Lesson 12– Reflexive Pronouns
How to use this program:
I will be using an audio-lingual approach, not grammar rules. You may be using this program because someone told you there were problems in your use of pronouns. Correcting this will take repetition, with me and afterwards. I suggest doing this in time that is usually wasted, such as while stopped at a red light, waiting for someone to answer the telephone or waiting for your electronics to wake up. Also, please keep a list of the master sentences so you can see the progression and the places where you can use what you have already learned. I will keep lessons short because I am trying to be conscientious about using your time. During the lesson after I read a written sentence, I will wait for you to repeat it after me. This is to help develop your muscle memory.
Why I chose this method of teaching:
The purpose of this is to assure you that your use of pronouns and grammar will be correct. I am using a program that provides practice in using the correct pronouns. It has been shown that the study of grammar does not necessarily mean a change in speech. What is needed is a change in the thought and transmission to the mouth. This only happens with direct practice. Fluent speech will only happen with enough practice to enable you to use pronouns automatically. When you learned to play an instrument or to play well in a sport, it took a coach and specific practice for muscle memory. As I watched my children practice walking, at first their gaits were strange but with enough practice, it all came together. When I was learning and playing duplicate bridge, I would dream about bridge hands but I tend to geek out :)
The practice is simple; take my master sentence or one of your own making and repeat as much as possible every day. Add listening to other speakers and whenever a pronoun we have studied is used incorrectly, repeat the sentence, substituting the correct pronoun. Eventually, hearing an incorrect use of a pronoun should be something that will cause some kind of mental jolt or physical reaction.