TEACHING GRAMMAR EFFECTIVELY
TEACHING GRAMMAR EFFECTIVELYTeaching Staff :Well Of Knowledge,
MEd. In Mgt & LsOutcomes and CompetenciesTeaching grammar
effectively awareness and understanding developedWhat is
grammar?Grammar is the building blocks of a language . (Hammer
(1996) Ur (1997) defines grammar as the way words are put together
to form correct sentences. In past, the teaching of grammar was
based on grammar rules, that is, basic forms, structural
patterns.
1. Basic forms. e.g. Present perfectIYouThey have
(not)+verbWe
HeShe has (not)+verbIt
Good metaphor of grammar: building blocks; skeleton of a
language. It is concerned with FORM, MEANING, PATTERNS and
functions.32. Structural patterns.e.g. Present perfect with neverI
have never climbed a mountain. I have never eaten crocodile meat. I
have never visited the pyramids.
Teaching and learning grammar in this way, students did not know
how and when to use the structures in their communication; although
they could write the correct basic forms, structural patterns of
grammar and understand grammar in texts they read. At the present ,
EL practitioners are strongly recommended to teach1. Forms of the
English grammatical structures and patterns;2. Meaning and use of
the English grammatical structures and patterns3. Functions of the
English grammatical structures and patternsA function is how and
for what purpose you use a grammatical structure and pattern
(Thompson (2001:118).The teaching and learning of grammar should
have changed for the better in recent years for the fact that new
theories and views have been sought. But some ELT practitioners
resist the change.4You can show meaning and use byVisual
aidsSituationVerbal explanation with visual aidsGiving examples
Form can be shown by1. writing a form on the board2. underlining
the form.Examples of functions and grammatical structuresFunction
RequestingReporting past eventsAsking for explanationComparing
objects and peopleGiving reasonsGrammatical structureI would like
He said thatWhy did you?taller than
Because ISo, teaching grammar in this way, it will help students
toMaster the language;Communicate well with others using correct
grammatical structures, meaning and use in appropriate situation
and functions;Know forms and grammatical structures;Know when and
how to use grammatical structuresApproaches to teaching grammarTwo
approaches:Covert / deductive if behaviour, action, rule or meaning
is covert, it is secret, hidden, not done or shown openly; (Collins
Cobuild EL Dictionery (1990:326)2. Overt / inductive if behaviour,
action, rule or meaning is overt, it is done, shown in an open and
obvious way (Collins Cobuild EL Dictionery (1990:1028) Covert or
deductive approach is the presentation of grammatical structures
and their functions without teaching the grammar rules.Overt or
inductive approach is the presentation of grammatical structures
and their functions openly together with grammar rules
explained.Ideally, overt approach to teaching grammar needs to
present form (grammar rules), meaning and function of grammatical
structures in order to produce it correctly; and know how and when
to use a grammatical structure.However, how to teach grammar
depends entirely upon the syllabus and examination
system.Presenting new grammatical structuresThere is a good number
of ways of presenting grammatical structures and functions using1.
Actions:I am combing my hair;2. Realia: This is my pen;3. Dialogue
or story: e.g. Sophia: Good morning, Pamela. Pamela: Good morning,
Sophia.4. Pictures or drawing: John is running.5. Students: John is
the tallest.6. Verbal explanation with visual aids:
Before presenting any grammatical structures, the EL
practitioner needs tobe clear about how the grammar item is
FORMED;be sure of the MEANING of the grammar item;plan how to
PRESENT the grammar item;plan how students can PRACTISE the grammar
item;plan how they can PRODUCE the grammar item in an authentic
way.A good presentation situation of any grammatical structure must
be:CLEAR students should not have difficulties in understanding the
situation or what the new language means as result.
EFFICIENT the aim is to get to the personalization stage as soon
as students can manipulate the new language. The more efficiently
we can do this the better.
LIVELY and INTERESTING we want students to get interested and be
involved during presentation stage. With the help of a good
situation and lively teaching it can be one of the most memorable
parts of a language course.APPROPRIATE it should be appropriate for
language that is being presented. In other words the situation the
teacher introduces should allow students to make many sentences and
or questions with the new language.
MISTAKES AND ERRORS IN THE TEACHING LEARNING PROCESS
If we present a grammatical structure well, that is, with visual
aids, clear verbal explanation, good examples and effective
practice, our students will make few mistakes and errors. Learners
psycho motors will process facts and information to capture the
form, pattern, meaning, use and function of a new grammatical
structure.
A mistake is a lapse of mind; while an error is a gap in
knowledge or information. The mistake can be corrected by
individual self after making it by recalling knowledge or
information with some concentration on areas of knowledge.
While, an error cannot be corrected by individual self, it needs
outside intervention on areas of knowledge or information and it is
never from within self.Mistakes are not as bad as people think they
are , it is an integral and natural part of teaching learning
process. They tell us that learners psycho motors are processing
and adjusting the knowledge inputs in that mental progress or
development is taking place; but not a failure.
Mistakes and errors are very useful facts in teaching and
learning process. They indicate us
errors to work on;
areas of learning to invest more time and make most of the
effort to improve;
Type of remedial work to give.
Grammatical Structure Lesson PlanGrammatical structure:
Function:Assumed knowledge:Anticipated difficultiesTeaching
learning Visual aids: Methods / techniques:
_______________________________________________________________Aims:
Teach seven words for use in communication
Objectives: By the end of the lesson, students must
/should1.2.3._______________________________________________________________1.
Warm up / anticipation.Timing
Grammatical Structure Lesson Plan Continued2. Presentation:-
Setting the scene contextual meaning- Elicitation check schematic
knowledge and involve students- concept questions - check
understandingModel a marker sentence.- slow, then normal speed -
Introduce new language- Drill check assimilation / understanding-
Explain with visual aids and illustration - Form sound and
spelling- meaning what it means- use socio-cultural- linguistic
usage grammatical - give more examples of sentences consolidate
knowledge
Grammatical Structure Lesson Plan Continued3. Practice (Modeled
Activities) Timing- Modeled dialogue- Matching exercises- Multiple
choice exercises - Gap filling exercises- Right or wrong
exercisesNB:For mastery of a grammatical structure
Grammatical Structure Lesson Plan continued4. Production (freer
Activities) Timing- Dialogue - Role play- Discussion- Interview-
Multiple choice items - Transformational items- Re-writing
sentences- Gap-filling exercisesNB: Use of language learnt and
recycling of word knowledge and grammatical structure for
communication
Grammatical Structure Lesson Plan Continued.5. Evaluation:- what
went right- what went wrong- what to improve
6. Comment:-
7. Overall impression of a lesson:-
Bibliography.Hammer, J. (2006)The Practice of the English
Language Teaching, London, CUP.Thompson, H. (2001) Teaching Primary
English, Malasia, Macmillan Teaching Handbooks.Ur, P. (2010) A
Course in Language Teaching, Practice and Theory, London, CUP .
