Teaching Grammar

Teaching Grammar effectively is a difficult skill to master. Many novice and experienced teachers of English last studied grammar in primary or high school, or when they were completing their tertiary education. As a result, some teachers feel ill-equipped with the relevant content knowledge to teach grammar. The Teaching Grammar course includes a Language Awareness component aimed at developing English language teachers’ knowledge of grammar. In addition, the concept of grammar and approaches to teaching grammar have changed over the years and many teachers are still stuck using out-dated methods. This course will touch on different perspectives of grammar and will introduce different approaches to teaching grammar. On completion of this course, language teachers will be better equipped to teach grammar in engaging ways, with confidence and success.

Who is the course suitable for? • Novice or experienced teachers who are interested in

developing themselves professionally in the area of teaching grammar

• Teachers who are interested in developing their grammar knowledge

What are the entry requirements?To be registered as a trainee on the Teaching Grammar course, you need to fulfil all the requirements below:

• First language proficiency in English

• A professional teaching qualification (TESOL, TEFL, CELTA or PGCE)

• A degree is highly recommended

What are the aims and objectives of the course? On completion of the course, candidates will:

• Be familiar with the key components of the English grammar system and grammatical terminology

• Be familiar with different perspectives on grammar and grammar teaching

• Have an understanding of the different approaches to teaching grammar

• Be able to select, employ and evaluate skills, techniques and strategies required to teach grammar effectively.

• Understand and be able to convey the meaning of new grammatical structures

• Understand and be able to highlight the form of new grammatical structures

• Be able to anticipate and address problems associated with specific grammar points

• Be familiar with appropriate resources and materials to teach and practise grammar

• Be more equipped to deliver successful and enjoyable grammar lessons

• Have an understanding of reflective practice and be able to use reflection in their practice

How is the course structured? In the input sessions, our trained and experienced teacher trainers will cover language awareness and theoretical aspects of the course, such as: perspectives on grammar, approaches to presenting grammar, grammar teaching techniques and tools. The practical component provides trainees with the opportunity to plan and present activities, lessons and projects on teaching grammar. These practical sessions are observed by an experienced trainer who provides constructive feedback and helps trainees to develop their language awareness and grammar teaching skills.

What approach is used?

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The Teaching Grammar course approach involves participatory learning, where trainees are very much involved in the learning and teaching process. Most input sessions will focus on trainees discovering new concepts and information about teaching grammar through discussions, research, projects, activities and presentations, utilising the language content and skill being studied. Trainees will also be involved in several tasks, either individually, in groups or pairs. Trainees are required to collaborate with their groups by sharing and completing tasks and activities, since these will be assessed. Trainees will be provided with a course book and will be expected to prepare for daily sessions by reading the chapters assigned for homework.

While most of the material is covered in class, there is also an online learning environment that candidates are required to participate in.

What will the course include? Course content includes:

1. Language Awareness

• Morphology and word grammar

• Parts of speech

• Syntax and sentence grammar

• Aspect

• Voice

• Tense

• Modality

• Beyond the sentence

2. Approaches to Presenting Grammar

• Inductive approaches

• Deductive approaches

3. Grammar Teaching Methods and Techniques

4. Grammar Teaching Tools

5. Practising Grammar

6. Assessing Grammar

7. Teaching Practice

How long is the course? The Teaching Grammar course is a 40-hour contact course which includes observed and assessed teaching practice. Full- and part-time courses are available. Full-time classes are run over two weeks, Monday to Friday. The part-time classes are typically held two evenings per week and on Saturday mornings, running over a period of four weeks.

What are the methods of assessment? Assessment is continuous and there is no final exam. Trainees are assessed on their practical teaching, as well as on a portfolio of evidence. Trainees are required to build and submit a portfolio of evidence for assessment which will contain assignments, quiz results, micro teaching evidence and teaching practice lessons. Participation and attendance is also considered a major part of assessment since trainees will be required to participate in several tasks, activities and presentations, either in groups or individually throughout the course.

What certification is issued? On successful completion of the course, trainees will receive a Wits Language School Certificate of Competence in Teaching Grammar.

Course feeR4 900

Unit Contact details

Tel: +27 (0)11 717 3753/4208

Fax: 086 211 7587

Email: wls@wits.ac.za

Website: www.witslanguageschool.com

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2015 SPECIALISATION COURSES

Teaching GrammarFull-time

29 June - 10 July

Part-time

06 April - 30 April

03 August - 26 August

23 November - 18 December