How to teach grammar
- 1. How to teach grammar
- 2. Grammar is central to the teaching and learning of languages. It is also one of the more difficult aspects of language to teach well. Inductive and DeductiveInductive is known as a 'bottom up' approach. In other words, students discovering grammar rules while working through exercises. Deductive is known as a 'top down' approach. This is the standard teaching approach that has a teacher explaining rules to the students.
- 3. Goals and Techniques for Teaching GrammarThe goal of grammar instruction is to enable students to carry out their communication purposes. This goal has three implications: Students need overt instruction that connects grammar points with larger communication contexts. Students do not need to master every aspect of each grammar point, only those that are relevant to the immediate communication task. Error correction is not always the instructor's first responsibility.
- 4. Overt Grammar Instruction Teach the grammar point in the target language or the students' first language or both. The goal is to facilitate understanding. Limit the time you devote to grammar explanations to 10 minutes, especially for lower level students whose ability to sustain attention can be limited.Present grammar points in written and oral ways to address the needs of students with different learning styles. Be sure the examples are accurate and appropriate. They must present the language appropriately, be culturally appropriate for the setting in which they are used, and be to the point of the lesson. Use the examples as teaching tools. Focus examples on a particular theme or topic so that students have more contact with specific information and vocabulary.
- 5. 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.
- 6. 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. Teachersneed to be careful not to focus on error correction. They need to let students know when they are making errors so that they can work on improving.Teachers can use error correction to support language acquisition, and avoid using it in ways that undermine students' desire to communicate in the language.
- 7. Thank you for your attentionAmanda KopaliMaster Anglisht Viti 1