Teaching grammar in MFL - challenges and opportunities Mary Heath

Talk outline School context MFL context: teaching and learning The role of grammar Challenges with grammar: Enjoyment Activities Links with other languages Implications ->university collaboration

Context School: - Girls’ grammar school ≈ 60% of pupils speak a language in addition to English MFL: French compulsory and German and or Latin Research: Questionnaire carried out (80 respondents)

Major aim Means Learning in MFL Communicating with accuracy Grammatical understanding

An Aim Means Learning in MFL Communicating with accuracy Communicating - set phrases Grammatical understanding - manipulating language Oral activities Cloze activities Thinking activities / explanations Spontaneous speech (Repair) strategies Translation Real life contexts

Aim Means Learning in MFL Communicating with accuracy Grammatical understanding Oral activities Cloze activities Thinking activities / explanations Spontaneous speech (Repair) strategies Translation Real life contexts

Aim – successful learning Means Aim – successful learning Knowing how and why Knowing how Knowing why

Challenges with grammar Means Aim Communicating with accuracy Communicating Grammatical understanding

Challenge 1 Importance vs enjoyment

Green – perceived level of importance Blue – perceived level of enjoyment

Aim Means Learning in MFL Communicating with accuracy Grammatical understanding Oral activities Cloze activities Thinking activities / explanations Spontaneous speech (Repair) strategies Translation Real life contexts

Challenge 1 Importance vs enjoyment Clear understanding of importance Views on enjoyment Difficulty Knowing how to apply it (gap fills vs translation) Quantity of information required Exceptions Nature of what is involved (rules / memorisation)

Challenge 2 Learning and teaching associated with grammar

Challenge 2 Learning and teaching associated with grammar Grammatical understanding repeating memorising Translation– constrained

Challenge 2 Learning and teaching associated with grammar Teacher challenge Grammatical understanding repeating memorising Translation Tools for learning Binary Communicative outlet

Challenge 3 Perceived lack of link between languages

Challenge 3 Perceived lack of link between languages Grammar L1 L2 Grammar Non English Grammar MFL Grammar taught in English lessons Grammar taught in MFL lessons Theoretical links between language systems Links between Non English and MFL Links between English and MFL

Challenge 3 Perceived lack of link between languages Grammar taught in English lessons Grammar taught in MFL lessons Difficulties: - terms (different in different languages) - concepts /framework - lack of continuity - approach to language learning (difficulty of English grammar as EAL)

Challenge 3 Perceived lack of link between languages – EAL Approach to learning grammar of non English grammar Grammar taught in MFL lessons

Conclusions Pupils recognise importance of grammar Discrepancy between importance of grammar and enjoyment Pupils associate very rigid activities with grammar learning Pupils are often unable to make links between grammar in different languages

Implications and support from universities Promotion of language awareness (in any language) What is important in language? Promotion of links between learning of language Promotion of embedding grammatical ideas in communicative way / range of activties Sharing research on communication and accuracy

Thank you Any questions?