ELT365 · D178 — Discourse Markers: Signposting the Text for Learners

Idea — Discourse markers signal how ideas connect — contrast, addition, cause, result. Teaching them explicitly helps learners navigate long texts faster and understand lectures better.

Example — ‘However’ signals contrast. ‘Therefore’ signals conclusion. ‘In other words’ signals reformulation. One word, one function: teachable.

Try — Take a paragraph from a text you teach. Underline all discourse markers. Ask learners to name the function of each before they read the connected ideas.

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