Problem:

Some beginning ESL students have problems with the use of the indefinite article. Problems occur with students whose first language does not use articles, and practice is needed in the basic level of when to use a or an. The objective, then, is to model the use of a or an, to give practice, and to evaluate the exercise for performance improvement.

Step One: Setting the Behavioral Goals

With practice the student should be able to use the indefinite article correctly in contexts where the indefinite article is needed. It is beyond the scope of the initial lessons to add cases where no article is required, or where the definite article is to be used. Follow-up in these areas are contingent upon successful completion (>90% correct) of the a/an lesson. If this success is not achieved, further modeling and practice will be required.

Step Two: Determine Appropriate Reinforcers

Through conditioned responses, testing and grading will help reinforce desired behavior. Students will be positively reinforced by their achievements and negatively reinforced by not having to repeat the unit if they achieve the appropriate scores.

Presentation

Step Three: Select Procedures for Changing Behavior

Implementation of the plan for the lesson includes gaining attention, presenting the rules, and providing exercises, tests, and follow-up instruction as needed, thus shaping the desired new behavior.

Step Four: Implement the Procedure

Attention getter: Which would you rather have—an apple, a pear, or a million dollars? Difficult choice, isn’t it? Well, let’s practice some other choices—when to use “a” and when to use “an.”

The rules:

"A" goes before all words that begin with consonant sounds (usually all letters that are not one of the five vowels—a,e,i, o,u)..

a car

a bike

a computer

a pen

a room

with one exception: Use “an” before unsounded h.

an honor

an honorary degree

an honest person

“An” goes before all words that begin with a vowel sounds (a,e,i,o,u)

an automobile

an exception

an indication

an occasion

an ultimatum

Practice exercises follow.

Step Five: Evaluate Progress and Revise as Necessary

Assessment will indicate whether the objective of a/an usage has been mastered (>90% on the exercises following the lessons) to allow progression to the next level introducing the use of required or not required article, and, later, the indefinite/definite article usage. The new behavior will be chained and future fading of the models will establish the new usage. If mastery has not been achieved, analysis of the problem areas will determine the nature of additional presentation, practice, and testing to be initiated until the needed level of mastery is achieved.