Teaching Grammar

Teaching Grammar Teaching Grammar Do Tuan Minh, M.A. Do Tuan Minh, M.A. Nguyen Huyen Minh, M.A. Nguyen Huyen Minh, M.A. English Department English Department CFL - VNU CFL - VNU What is grammar? What is grammar? The grammar of a language is the description of the way in which words change their forms and are combined into sentences in that language. If those rules are violated, communication suffers. (Nunan, 2003) 1. Take a look at the three examples 1. Take a look at the three examples below below (1) Everybody is ready now, aren’t (1) Everybody is ready now, aren’t they? they? (2) You’ve got a sister, have you? (2) You’ve got a sister, have you? (3) Someone has deliberately made (3) Someone has deliberately made themselves homeless. themselves homeless. Are they grammatically correct? If not, Are they grammatically correct? If not, how would you correct them? how would you correct them? Prescriptive Grammar Prescriptive Grammar An approach to grammar presents An approach to grammar presents authoritative norms about the authoritative norms about the structure of a language and structure of a language and determines language use correct or determines language use correct or incorrect, good or bad according to incorrect, good or bad according to those sets of rules those sets of rules Descriptive Grammar Descriptive Grammar An approach to grammar looks at An approach to grammar looks at how language is actually used by how language is actually used by native speakers and from that draws native speakers and from that draws out the rules of language use out the rules of language use 2. Compare these two sets of 2. Compare these two sets of language language (1) Do you (1) Do you understand me? understand me? (2) May I help you? (2) May I help you? (3) I want to talk (3) I want to talk with you! with you! (1) Know what I (1) Know what I mean? mean? (2) Need a hand? (2) Need a hand? (3) Got a second? (3) Got a second? A B Spoken & Written grammars Spoken & Written grammars Written grammar Written grammar set A set A Spoken grammar Spoken grammar set B set B Reflection Reflection 1. 1. What would you prefer as a What would you prefer as a teacher, a descriptive or a teacher, a descriptive or a prescriptive grammar? Why? prescriptive grammar? Why? 2. 2. What difficulties would you What difficulties would you encounter if you are to include encounter if you are to include spoken grammar in your spoken grammar in your teaching? teaching? No “feeling” of language like native No “feeling” of language like native speaker teachers speaker teachers Testing and assessment still based on Testing and assessment still based on written standard grammar written standard grammar Lack of established materials Lack of established materials What to teach about grammar? What to teach about grammating and assessment still based on Testing and assessment still based on written standard grammar written standard grammar Lack of established materials Lack of established materials What to teach about grammar? What to teach about grammar? Form Form : how a particular structure is : how a particular structure is formed formed Meaning Meaning : its meaning expressed : its meaning expressed through word or grammar through word or grammar Use/pragmatics Use/pragmatics : the reason why : the reason why and the situation in which a and the situation in which a particular structure is used particular structure is used [...]...Reflection 1 Does English grammar teaching at secondary schools embody three dimensions discussed earlier? Why / why not? *** 2 Which dimension among them receives most attention and which one is often neglected? What might be the reasons? *** Implicit and/or explicit Explicit teaching stating directly, usually at the beginning of a particular activity, what the grammar is Implicit teaching the learners... communicative games Principles of teaching grammar 1 Integrate both inductive and deductive methods to your teaching 2 Use tasks that make clear the relationship between grammatical form and communicative function 3 Focus on the development of procedural rather than declarative knowledge 4 Avoid using unfamiliar grammatical terms Q&A Should we focus on pronunciation when teaching grammar? ... activity, what the grammar is Implicit teaching the learners are ‘led’ to discover the grammar for themselves through a series of guided steps Advantages & Disadvantages Explicit teaching - it takes less time to prepare and teach - it makes learners feel more relaxed - it is suitable even for weak learners Implicit teaching - it is demanding for teachers and learners - it is interesting - it may help... specific attention on form Task cycle: report and discuss on how task is done Language Focus: specific attention on features of language form Presenting grammar Presenting rule and examples Presenting visually Presenting through situation Practicing grammar Purpose To get students to say the new language accurately and fluently Process controlled practice  less controlled practice  free practice Some... straightforward helpful for novice teachers 2 What are some disadvantages of PPP? learners’ previous knowledge is not checked learners are not actively engaged until production stage teachers are the centre of the teaching and learning process Deep-end approach Production 1: teachers elicit to find out what learners don’t know Presentation: give learners more language Practice & Production 2 Advantages and disadvantages . B Spoken & Written grammars Spoken & Written grammars Written grammar Written grammar set A set A Spoken grammar Spoken grammar set B set B Reflection. the grammar is what the grammar is Implicit teaching Implicit teaching the learners are ‘led’ to discover the the learners are ‘led’ to discover the grammar