Teaching grammar

Key terms Grammar is commonly defined as the way words are put together to make correct sentences. A specific instance of grammar is usually called a structure. The teaching of grammar does not necessarily help people to use the language. It is because language is used to perform certain functions (e.g. introducing, suggesting, apologizing, expressing likes/dislikes) When presenting a structure, it is essential to:  show the meaning and usage of the structure  show how the structure is formed

Some functions can be expressed by a range of different structures, e.g. intention can be expressed by I am going to, I am planning to, I intend to. Teaching a grammatical structure is not sufficient on its own. Students should be more aware of why they are practicing particular structures: e.g. modal verbs not learned as “useful structures” but rather as language tools for expressing permission, possibility, etc.

Different approaches to teaching grammar The grammar translation method (explicit) x communicative language teaching (implicit) A deductive approach: the rule is presented and then practised An inductive approach: the rule is inferred through some kind of guided discovery

Grammar and young learners In the Czech Republic, the teaching of grammar has a deep-rooted tradition (rules are essential for the mastery of an L2, grammar- based tests…). To what extent can grammar teaching benefit young learners? “Although formal teaching of grammar is not usually a major objective in the young learners’ classroom, teachers can most usefully contribute to children’s understanding of grammar by using form-focused techniques in meaningful and interesting contexts.” Brewster, Ellis: The Primary English Teacher’s Guide, p. 93/94

Initial stages -holistic learning of languge chunks -initial grammatical patterns are learned implicitly by meeting language in the context of e.g. lesson routines, games, stories and rhymes -children can transfer these chunks to new contexts and use them creatively (Can I go to the toilet? → Can I go to the outside? (sic) )

Moving on to explicit grammar work -unlikely to be appropriate before the ages of 8-10 (depends on the educational context, children’s cognitive maturity, number of hours/years of L2 instruction) -must correspond with work and concepts covered in L1 grammar lessons (Are the children familiar with what a noun / tense / plural, etc. is?)

Language awareness  encouraging observation about how English works as a system ( discovery approach: guessing, hypothesizing, treating L2 as a logical puzzle)  noticing particular language patterns and contrasting these with L1 forms  observations alone do not ensure that children can apply the new features → must be accompanied by plenty of practice; regular recycling of grammatical patterns and forms

Articles Making Grammar Memorable -how to personalize grammar, create grammatical mnemonics Reintroducing Grammar publishers/oup/reintroducing-grammar - message-focus vs. form focus teaching