Body language and content Selection and grading of language items Presentation and practice of new language items

3.3.2 The practice activities for new structures

The textbook provides students with varied activities to practice new structures. Spark 3 has sufficient activities for each new structure and each of them is accompanied by appropriate exercises.

3.3.3 The presentation and practice of new lexis
When it comes to vocabulary, there are instances in which visual support is added to faciliate memorization and retention of word form or meaning. For example, at the beginining of a new module, there are new vocabulary items to which images are added so that learners memorize them easily and also make the textbook more attractive. (Ex. 1 p.21, Ex. p. 33). In the section named “Vocabulary”, vocabulary is taught through activities such as matching words with pictures, translation, describing people, events etc. In the Reading section, vocabulary is taught through activities such as gap-fill.
Valuable learning takes place when lexis is put in a meaningful context as in the following examples: Look at the pictures and say which of these phenomena are/are not common in your country. (Ex. 2, p. 21).
Your fiend is going kayaking this weekend. He/she invites you to go with him/her. Use phrases from Ex. 1 to act out your dialogue. (Ex. 6, p. 40).
Imagine you are at Stonehenge. You are going to appear on TV to present the problems the monument faces and asks for help. You’ve got two minutes. Use the text to prepare yor speech. Tell the class. (Ex.7, p. 47).
Furthermore there are activities which require the students to translate phrases into their mother tongue. These exercises are presented in each section named ‘Everyday English’ and are the fourth exercise of this section.
3.3.4 The phonological (sound) system
The pronunciation corner appears at the end of the sections named ‘Everyday English’ or ‘Across Cultures’ in red colour and is always accompanied with a record from the class CD. Spark 3 covers almost every part of phonology. The textbook deals with homophones (p. 29), consonants (p. 40, 52, 76), vowels (p. 66, 90), diphthongs (p. 100), and intonation (p. 88). There is only one exercise to practice intonation and sentence stress. Example: Listen to the dialogue. Take roles and read it out. Mind your intonation. (Ex. 4 p. 88). Consequently, like in the case of grammar, the textbook seem to teach phonology mostly non-communicatively. This is because it tends to teach and practice sounds as discrete points rather than in connected speech.
The sounds are learnt through the record. The students are encouraged to repeat the sound either individually or in words. At the end of the book there is a “Key to Phonetic symbols” table divided into three parts: vowels and diphthongs, consonants, and abbreviations which it is very helpful for the students.
Example: Listen and repeat. (Ex. 1, p. 28)
● I feel terrible. ● Are you OK? ● You don’t look well. ● What’s wrong? ● I can’t stand it any longer. ● Then you should see a dentist.
Listen and find the word which does not sound the same as the others. Listen again and repeat. (Ex. 4, p. 29)
● itch – its – it’s ● hair – here – hear ● saw – so – sew
Listen and repeat. Can you think of more words with these sounds? (Ex. 6, p. 66).

	/æ/	/ᴧ/
us
as

The sounds are taught and practiced almost mechanically via repetition drilling. There are no communicative tasks for students to practice them in connected, natural discourse. Unfortunately, this kind of practice is the only kind available for phonology study.