • Using Total Physical Response (TPR) • Using pictures. (puppet show). • Using stories. • Playing dramas. • Using children’s experiences as learning materials. the past perfect tense isn't used in every sentence but rather in conjunction with the past tense.USE • Last comes how the grammar or vocabulary gets used. • One sentence appears in the past perfect to order events. and then subsequent sentences • appear in the simple past. • For example. . . As a result. he got a great job in England last year.• Take the following short narrative: -Tom had studied English for ten years. others more formal. . use also takes into consideration phrases or certain structures that might appear more conversational. and yet even more than a few used only in very specific industries or situations.• However. • Vocabulary follows the same concept. • Others are more often used in speaking. as some words are more often used in writing. • And many words have specific uses and appear in written communication like academic essays or business correspondence. . • In addition. especially at the higher-levels when they acquire words with less concrete meanings. students must also realize what words or types of words are commonly associated with the vocabulary .• Students must understand these points for effective vocabulary use. then not much would get done. if the teacher tried to cover form. ensuring that students know all the ins and outs of a grammar structure or word. meaning. .• Of course. and use in every lesson. and use in the classroom: . • Consider the following ideas for effectively covering form. the class would likely be quite boring.• What's more. meaning. • After children are exposed to English language through the situations manipulated by teachers. . They may use the language to play or to act in plays. they also need opportunities to use English to communicate with others. . • Creating funny rhythms or songs.Sample of Activities • • • • • Games Information gap Quiz Plays Giving and following instructions to do or making something. Keep the explanations brief. • A visual diagram and several examples also further highlight the target language. • The same holds true of a few comments on the past perfect. • A simple comment that the past tense refers to events in the past serves as an adequate explanation. . or any other structure. . • Yet this is all extraneous information.Limit the explanation to the task/lesson at hand. • There may be several exceptions to the rule. There may be times when the language isn't used for some situation or with some medium. The teacher wants to provide just enough explanation for the students to practice the language correctly and purposefully. yet not overwhelmed the class with too much information. • The teacher can also practice different skills/mediums. • This allows the teacher to address and practice the rules and exceptions. yet return to the same language point .Consider devoting several lessons to a specific grammar or language point. Address grammar and vocabulary again and again . • Just because students have studied the target material once doesn't mean they can use it well.• The teacher should provide several opportunities to acquire the target language during a course of study. • Students who grasped the meaning have a second chance for the form and use . then students who grasped the form have a second chance to grasp the meaning and use of the target structure.• By revisiting the target structures. THANK YOU .