This website is owned and operated by Dr. Robert Schwab, Professor, Pusan University of Foreign Studies, Graduate School of TESOL, Pusan, South Korea.
A SHORT INTRODUCTION
This website is owned and operated by Dr. Robert Schwab, Professor, Pusan University of Foreign Studies, Graduate School of TESOL, Pusan, South Korea and has operated as an academic portal since September 2000. This website presents a wide range of academic resources designed and produced by Professor Schwab related to courses he is currently teaching or has taught in the past. These resources are offered publicly based on the 'Creative Commons License' concept. For more information on public usage of the material on this website, CLICK HERE. Thank you, and good luck with your academic aspirations!
RECENT PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS...
TEXTBOOK (Published)
From Structure to
Function: Explorations in Functional English Grammar.
Schwab, 2006. This link will take you to a short description
of the textbook.
From Structure to Function:
Explorations in Functional Grammar
- The full textbook is now available online in PDF format by clicking
on the above link. The author (Robert Schwab) has made it available free
based on a Creative Commons License!
RESEARCH PAPER (Published) A Model for Explaining Implicit Article Distribution and Functional Recognition in English. Schwab, (click here for a short description and abstract).
RESEARCH PAPER (Published) and PRESENTATION Rhythm-Based Timing and its Effect on Syntactic Patterning & Word Choice in Native and Non-Native Varieties of English. Schwab, presented Applied Linguistics Association of Korea (ALLAH), Annual Conference, Seoul, Korea, Nov. 19, 2005 (Click here for a short abstract) (Click here for the full PowerPoint Presentation, 17 slides).
PRESENTATION Honorifics, Identity Referents and the Perceptive Index of Spoken English: Schwab, this presentation explores the functional usage of honorifics and identity referents in native spoken English within the context of a language-specific perceptive index, along with a contrastive analysis of the perceptive indexes of English and Korean as they apply to honorifics and identity referents. Originally presented as a 2-hour seminar at Hanyang University, May 6, 2005. (Click here for a short abstract) (Click here for the full PowerPoint Presentation, 39 slides).
TRADE PAPER (Published) Teaching English to Preschool and Pre-Kindergarten Children. Schwab, Partner Magazine (YBM), Issue 6, 2003
TRADE PAPER (Published) Teaching Reading Comprehension Skills to 2nd Language Learners. Schwab, Partner Magazine (YBM), Issue 8, 2004
PRIMARY ACADEMIC RESOURCES... Personal resources based on the classes I have taught
PRINCIPLES OF LINGUISTICS An introduction to the principles and methods of modern linguistics and a scientifically based pedagogical approach to teaching English as a second language. Click here for full course-length PowerPoint presentations and accompanying lecture handouts, [What is Language] [The Brain and Language] [Words and Their Parts: lexicon and Morphology] [Syntax: Sentence Patterns of Language] [Phonetics: The Sounds of Language] [Phonology: The Sound Patterns of language].
TEACHING ENGLISH PHONETICS AND PHONOLOGY A conceptual and functional framework for English Phonetics and Phonology with an emphasis on pedagogic methodologies and strategies for improving pronunciation and oral language skills in the ESL classroom. Click here for full course-length PowerPoint presentations and accompanying lecture handouts, 10 Sections including: [Basic Terminology] [English Consonants] [English Vowels] [Phonology of English] [English Phonology in the Korean Context] [Initial & Final Consonants and Consonant Clusters] [Stress, Rhythm and Intonation] [Special Relationships in Connected Speech] [Classroom Applications and General Procedures] [Teaching English Vowel Sounds to Korean Students].
SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION An investigate into factors influencing the ways in which second languages are learned and the effects of those factors in the classroom setting from a practical and applied perspective. Click here for full course-length PowerPoint presentations and accompanying lecture handouts, [Learning a First language] [Approaches to Explaining 2nd Language Learning] [Factors Affecting 2nd Language Learning Part 1: Age and Acquisition] [Factors Affecting 2nd Language Learning Part 2: Other Than Age] [Learner language: Interlanguage and Orders of Acquisition] [Second language Learning in the Classroom].
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL ENGLISH GRAMMAR This course explores issues related to the perceptual index of English, with a focus on the natural recognition and cognitive application of clearly established patterns of English usage. Cognitive grammar is explored with a view to understanding how these patterns control and mediate the natural spontaneous usage of English as a functional language. Click here for full course-length PowerPoint presentations and accompanying lecture handouts, 10 Sections including: [Recent Developments in Vocabulary and Grammar Assessment] [Sentence Structure: Subject and Verb] [Noun Phrases and their Determiners] [Noun Phrases and their Nominal Constituents] [Verbs and Verbals] [Phrasal and Irregular Verbs] [Functions of Prepositional Phrases] [Finite Subordinate Clauses] ['That' Clauses and Infinitive Clauses] [Special Relationships in Functional Grammar]
TEACHING METHODOLOGIES & ASSESSMENT A multi-disciplinary approach designed to provide current and future ESL instructors with the ability and confidence to create English learning environments that meet the needs of their students and which encourage their students to perform at their fullest potential. Based on Douglas Brown, Teaching by Principles, 2nd edition. Longman, 2001. Click here for individual chapter summaries and discussion questions for all 23 chapters, and an extensive collection of charts and handouts integrating teaching theory with classroom practice.
A DESCRIPTIVE HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE An investigation of the development of the English language and the historical contexts that that shaped them. Includes many obscure, thought-provoking and fascinating facts about our language. Click here for full course-length PowerPoint presentations and accompanying lecture handouts, 7 Sections including: [The Pre-English Period] [The Old English Period] [The Middle English Period] [The Early Modern English Period] [The Latter Modern English Period] [English in Today's Global Society] [The Future of English]
SECONDARY ACADEMIC RESOURCES... Personal resources based on the classes I have taught
WRITING LAB HANDOUTS An extensive collection of handouts covering almost every aspect of English writing including, planning, composition, style, grammar, correctness and research capability. A total of 75 handouts on fast loading pages. Click here for a full list with links to each handout.
MINIMAL PAIRS LISTS This section contains lists for 52 minimal pair combinations (45 for vowels and 7 for consonants) that tend to be more problematic for Korean learners of English. Links for he consonant lists follows the vowel section.
FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE: ENGLISH EDUCATION CHARTS AND HANDOUTS A collection of charts and handouts that are designed to clearly identify comparative relationships in language education and theory
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The Nature of Language: A Comparison of the Structural, Communicative and Interactional Views |
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Instructional Implications of Language Acquisition from the the Behaviorist Innatist and Interactionist perspectives |
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Tenants of Language Acquisition from the the Behaviorist, Innatist and Interactionist perspective |
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Developmental Sequences & Orders of Acquisition for First Language Acquisition and Second Language Acquisition |
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Determining Overall Learning Style: the Relational, Analytical, Structured and Energetic Learners |
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Teaching Methods: Advantages, Disadvantages and Preparation |
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Learner Variables: Teaching Across Proficiency Levels |
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A Basic Glossary of Terminology related to second language teaching and assessment… |
FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE: More personal resources based on classes I have taught
THE MUSIC OF ENGLISH This article explores the nature and substance of English intonation as it applies to the musical and rhythmic characteristics of the language, how these signals interact to consolidate meaning, and the potential role of “naturalness” in specific aspects of native speaker word choice. Originally produced as a 'sample term paper' for undergraduate senior and first-year graduate students in Korea that would demonstrate Western expectations in academic writing and citation.
THE ENGLISH EXPERIENCE IN THE PHILIPPINES This presentation explores the process English Attribution as an Official Language in the Philippines. Part 1 presents a survey of the distinct and identifiable spoken living languages currently in use in the Philippines. Part 2 presents a chronology of the development and evolution of English as an Official language in the Philippines.
THE EPIC ADVENTURES OF TWEEDLEDROP
A morally focused
children's novel that explores the exciting world of life and science through
the eyes of a water droplet personified as a young girl. A primary ESL Resource
developed for Hispanic immigrant children in Southern California with
descriptive and engaging dialogue. Easily adapted to structured learning tasks
and for developing interactive discussion.
Now available online in both PDF Adobe Acrobat format and in HTML
format!
MINDANAO The first chapter of an extensive historical novel based on the incredible and violent history of the Southern Philippines. This chapter sets up the story with the arrival of the first Malay immigrant/conquerors to Mindanao about 2000 years ago.
VOICES FROM THE PAST: PEOPLE I'VE KNOWN & PLACES I'VE BEEN... A Pictorial Archive
TROMPING EAST AFRICA [People] [Wild Africa 1] [Wild Africa 2] A collection of scanned pictures taken in the late 70's of my journeys through Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, when East Africa was a place you could wonder and explore without control or restraint. Divided into 3 sections
TROMPING NORTH AFRICA [The Sahara] [The Face of the Bedouin] [The Tassili n'Ajjer] 'The Sahara' includes a collection of scanned pictures (mostly landscapes and vistas) taken in the late 70's and early 80's of my journeys through North Africa; 'The Face of the Bedouin' includes candid pictures of these fascinating people. Largely misunderstood by Westerners, these nomadic desert wanderers of North Africa and Arabia thrive in some of the harshest and most inhospitable regions on Earth. It is said that to understand the Bedouin, you must look into their eyes, for it is the eyes that reveals the Bedouin's true spirit. The Tassili n'Ajjer Located in Algeria's remote Central Sahara, Tassili n'Ajjer (Tassili Plateau) contains one of the most important groupings of prehistoric cave art in the world. More than 15,000 drawings and engravings record the climatic changes, the animal migrations and the evolution of human life on the edge of the Sahara from 6000 B.C. to the first century AD. The trip to Tassili n'Ajjer is in itself a unique experience requiring 5 to 7 days by camel caravan, and even today is not accessible by vehicle.
VISIONS OF Asia [Hong Kong] [Korea] [Thailand] [Indonesia] [Cambodia] When we think of exotic locations and foreign destinations, we generally imagine beaches, sunsets and beautiful vistas. Yet, these physical trappings are little more than window dressings and backdrops. The real uniqueness and beauty of any country lies in the faces and culture and of its people. An exploration of the people that make these exotic places what they are...
AT HOME IN THE PHILIPPINES [Faces of the Philippines] [Festivals and Celebrations] [Living Portraits of in the Philippines] When we think of the Philippines, most of us conjure up images of exotic beaches, beautiful sunsets and tropical resorts. But what is life really like in the Philippines? To answer that question, one has to look into the faces and hearts of its people. An exploration of the people that make these the Philippines the the 'Pearl of the Orient"...
CLASSROOMS AROUND THE WORLD [Asia] [Africa] We have all seen the big universities, and in the end, they all look pretty much the same. This visual journey explores and documents some of our less-commonly visited classrooms and schools....
FAMILY PICTURES. [Us and the Kids] [Family Photos] [Our Home in the Philippines] 'Us and the Kids' includes family pictures of us (Bob and Gigi), the kids (Brian and Belle), mostly in Korea; 'Family Photos' includes pictures of us and family, mostly in the Philippines; 'Our Home in the Philippines' includes pictures of us, family and household at our vacation / retirement home in Cagayan de Oro on the Island of Mindanao in the Southern Philippines.
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Direct Personal Contact: e-mail bob@bobschwab.com
Greetings from Pusan, South Korea!
My name is Dr. Robert Schwab. Together with my wife and two children, I have been in Korea for about 6 years - since August 2001. I currently hold the position of Professor with Pusan University of Foreign Studies where I teach academic subjects in the fields of Linguistics and English Education at the graduate and undergraduate level. Previous to arriving in Pusan in 2006, I was associated with Hanyang University for 4-and a-half years, where I held the position of Professor with the Graduate School of Education, and taught I taught English Education and Linguistics subjects. Previous to that, I spent four years in the Philippines where I held the position of Professor with the Department of Arts and Sciences at Capitol University where I taught courses at the graduate and undergraduate level in English Language, Literature, Linguistics, and Education. My formal graduate studies included Bilingual and Cross-Cultural Education and Educational Management.
I am a Canadian citizen, and my wife, Gigi, is an ethnic Filipina. We have two children - a boy, Brian, who is 10 years old and in grade 4, and a girl, Belle, who is 9 years old and in grade 3. Gigi's enjoys cooking and surfing the internet, while Brian's interests revolve around dinosaurs and music (particularly the piano). Belle enjoys outdoor sports, and plays the violin.