Phương pháp dạy ngữ pháp (How to teach grammar)

Lecturer: Thu, Le Pham Thien Materials Harmer, J (2007) The Practice Of English Language Teaching Pearson Longman Harmer, J (2012) Essential Teacher Knowledge Pearson Education Limited Thornbury, S (1999) How To Teach Grammar Pearson Education Limited The importance of Grammar in learning a foreign language • In order to understand a language and to express oneself correctly, one must assimilate the grammar system of the language studied • One may know all the words in a sentence but fail to understand it if one does not know the relationship of the units of a sentence as they are arranged in a pattern e.g “home, we, at, not, are, now, right” What is Grammar? • Here is an example of language in use: “This is 2680239 We are not at home right now Please leave a message after the beep.” An answerphone message kind of text  sentences  consisting of words  the words consist of sounds (when spoken) • All language in use can be analyzed at each of these four levels: text, sentence, word and sound  the forms of language What is Grammar? • The study of Grammar consists of looking at the way these forms are arranged and patterned For example: - If you change the order of the sentences  not well-formed message “Please leave a message after the beep This is 2680239 We are not at home right now.” What is Grammar? For example: - If you change the order of words in each sentence: “Beep after a leave the please message.” - If you change the order of sounds in a word: “peeb” Grammar is a description of the rules that govern how a language’s sentences are formed How to teach Grammar from rules? There are important definitions: 1/ A Deductive Approach: starts with the presentation of a rule and is followed by examples in which the rule is applied How to teach Grammar from rules? Advantages of using a deductive approach: It gets straight to the point  time-saving, allow more time for practice and application It respects students’ intelligence (esp adults), expectations, and learning style (for those who have an analytical learning style) How to teach Grammar from rules? Disadvantages of using a deductive approach: It can be seen as dull, over-technical, and demotivating Certain kinds of learners, including younger ones, may react negatively It encourages the belief that learning a language is simply a case of knowing the rules Drill Exercises Combination drill: Ss are asked to combine the two sentences into one compound or complex sentence Ex: T: She’s a doctor He’s a doctor Now, listen She’s a doctor, and he is, too T: He’s a driver She’s a driver Combine these two sentences in the same way, please Ss: He’s a driver, and she is, too Chapter Steps to teach Grammar Basically, when planning a lesson, T needs to take into consideration the following stages: - Presentation - Controlled practice (Practice) - Free practice (Production) Presentation: • Choose a context (picture/dialogue/text) which uses the grammar item • Prepare questions based on the text which use the new grammar item or which can only be answered by using the new grammar item Presentation: • Introduce the context in an interesting way Elicit predictive answers from your Ss, e.g Who are they? Where are they? What are they doing? • Ss answers T’s questions • Write the questions and the correct answers on the blackboard, underlining the new grammar Presentation: • Give out one or two more examples in the same way • Name the new grammar • Explain the new grammar item: functions, structures, how it is formed… (T can ask Ss before T gives out the correct answers) Controlled Practice (Practice): • This is the stage at which Ss are given intensive practice in the new structure (form), accuracy is encouraged • T prepares a number of oral and/or written exercises which use the new grammar (T may needs some visual aids: handouts, slides, pictures, flashcards,…) Controlled Practice (Practice): • Correct Ss’ errors if necessary by eliciting the correct answer from another S • To make this correcting stage more interesting, T can design some suitable activities or games to draw Ss’ attention Free Practice (Production): • At this stage, T relaxes control • Mistakes will occur, but Ss will correct each other or themselves when challenged • T only intervenes if serious problems arise Free Practice (Production): • It is important to get Ss to practise grammatical items in a situation where they choose what they want to say, and where they have opportunities to use all the language they know Free Practice (Production): • Prepare an activity in which the Ss will practise the new grammar item with little or without T’s assistance • Explain clearly what Ss have to • Give a model/example Free Practice (Production): • Ask Ss to practise in pairs or small groups • Walk around listening and encouraging but not correct errors or interfere in the activity • Stop the activity Maybe by:  Asking Ss to repeat their free practice in front of the class  Asking several Ss what they found out about their partner Teacher gives a model lesson about teaching Grammar Student choose a Grammar point to teach in front of the class ... needs to devote some attention to “form”, i.e to “getting it right”  Attention to form: the practice activity should motivate learners to want to be accurate  Familiarity: learners need to be... for grammar teaching How to teach Grammar through texts? How to practise Grammar? The purpose of practice activities is to target these two objectives: Accuracy and Fluency How to practise Grammar?... should try to make use of concepts familiar to the learner Relevance: A rule should answer only those questions that the student needs answered How to teach Grammar from rules? How to teach Grammar