Ten Trees a Day: How learning science and a story of multilingual buffalo help students learn syntax
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3765/plsa.v6i2.5110Keywords:
syntax, learning science, formative feedback, tree-drawing, skill learningAbstract
This paper describes an activity designed to help students improve skills in drawing syntax tree structures without significantly increasing instructor grading time. In this formative exercise, students draw ten trees prior to each class period, correct their own work, and reflect on their mistakes. This assignment incorporates many practices that research on learning suggests are essential for understanding and retention of material. In addition, this exercise incorporates some best practices on effective feedback. The activity works best when students understand the science behind it, so discussion of the pedagogical reasons for the exercise is essential. Further, overt discussion of how to learn helps students develop effective skills for learning linguistics. Self-correct homework assignments like this can be applied to many courses that involve learning skills or terminology.Downloads
Published
2021-10-12
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Section
Articles
License
Published by the LSA with permission of the author(s) under a CC BY 4.0 license.
How to Cite
Santelmann, Lynn. 2021. “Ten Trees a Day: How Learning Science and a Story of Multilingual Buffalo Help Students Learn Syntax”. Proceedings of the Linguistic Society of America 6 (2): 5110. https://doi.org/10.3765/plsa.v6i2.5110.