1. Dr. Latricia Trites Fulbright Yilan Project Academic Advisor 2008-2009
Beyond Grammar Drills: Integrating Grammar with Other Language Skills, Part 1
Dr. Latricia Trites
Fulbright Yilan Project
Academic Advisor

2. Importance of Grammar
Grammar gives students the structure with which to communicate effectively in a language.
How should we teach grammar? Inductively or deductively?

3. Celce-Murcia & Larsen-Freeman Model

4. Communicative Competence
Grammatical Competence: sounds, words, rules
Discourse Competence: cohesion/coherence
Sociolinguistic Competence: social appropriateness
Strategic Competence: when and how to use, what to do when language fails
(Canale & Swain 1980)

5. Tips for Going Beyond the Drills
Bring in AUTHENTIC texts that illustrate the grammatical point being used.
Create REALISTIC situations that would create meaningful use of the grammatical point.

6. Describe the Picture

7. Compare the Pictures
Picture 2
Picture 1

8. Common Lesson Suggestions
Describe a picture – using adjectives, comparatives/superlatives, adverbs, action verbs
Summarize a story in their own words – sequencing events, past tense
Read horoscopes and then write their own – Future tense
Create shopping lists – quantifiers
Answering an , invitation, etc. – verb tenses (conditionals)
Interviews/Polls – comparatives/superlatives
Time tables – present tense, past tense, future tense
20 Questions – Yes/No Questions and answers
Proverbs – student research for a particular tense

9. Take a Chance
Taking a page from the textbook, think of at least one way of extending the grammar exercise to make it meaningful to the students. Focus primarily on reading and writing activities.
Share with the group.

10. Next Time
Bring your own textbook, we’ll brainstorm for more ideas specifically focusing on listening and speaking activities.

11. References
Canale, M., & Swain, M. (1980). Theoretical bases of communicative approaches to second language teaching and testing. Applied Linguistics, 1, 1-47.
Celce-Murcia, M., & Larsen-Freeman, D. (1999). The grammar book: An ESL/EFL teacher’s course (2nd ed.). USA: Heinle & Heinle.
Ur, P. (1988). Grammar practice activities: A practical guide for teachers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.