Phương pháp dạy ngữ pháp (How to teach grammar)

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 stud

Lecturer: Thu, Le Pham Thien

1 Harmer, J (2007) The Practice Of English

Language Teaching Pearson Longman.

2 Harmer, J (2012) Essential Teacher

Knowledge Pearson Education Limited.

3 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

 3 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?

1/ A Deductive Approach:

starts with the presentation of a rule and is followed by examples

in which the rule is applied.

There are 2 important definitions:

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

How to teach Grammar

from rules?

Characteristics of helpful rules:

Truth : rules should be true.

Limitation : rules should show clearly what the limits are on the use of a given form.

Clarity: Rules should be clear.

Simplicity: Rules should be simple.

Familiarity : An explanation 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

from examples?

An Inductive Approach:

starts with some examples from which a rule is inferred.

How to teach Grammar

from examples?

Advantages of using an inductive approach:

Rules learners discover for themselves are

more likely to fix their existing mental structures than rules they have been presented with  meaningful, memorable, and serviceable.

A greater degree of Cognitive Depth

Students are more actively involved in the

learning process  more attentive, more motivated

How to teach Grammar

from examples?

Advantages of using an inductive approach:

It favours pattern-recognition and problem-solving abilities  challenging

If the problem-solving is done collaboratively  learners get the

opportunity for extra language practice.

Prepare students for greater self-reliance

 learner autonomy

How to teach Grammar

from examples?

Disadvantages of using an inductive approach:

Time consumed and energy spent

Students may generalize into a wrong rule

Heavy demand on teachers in planning a lesson

Frustrate the students who have unsuccessful learning style or experience

How to teach Grammar

from examples?

The word “word” can mean different things

in different contexts Ex:

What does this word mean?

Can I have a word with you?

I give you my word.

Word has it that they are getting married.

If you want help, just say the word.

How should I word this letter?

How to teach Grammar

through texts?

How to teach Grammar

through texts?

Language is context-sensitive Without

context, it is very difficult to recover the intended meaning of a single word or

phrase.

There are at least three levels or layers of context:

• the co-text (the surrounding text),

• the context of situation (the situation in

which the text is used)

• the context of culture

The implications of this sensitive view of language on grammar teaching are that:

practised in context.

• This means using whole texts as

contexts for grammar teaching.

How to teach Grammar

through texts?

How to teach Grammar

through texts?

The purpose of practice activities is to target these two objectives: Accuracy and Fluency

How to practise

Grammar?

Accuracy: the learner 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 familiar with the language

 Thinking time: there is sufficient time available

to think and reflect

 Feedback: learners need clear messages on how accurate they are

How to practise

Grammar?

Fluency: Fluency develops as the learner learns to

automise knowledge and diverts attention away from form.

 Attention to meaning: the practice activity should

motivate learners to pay more attention to the meaning

 Authenticity: use real-time language

 Communicative purpose: there should be built-in

need to interact

 Chunking: short memorisable chunks

 Repetition: repetition drill is necessary

How to practise

Grammar?

How to practise

Grammar?

How to practise

Grammar?

How to integrate

Grammar?

How does Grammar fit into a language lesson?

In the past, GRAMMAR lesson was the LANGUAGE lesson, including PRESENTATION and

PRACTICE, aiming at accuracy

Nowadays, PRODUCTION was added,

aiming at FLUENCY

How to integrate

Grammar?

Presentation-Practice-Production

Presentation-Practice-Production

Engage-Study-Activate

Task-based Model

Drill Exercises

1 Repetition drill:

• In order to produce an utterance, Ss must

first hear it, and then repeat it.

• Chorally + Individually

• Ex: T : How nice Christmas is!

Ss : How nice Christmas is!

T : How great the party is!

Ss : How great the party is!

• Ex: T : You want to play football.

Ss : Let’s play football.

T : You want to go swimming.

Ss : Let’s go swimming.

• Ex: T : Is the library open to everyone?

Ss : Is the library open to everyone?

T : teachers

Ss : Is the library open to teachers?

4 Transformation drill:

Ss are asked to change the form of the

sentence given.

Ex: T : She has been here recently.

Ss : She has been here recently.

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.

Drill Exercises

Chapter 4

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)

1 Presentation:

(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.

1 Presentation:

way Elicit predictive answers from

they? What are they doing?

answers on the blackboard, underlining the new grammar.

1 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).

2 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,…)

2 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.

3 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.

3 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.

3 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 do.

• Give a model/example.

3 Free Practice (Production):

• Ask Ss to practise in pairs or small groups.

• Walk around listening and encouraging but

do not correct errors or interfere in the activity.

• Stop the activity Maybe by:

 Asking 2 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