Teaching grammar

Tutor: Marisol Acosta Ham

You can lead a horse to water

but you cant make it drink
Popular English saying

 Often teachers give grammar explanations

so their students based upon the teachers
beliefs that the transfer of grammar rules
is effective and students will learn. This is
not always the case when approaching
grammar and this could be seen as a
hegemonic process.

 The problem with this knowledgetransmission approach to grammar is that

for most students it leads to limited
language acquisition. As a result of the
observed gap between knowledge of
grammar and its successful application,
there has been a shift in our view of
grammar instruction over the last 20 or 30
years.

Goals of presentation

Presentation
Earlier approaches in teaching grammar
Deductive and inductive approach
Inductive activity ideas
Microteaching
Wrap up

How do you see grammar?

How were you taught grammar?
What are your beliefs concerning
grammar?
What problems do you have when you are
teaching grammar?
Think about a time when you learned
something without being taught.

Earlier approaches and methods

Many earlier language-teaching methods
included elements that can be effective in
teaching grammar to adult ESL students, yet the
methods in their pure versions have been
found to be inadequate in addressing these
students needs.
The advantages as well as the limitations of
some popular methods are summarized in the
chart on the following page.

APPROACH/METHOD

ADVANTAGES

LIMITATIONS

Grammar-translation
Method
(nineteenthmidtwentieth
centuries)

Explicit teaching of grammar Absence of communicative

rules;
attention
paid
to practice,
which
is
an
language forms.
immediate need for new
immigrants.
Reliance on translation, which
is impractical in classes having
students with many different
first languages.

Direct Method
(first part of twentieth
century)

Grammar is taught
Lessons begin with dialog or a
story in the target language.
Use of visuals (actions,
pictures, objects) to convey
meaning.

Inductive
presentation
is
unsuitable for some adult
students, who may benefit
from overt explanations of
rules.
Minimal reading and writing,
which is needed by immigrant
students
with
work
or
academic goals.

Audiolingual Method
(ALM)
(1950s1970s)

Emphasis on oral production.

Teacher models pronunciation.
Use of drills to reinforce
grammatical patterns.

Rote
exercises
reduce
cognitive engagement.
Activities are designed to
prevent learner errors, which
reduces the need for students
to negotiate meaning.
(Savage, Bitterlin, & Price, 2010, p6)

APPROACH/METHOD

ADVANTAGES

LIMITATIONS

Cognitive Approach
(1970s)

Grammar must be taught, Emphasis

on
analyzing
either
inductively
or structure at the expense of
deductively.
communicative
practice.
Pronunciation
is
deemphasized.

Natural Approach
(1980s)

Language is presented in a
natural sequence: listening,
speaking, reading, writing.
Use of a communicative
Syllabus.

Grammar is not overtly

taught, yet many adult
learners need and want
grammar instruction.
Focus on input (listening)
can delay output (speaking)
that adults need.

Communicative
Language Teaching
(CLT)
(1970stoday)

Communication is the goal of

instruction.
Emphasis on meaningful
interaction.
Course syllabus includes
language functions.
Use of authentic texts and
contexts.

Focus on communication can

result in ignoring grammar.
Emphasis on fluency at the
expense of accuracy can
result in many students never
attaining correct grammar.
(Savage, Bitterlin, & Price, 2010,
p7)

Lesson No.1

Lesson No. 2
What is your wishlist?

Whislist (Pearl Jam, 1998)

Instructions: Please listen to the song.
Now, get in teams of 5. Listen to the song
one more time as you place the sentences
in the correct order.
Check the order with the group next to
you.

Get creative!
Write your own wishlist. Give it a twist and
write a song, a poem, or even a pun.

TWO CORE APPROACHES IN GRAMMAR

PRESENTATION
Broadly speaking, in teaching grammar, there are two
approaches that can be applied:
A deductive approach (rule-driven) starts with the
presentation of a rule and is followed by examples in
which the rule is applied. (Thornbury, 1999, p29)
The deductive approach maintains that a teacher teaches
grammar by presenting grammatical rules, and then
examples of sentences are presented. Once learners
understand rules, they are told to apply the rules given to
various examples of sentences. Giving the grammatical
rules means no more than directing learners attention to
the problem discussed. (Puji Widodo, 2006, p126)

 An inductive approach (rule-discovery) starts with

some examples from which the rule is inferred.
(Thornbury, 1999, p29)
It suggests that a teacher teaches grammar starting with
presenting some examples of sentences. In this sense,
learners understand grammatical rules from the examples.
The presentation of grammatical rules can be spoken or
written.
This approach attempts to highlight grammatical rules
implicitly in which the learners are encouraged to conclude
the rules given by the teacher. (Puji Widodo, 2006, p127128)

Lets try an exercise

Instructions:
Get together in teams of 8 or 9 members.
Decide the approach to work with by tossing a coin.
With your team members, identify the items
corresponding the approach you were given.
Once you have all of the items, organize them into
advantages and disadvantages. Place the cards on
the flip chart.
Now, you will have to explain to the rest of the class.

Inductive activity ideas

Visualization
Races
Charades
Writing stories
Ball games
Timelines
Colored index-cards
Singing

Now, it is your turn

Instructions:
In teams of 3, do a microteaching session
addressing the grammar topic of your
choice. You will have 15 minutes to plan it.
Explain briefly the procedure to the class.

References

Cowan, R. (2008). The Teacher's Grammar of English. New York:

Cambridge University Press.
Harmer, J. (1998). How to Teach English. Longman.
Harmer, J. (2007). The Practice of English Language Teaching.
Pearson .
Puji Widodo, H. (2006). Approaches and procedures for teaching
grammar. English Teaching: Practice and critique, 122-141.
Savage, K. L., Bitterlin, G., & Price, D. (2010). Grammar matters:
Teaching grammar in adult ESL programs. New York: Cambridge
University Press.
Scrivener, J. (2010). Teaching English grammar. McMillan
education.
Thornbury, S. (1999). How to teach grammar. Pearson.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS?

NO, OK.
THANK YOU!
Contact information:
E-mail: Marysol_38@hotmail.com