1. EDU 3200 Teaching Grammar in TESL
Integrating Grammar into the Classroom

2. Deductive and Inductive approaches to teaching grammar
A deductive approach starts with the presentation of a rule and is followed by examples in which the rule is applied
An inductive approach starts with some examples from which a rule is inferred
(Thornbury, 1999, p. 29)

3. Advantages of a Deductive Approach
Gets straight to the point; time-saving
Respects the intelligence and maturity of students, esp. adults
Meets expectations about learning
Allows teacher to deal with grammar points directly

4. Disadvantages of a Deductive Approach
A turn-off as students may be expected to have considerable metalanguage
Teacher-fronted, transmission style; teacher explanation vs. st. interaction
Explanation is less engaging than other forms of presentation – e.g. demos
Encourages viewing lang. as declarative
(Thornbury, 1999, p. 30)

5. Advantages of an Inductive Approach
Self-discovery leads to better integration
Students are more actively engaged
Favours students who like pattern recognition and problem solving
Allows for added language practice through problem solving group work
Prepares students for autonomy

6. Disdvantages of an Inductive Approach
Time and energy needed
Time on understanding rule vs. time on productive activity
Hypothesise the wrong rule
Demands on teacher in planning a lesson
Can frustrate some students who prefer to be simply told the rules
(Thornbury, 1999, pp.54-5)

7. Three Dimensions of Grammar Teaching
FORM – How is it Formed?
MEANING – What does it mean?
USE – When/Why is it used?
Larsen-Freeman, 1991

8. Three Dimensions of Grammar Teaching
Form/Structure; Meaning/Semantics; Use/Pragmatics and Discourse
Every grammatical structure can be analysed according to these three dimensions
Teacher’s task is to identify the learning challenge for his/her set of students (challenge principle)

9. Ensuring Interest in Grammar Activities (Ur, 1988)
Careful selection of the non-linguistic topic of the activity
Providing a visual focus
Open-endedness in responses
Information gaps and personalisation
Ensuring pleasurable tension through game-like activities
Building an entertainment element into the activities

10. Grammar in Communication
Assist in developing “(a) an awareness of grammatical choice, and (b) the capacity to make the appropriate choices according to given contextual constraints” (Rea Dickins & Woods, 1988, p. 636).

11. General Criteria for Grammar Activities
Whether the presentation is explicit or implicit depends on the situation and learners involved
Structures should be integrated in some sort of context or language system
There should be a skills-getting and a skills-using phase
Practice should be meaningful and help Ss become sensitive to the structures involved
Feedback should be built in into the practice

12. In the Classroom (Celce-Murcia & Hilles, 1988)
Presentation of the grammar structure
Focused practice for manipulating the structure
Communicative practice where the structure is used in communicative activities
Teacher feedback and correction

13. In the Classroom (Penny Ur, 1988)
Presentation
Isolation and explanation
Practice
Test

14. In the Classroom (The P-P-P Model –see Thornbury, p. 128 & Ch. 8)
Presentation – grammar explanation
Practice – to achieve accuracy
Production – achieve fluency
Logical appeal
Assumption: language is learnt in bits and is linear
Assumption: Accuracy always precedes fluency

15. In the Classroom (Task Based – see Thornbury, p. 129 & Ch.8)
Teach
Perform a communicative task
Teach language that could be used
Re-perform the task

16. In the Classroom (The 3E Model -Sysoyev, 1999)
Exploration – Student given examples and asked to find patterns
Explanation – With the patterns found, Ss and teachers summarise what has been discovered
Expression – Ss start practicing the production of meaningful utterances in meaningful and communicative tasks

17. In the Classroom (The PACE Model -Donato & Hauck, 1992)
P – presentation of meaningful language; Presentation of language as a whole
A – Attention; Focus the students attention of selected items in the presentation part
C – Co-construct an explanation; Ss and Teachers work together; Teacher can use questions to guide Ss
E – Extension activity; allows Ss to use knowledge in a creative way; NOT worksheets – puts the “whole” back

18. In the Classroom (PACE and Whole Language)
The teacher foreshadows the grammar explanation through the use of integrated discourse (e.g. a story)
The teacher uses “multiple passes” and recycles the story which deepens comprehension
Once meaning is clear, T turns attention to form; Both T and Ss co-constructs grammar explanation
Extension activities to allow meaningful use