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Numerous definitions of context has been given by different researchers. In Longman Dictionary of language teaching and Applied Linguistics (the 4th edition), context is defined as “that which occurs before and/or after a word, a phrase or even a longer utterance or a text; the context helps in understanding the particular meaning of the word, phrase, etc”. Similarly, in Oxford advance Learner‟s Dictionary, context is “the words that come just before and after a word, phrase or statement and help you to understand its meaning”. Both definitions help readers to understand more about the functions of context and how it is identified.
1.1.4.2. Situational context in teaching grammar 1.1.4.2.1. What is a situational context?
Olswang (2010) states that Situational context or Context of situation is the immediate context which influences communication such as setting (home, school, theatre…), activity (party, lecture, discussion...), and environment (temperature, number of people...).
Therefore, teaching grammar in situational contexts means that teacher use a generative situation to generate several examples sentences of a structure (Ludescher: 2004). More specifically, when introducing a situational context, the teacher must give full information about the context such as the place, time, and number of people… For example, “Lan and Mai haven‟t seen each other for a long time. On Sunday afternoon, they meet each other in a shop by chance. Then, they sit for a café and talk about their studying and their lives”. This is a situational context because it contains some features. Mai and Lan are the two characters in the situation. Sunday afternoon is the time they meet each other. Their talk happens in a café, the place of the situation. The aims of their talk is about their studying and their lives. In short, a situational context includes all the factors which influences communication between people in a specific setting.
1.1.4.2.2. The advantages and disadvantages of teaching grammar in situational contexts
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The first advantage of this method is that a situational context can present a wide range of language items in which the situation play the role of clarifying the meaning. Secondly, it is more memorable than other kinds of explanation. Equally important, the given examples provide learners with data for induction of the rules of form. With this method, student can take part in the development of the presentation and contribute their efforts to solve the grammar problem. By contrast, teachers should pay attention to some negative sides of this approach when applying it in their classroom. First, what students need is not only the demonstration of rules but also the opportunities to practice them. However, the example presentation take more time than an explanation, so it may waste a lot of time.
One more important thing is that in order to teach grammar in situational contexts, teachers need the ability to come up with new situations that generate several structurally identical sentences and have time to prepare necessary visual aids.
1.1.4.2.3. Application of situational contexts in teaching grammar
There are many aspects in English grammar. Each items of grammar is suitable to a specific teaching method. Some grammatical issues get the most effective by using deductive approach whereas some are appropriate with situational contexts. The table below is a list of situational context which should be employed with certain points of grammar given by Ludescher (2004).
Situation Points of Grammar
Follow a recipe or instructions from a boxed cake mix to bake a cake.
Imperative verb form Present continuous tense Give directions to another person to get to
a store, the post office, or a bank using a map.
Present tense Non-referential it Discuss plans for a class field trip to the
zoo.
Future tense If-clauses
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Conditional tense Describe a past vacation, weekend, etc. Simple past tense
Question formation Forms of verb to do Word order in negation Role play a shopping trip to buy a gift for
a family member or friend.
May, might
Collective nouns and quantifiers (any, some, several, etc.)
Answer information questions: Name, address, phone number, etc.
Present tense of verb to be Possessive adjectives Tell someone how to find an object in
your kitchen.
Locative prepositions
Modal verbs (can, may, should) Fill out a medical history form. Then role
play a medical interview on a visit with a new doctor.
Present perfect tense Present perfect progressive Make a daily weather report Forms of verb to be
Idiomatic expressions Report daily schedules of people (in the
class, buses in the city, airline schedules, trains, etc.)
Habitual present Personal pronouns
Demonstrative adjectives Extend an invitation over the telephone to
someone to come to a party
Would like…Object-Verb word order Interrogative pronouns
Explain rules and regulations to someone, i.e. rules for the school cafeteria; doctor‟s instructions to a sick patient
Modal verbs: Can, must, should, ought to Adverbs of time & frequency
Report a historical or actual past event and discuss conditions under which a different outcome might have resulted
Past conditional and past perfect tenses If clauses
React to the burglary of your house or Present perfect tense
16 apartment in the presence of another person upon discovery (active voice) and in making a police report (passive voice)
Contrast between active and passive voice Direct and indirect object