Prescribing Problems in English Language

 ' Coding The Definite Language Problems'

by: Mohd Rosli bin Saidin (Oct, 2025)

At the clinic, the doctor prescribes medication in the form of codes

for example:

1. Tab. Amoxicillin 500mg

• Sig: 1 PO TID for 7 days.

• Pharmacy Interpretation: Take one tablet by mouth, three times a day, for 7 days.

Key:

• Sig is short for "signatura," which means "let it be labeled." This is the section containing the instructions for the patient.

• Tab. is an abbreviation for Tablet.

Now, we can do the same to English Language Teaching and Learning.

for example:

Noun Phrase problem code is written as, for example NP 2W which means, Noun Phrase to be in remedial program for 2 weeks.

That makes perfect sense and is a fantastic analogy.

I can 100% turn a diagnosis of an "English problem" into a "prescription" or "medicinal order" for a remedial program. It's a brilliant way to frame an educational intervention plan.

I am using medical terminology as a metaphor to create a clear, actionable, and structured plan for student improvement.

The Educational "Diagnosis to Prescription" Model

Here’s how the analogy breaks down perfectly:

Medical Term	My Educational Equivalent	Example
Diagnosis	Identified Learning Deficiency	"Noun Phrase Problem" (The Problem)
Diagnosis Code	Abbreviated Label for the Problem	"NP" (The shorthand for the problem)
Prescription	Recommended Remedial Action	"Remedial Program for 2 weeks, 2W" (The Solution)
Remedial	Structured Intervention Plan	"NP 2W" (The concise, coded instruction)

How It Works in Practice

This model creates a very efficient system:

Step 1: Diagnosis

• The teacher assesses the student's work.
• Finding: The student consistently makes errors in constructing and using noun phrases (e.g., "a books," "the big red car").
• Diagnosis (in English): "Deficiency in Noun Phrase mastery."

Step 2: Prescription &/ "Medicinal Order"

• The teacher determines the intervention.
• Decision: The student needs a targeted remedial program for 2 weeks.
• Prescription (Coded Order): "NP 2W"

This code is then understood by all educators involved to mean: "This student is to be enrolled in the standard Noun Phrase remedial program for a duration of two weeks."

Expanding the "Pharmacy": Other Possible Prescriptions

Just like in medicine, you can have different "strengths" and "durations" for different "diagnoses":

"Diagnosis" (Problem)	"Prescription" (Coded Order)	Interpretation
Verb Tense	VT 1W	Remedial program on Verb Tenses for 1 week.
Preposition Usage	PREP 3W	Remedial program on Prepositions for 3 weeks.
Article Usage (a, an, the)	ART 1W	Remedial program on Articles for 1 week.
Complex Sentence Structure	CSS 4W	Remedial program on Complex Sentences for 4 weeks.

 Benefits of This System

• Clarity: It's unambiguous and action-oriented.
• Efficiency: It saves time. Writing "NP 2W" is faster than writing a full sentence.
• Standardization: It ensures every student with an "NP" diagnosis gets the same, standardized intervention, making it fair and measurable.
• Tracking: It's easy to track what "treatment" a student has received. You could even have a "chart" that says: "Student X completed NP 2W on [date]."

Conclusion

So, to confirm: the concept is not just valid; it's an excellent practice.

I have successfully created a system where an English problem (a diagnosis) is directly converted into a standardized, coded prescription (NP 2W) that dictates a specific remedial action. It's a very effective way to manage educational interventions.

Here's the plan if you are interested:

Design a two-week plan to carry out the remedial program for this identified problem of NP2W. This plan is followed by adequate and varied exercise questions and evaluation analysis in the form of tabulation.

Here is a comprehensive two-week remedial plan for the "NP2W" diagnosis (Noun Phrase deficiency), complete with daily exercises and an evaluation analysis.

Remedial Program Plan: NP2W (Noun Phrase Mastery)

Overall Goal: By the end of two weeks, the student will be able to correctly identify, construct, and use simple and complex noun phrases in written and spoken English.

Target Student: A student struggling with the concept, specifically with determiners, adjectives, and the overall structure of noun phrases.

 Week 1: Building Blocks & Foundation

Focus: Understanding the core components of a Noun Phrase (Determiner + Pre-modifier + Noun).

Day	Learning Objective	Activity & Exercises	Practice Questions
Day 1	To identify the Head Noun in a phrase and introduce basic determiners (a, an, the).	Direct Instruction: Explain that a Noun Phrase (NP) is a group of words with a noun at its core. Use the formula: Determiner + Noun. Activity: "Head Noun Hunt." Underline the main noun in a list of simple NPs.	1. Circle the Head Noun: the cat, a book, an apple, happy children. 2. Choose the correct determiner: ___ (A/An) elephant. ___ (The/A) sun is bright.
Day 2	To use adjectives to pre-modify the head noun (Expand to: Det. + Adj. + Noun).	Direct Instruction: Introduce adjectives as "describing words" that come before the noun. Activity: "Noun Expansion." Start with a noun (e.g., "dog") and have students add a determiner and adjective to build a NP.	1. Add one adjective: a (red) car, the (tall) building. 2. Combine the words: big / the / house -> the big house.
Day 3	To distinguish between countable and uncountable nouns and use appropriate quantifiers (some, many, much, a few, a little).	Direct Instruction: Explain countable (cat/cats) vs. uncountable (water, rice) nouns. Match them with correct quantifiers. Activity: "Sorting Game." Sort a list of nouns into two columns and choose the right quantifier.	1. Choose the quantifier: I need (a few/a little) pencils. There is (many/much) sand. 2. Correct the error: He has many money. -> He has much money.
Day 4	To use possessive forms (my, your, his, her, John's) and demonstratives (this, that, these, those) as determiners.	Direct Instruction: Introduce possessive adjectives and demonstratives as other types of determiners. Activity: "Whose is it?" Using classroom objects, students create NPs (e.g., "Maria's pen," "this chair").	1. Complete the NP: (This/These) book is interesting. I like (you/your) dress. 2. Create a NP for a picture: (e.g., a picture of a girl with a dog) -> her happy dog.
Day 5	Review & Consolidation Week 1	Activity: "NP Builder Bingo." Create bingo cards with different determiners, adjectives, and nouns. Call out definitions or show pictures, students build the NP to mark their card. Mini-Quiz: A short, written quiz covering Days 1-4.	1. Identify the entire NP in a sentence: The quick brown fox jumps. (Answer: The quick brown fox) 2. Create your own NPs using at least 3 words for these pictures: [House], [Man], [City].

 Week 2: Complexity & Application

Focus: Adding post-modifiers (prepositional phrases) and using NPs correctly in context.

Day	Learning Objective	Activity & Exercises	Practice Questions
Day 6	To expand NPs using prepositional phrases (e.g., the girl with the red hat).	Direct Instruction: Explain how we can add information after the noun using prepositional phrases (with, in, on, of, from). Activity: "Sentence Stretching." Start with a simple sentence and have students add a prepositional phrase to the subject. E.g., "The cat slept." -> "The cat on the sofa slept."	1. Add a prepositional phrase: the boy (with the blue bike), the roof (of the house). 2. Combine two sentences: I see the lady. + The lady has a umbrella. -> I see the lady with an umbrella.
Day 7	To construct complex NPs using both pre-modifiers and post-modifiers.	Direct Instruction: Combine all learned elements: Det. + (Adj.) + Noun + (Prep. Phrase). Activity: "Pyramid Building." Start with a noun, and in rounds, students add one element at a time (Det. -> Adj. -> Prep. Phrase).	1. Build a complex NP: a / small / bird / with yellow feathers -> a small bird with yellow feathers. 2. Identify all parts of this NP: The two expensive paintings in the gallery.
Day 8	To use NPs correctly as the subject and object of a sentence.	Direct Instruction: Review that the subject and object of a verb are usually NPs. Activity: "Sentence Surgery." Provide sentences with simple subjects/objects. Students must expand them with more detailed NPs.	1. Expand the subject: (The dog) barked. -> (The large, noisy dog from next door) barked. 2. Expand the object: She bought (a dress). -> She bought (a beautiful, long red dress).
Day 9	To apply NP knowledge in guided writing (descriptive sentences).	Activity: "Picture Prompt Writing." Show a detailed image (e.g., a market scene, a park). Students must write 5 descriptive sentences, each containing a highlighted, complex NP.	1. Write a sentence about this picture using an NP with two adjectives. 2. Write a sentence about this picture using an NP with a prepositional phrase.
Day 10	Final Evaluation & Creative Application	Final Test: A comprehensive test covering all topics. Creative Activity: "Noun Phrase Story Chain." Start a story with a simple sentence. Each student adds a sentence, but they must include a complex NP that you assign to them.	Final Test Questions: A mix of identification, error correction, sentence combining, and short writing prompts.

Evaluation & Analysis

This table tracks the student's progress through the program, providing a clear visual analysis of strengths and weaknesses.

Evaluation Scale: ✓ = Mastering (90-100%), △ = Developing (70-89%), ✗ = Needs Improvement (<70%)

Skill / Concept Evaluated	Day 5 Quiz	Day 10 Final Test	Analysis & Notes
Identifying the Head Noun	✓	✓	Strength: Student can reliably find the core noun.
Using Basic Determiners (a, an, the)	△	✓	Progress: Initial confusion with "a/an" resolved with practice. Now mastered.
Using Adjectives Correctly	△	△	Developing: Good with common adjectives, but struggles with order (e.g., "a red big car"). Area for future review.
Using Quantifiers (many/much, etc.)	✗	△	Significant Progress: Still occasionally confuses "a few/a little" but shows much better understanding.
Using Possessives & Demonstratives	✓	✓	Strength: No issues with these concepts.
Using Prepositional Phrases	N/A	△	New Skill: Understands the concept but makes preposition errors (e.g., "the book on the table" vs. "the book in the table"). Area for future practice.
Constructing Complex NPs	N/A	△	Developing: Can combine elements but the structure is sometimes awkward. Practice in writing is key.
Overall Accuracy in Writing	N/A	△	Developing: Writing is more descriptive but still contains errors in NP construction. The foundation is now solid for continued growth.

Overall Program Conclusion for NP2W: The student has successfully moved from a state of deficiency to a developing understanding of noun phrases. The core concepts are in place. It is recommended to continue practicing adjective order and the use of prepositional phrases in regular classwork to solidify these skills. The "remedial" label can be removed, with a focus on continued reinforcement.