Relevance of Grammar Instruction

In the communicative competence model, the purpose of learning grammar is to learn the language of which the grammar is a part. Instructors therefore teach grammar forms and structures in relation to meaning and use for the specific communication tasks that students need to complete.

Compare the traditional model and the communicative competence model for teaching the English past tense:

Traditional: grammar for grammar's sake

• Teach the regular -ed form with its two pronunciation variants

• Teach the doubling rule for verbs that end in d (for example, wed-wedded)

• Hand out a list of irregular verbs that students must memorize

• Do pattern practice drills for -ed

• Do substitution drills for irregular verbs

Communicative competence: grammar for communication's sake

• Distribute two short narratives about recent experiences or events, each one to half of the class

• Teach the regular -ed form, using verbs that occur in the texts as examples. Teach the pronunciation and doubling rules if those forms occur in the texts.

• Teach the irregular verbs that occur in the texts.

• Students read the narratives, ask questions about points they don't understand.

• Students work in pairs in which one member has read Story A and the other Story B. Students interview one another; using the information from the interview, they then write up or orally repeat the story they have not read.

Error Correction

At all proficiency levels, learners produce language that is not exactly the language used by native speakers. Some of the differences are grammatical, while others involve vocabulary selection and mistakes in the selection of language appropriate for different contexts.

In responding to student communication, teachers need to be careful not to focus on error correction to the detriment of communication and confidence building. Teachers need to let students know when they are making errors so that they can work on improving. Teachers also need to build students' confidence in their ability to use the language by focusing on the content of their communication rather than the grammatical form.

Teachers can use error correction to support language acquisition, and avoid using it in ways that undermine students' desire to communicate in the language, by taking cues from context.

• When students are doing structured output activities that focus on development of new language skills, use error correction to guide them.

Example: Student (in class): I buy a new car yesterday. Teacher: You bought a new car yesterday. Remember, the past tense of buy is bought.

• When students are engaged in communicative activities, correct errors only if they interfere with comprehensibility. Respond using correct forms, but without stressing them.

Example: Student (greeting teacher : I buy a new car yesterday! Teacher: You bought a new car? That's exciting! What kind?

(The National Capital Language Resource Center, Washington, DC)

Task 1

Which of the following do you think are the most important points about teaching grammar?

• Use visual aids to help pupils memorize something.

• State the aims of a presentation so learners know what is coming after, that is state the function of the grammar point under consideration (When we are talking about our intentions we use to be going to… etc.).

• Give lots of examples.

• Let learners practice or communicate with the new language.

• Explain in L1.

• Contrast new grammar point with something in L1.

• Show how the grammar point is used (e.g. by using a text).

• Limit yourself to one or two aspects of the new grammar.

• Elicit from learners what they already know (draw information out of learners).

• Give encouraging feedback if learners don’t understand first time.

• Use humour/fun.

Task 2

Work in pairs. Read each of the techniques (given to you by the teacher) for presenting present perfect tense to a class for the first time. Comment on the advantages and possible problems of each technique:

• using a song

• using a time line

• reading

• using a picture

• using realia

• personalising

• explaining directly

• practising and presenting

• discovering

• using a chart

• eliciting

• comparing L1 and L2

Task 3

Think of how you would explain effectively the use (function) of the following grammar points to young learners:

• Second Conditional

• Structure there is/are

• Modal verb should

What do you think could be possible context to practise these grammar points?

Task 4

Read and comment on the following opinions. What would be your advice?

Hi everybody! Well I really need your help! I was wondering what would be the best way to teach grammar! Most teachers say that we should present the structure at first, but others say that it is better to use an inductive approach. What do you think? Thanks

This question is from Juliana

Mahesh Chandak, India

I take it your main aim is to teach spoken English. For, if you are teaching grammar for the sake of grammar, the inductive approach won't help, because it won't tell the students the whys. For spoken English, the less of grammar that is used, the better it is for the students. Grammar becomes more of a hindrance than a help so far as spoken English is concerned. I have often seen students fumbling for words because every sentence they speak is preceded by a mental check-up of the grammar of the sentence. Language should come fluently. Grammar should follow only after the student has gained fluency. After all, don't 4-5 year old kids in English-speaking countries like US, Canada and UK speak near-perfect English when they barely know the letters of the alphabet, let alone any grammar? So let's not confuse students with grammar. Grammar will make sense once they learn to speak and write proper English through speaking, hearing and reading.

Meric, Turkey

Whatever you teach you have to include fun in it. Even if it is grammar I believe teachers should somehow link it with real life situations. Experiencing is the best way of learning. So it must be something visual and aural. The more concrete it is the better the result would be. The thing is, the learner should feel the touch.

Walid El Dars, Egypt

In my opinion (as a teacher of 6 years experience), the best way of presenting a structure is as follows.

1 Creating a situation in the class containing the structure;

2 Writing some examples on the board first and then eliciting the structure from the students.

You may use your mother tongue analogies to check understanding. Finally, you should practice the structure in real-life situations.

Farah, Kuwait

I think it is better to teach grammar for children without rules in the beginning, by talking, playing and giving examples.

Dr.Udaya Ravi S V, Karnataka, India

Well, it depends on whom you are teaching to, and why. English for Specific purposes - The syllabi of many schools and colleges have English grammar exercises for testing which fetch them marks in the exams. If you are teaching them for that purpose, getting in to the mechanics of the language is mandatory. But if one needs to be taught the communicative English, one need not go technically. Go for the direct method as Farah, Kuwait says. Experience has taught me that there is no one single method to teaching grammar. Depending on the competence of the learner, a proper blend of methods is suggested. After all they are not water-tight compartments.

Gurjinder S.Brar, India

The grammar of any language is the rules of the language. You cannot avoid them. If you do ....the result will be 'junk lingo ' or slang. We are heading towards the same slowly. To avoid the total collapse of the Queen's language, the grammar will have to be taught as it is, maybe more interestingly with stories etc. and diagrams. That’s all.

Kate, Poland

You should show your students what the structure means and how it is used by native speakers, by giving examples. Establish the form of it and also make its usage clear (you can put it in context) so that the students are able to produce it.

Annette, Taiwan

I think the best way to learn grammar is read as much as possible. While reading, not focusing too much on the text structure, just go through from page to page. Little by little you will learn grammar naturally.

Larissa Jonk

Adopting the method where the teacher acts as a facilitator, encouraging and assisting the learner to discover the patterns (grammar) for themselves, helps them to better understand and remember. Languages being culturally different, there are many aspects which cannot be translated into other languages as it is culturally idiosyncratic.

Agus, Indonesia

Try to create a scene, a role play, presenting the grammar so students can understand the use of the grammar in the conversation

Reflection

Reflect on your own ways of learning English Grammar. Which of them are more/less effective? What could you do to improve your grammar?