What's the Best way to Teach Grammar?

[madgirl09]

Here's asking the help of teachers and teaching enthusiasts out there... Considering the grammar proficiency and needs of our students today, what is the best way of teaching grammar? There are some issues in the teaching of grammar in the SLA perspective, ranging from not teaching grammar at all to teaching only grammar, etc. Please share your thoughts and reasons for advocating one or more methods/techniques in developing grammar skills in second-language speakers.

Consider the following issues I summarized from Rod Ellis' article-Current Issues in Teaching Grammar:
1. Grammar should not be taught. We should simply create the conditions by which learners learn naturally.
2. What grammar should we teach?
3. Teach grammar when learner firs start to learn L2.
4. Wait until later when learners have acquired some linguistic competence.
5. Grammar taching should be massed (within a short period)
6. Grammar teaching should be distributed; spread over a longer period.
7. Grammar should be intensive (covering single grammar structure).
8. Grammar teaching should be extensive (covering many structures in one lesson)
9. Grammar should be taught in separate lessons.
10. Grammar should be integrated into communicative activities.

Madgirl09 studying seriously

[Joe Carillo]

Can a seasoned English grammar teacher among the Forum members help Madgirl09? There must be several among the Forum members who can address those questions of hers with academic rigor.

[renzphotography]

To begin with, I was never a grammar or language teacher but allow me to quote Maxsims in one of his replies.


"Re: Advocacy for Formal Language Instruction
« Reply #5 on: August 25, 2009, 06:50:51 PM »
   Reply with quoteQuote

I don't know about your country, but the declining standard of English in Australia can squarely be blamed upon our educators, so-called.    The teaching of grammar is almost non-existent, the leftish trendies in our education departments expecting that the students will "pick it up" as they go along.    Similarly, there was a strong move a few years ago to downplay the importance of spelling, the theory being that, if the students were permitted to write phonetically, they could concentrate all the better on their written creativity.   Again, they would "pick up" correct spelling in time.    Yeah, right!

My daughter received only the most rudimentary instruction in English grammar, reflecting the sad fact that the vast majority of Australian teachers have only a passing acquaintance with it.   Indeed, it wasn't until she began French (in late primary school) that my daughter became aware of terms like "noun", "verb" and "adjective".     (The French teacher wasn't too thrilled, either!)"



I believe this is a result of the very methodology you are trying to point out Madgirl09. Try asking Maxsims for more details.

[madgirl09]

Teachers are currently arguing about the best way to mold students' communicative and grammar skills. It is because, no matter how much grammar studies they provide to students, still , many lack the knack to carry out conversations, or are unable to activate their implicit grammar knowledge. Those who had complete immersions in the English-speaking environments but were not taught grammar rules and related studies, repeatedly make grammar and spelling mistakes. Should teachers change their traditional methods?

Students, professionals and non-professionals are also welcome to post their ideas about this issue. I am interested to know what adult English speakers think about their past classroom lessons in English. Everyone, what techniques/methods were employed by your teachers in the English classroom, and what do you think were effective or not very useful? Do you think, one or a combination of the above-mentioned methods would better achieve grammar and communication proficiency? Please feel free to add other approaches or strategies you think could better solve these communication problems.

To the successful writers and public speakers...What methods enhanced your English potentials and provided you well-rounded communication experiences? What made you different from the others? Did you rely solely on your teachers' lessons? Please don't keep your aces a secret. . It's time to pass on your skills and talents  .

[renzphotography]

Make them read more Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew (I never read Nancy Drew OK ) books then make them read Edgar Allan Poe short stories. Later on move to more established writers in English but focus on short stories because novels could bore them due to short attention spans. Poems are nice for memorization but unless these are the easy ones poems require skilled teachers to explain.

Reading is very important because students will be exposed to the use of the language. This will also help them get their mind to thinking and understanding in the English language.

One problem faced by students is they might understand you but to compose a reply means struggling with the thought process. First they do it in Filipino (or another local language) and then try to translate it in English. The thought process could be daunting but reading practice will fix that.

The only thing that will keep kids from reading is lack of interest but I bet they will read about their topics of interest--like instructions on how to level up in online games (bad example) or the latest news in NBA. Try any English magazine as long as it stirs their interest.

The only thing reading (silent reading) will not fix is pronunciation because that requires exercising the muscles in our oral cavity.  For that get them to practice reading out loud.

Another lost methodology is composition writing. That is essay writing in the simplest form. Here kids can pull their thoughts out one sentence at a time and eventually learn to express themselves.

[renzphotography]

I believe many will snicker with what I have to say next, but this is true. In the past, very few households have access to televisions. Of course, there were movie houses but people were quite selective in watching movies. The video arcades were banned by Marcos and it wasn't until the time of Pres. Aquino when the video games were available once more. Betamax, VHS, VCD, and DVD entertainment were not yet popular.

So what were the common forms of entertainment available to kids? There were of course street games, hobbies (like crochet), basketball, transistor radio, music from cassette tape or vinyl LPs, board games (like chess and checkers)--and of course reading materials.

While adults could read anything from newspapers to novels the big question is what do kids read?
The answer, plain and simple comic books and comic magazines. I must admit that comic books got me interested in reading.

I'm sure you have come across the psychology of child learning. Studies show that at a young age boys learn more by watching but girls learn more by reading (I'm not sure if this is still true). You have to understand that there are many ways people perceive learning. Some learn through watching, others by working with their hands, and another way is through reading.

Comic books get young boys interested in reading because it is visual and they could follow the action through the illustrations (in fact even the Hardy Boys and the Nancy Drew series have ink illustrations for every chapter). Visual stimulus is important.

Aside from the Filipino Funny Comics, I was reading English comics like the DC and Marvel comics at the same time. I learned a few German words from reading Sgt. Rock comics because the German soldiers used actual German language with English translation. The more recent alternatives in the 90's were in the form of the popular Archie Digests.

There were even classic comics featuring stories like Macbeth, Beowulf, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, etc.    

As kids grow their taste for reading material evolve as well. Girls move to reading short romance novels (the Mills and Boone type) while boys read magazines on their interests like basketball, music, cars, etc. Some kids even read the "choose-your-own-adventure" books where readers get to decide which course of action the lead character will take and the readers' decision could lead to the character's death or the completion of a quest.

One thing though, with the popularity of anime cartoons maybe comics with anime illustrations and hopefully with English text will work out fine. Have you ever wondered why many kids and young adults would bother reading the ink drawings of the Naruto Shippuden series?

[renzphotography]

I realized that students could get away with reading homework either by copying homework or by simply staying quiet so they do not get selected for recitation. Of course this defeats the whole purpose of reading practice.

So now the question is how do we make sure students read and understand the reading material assigned?
Then, it occurred to me that the methodology is already being used but for a different level.

Perhaps we could subject students to the reading comprehension exams like the ones given out during job application. We follow that format but assign material based on the level of the student.

For instance:
                          Text  Word         
Level                      Count             Exam type                Exam Length      Reading time    Quiz time

Starter 1               50 - 100         multiple choice              1 -2 items          30 mins        20 mins 
Starter 2               100 - 200        multiple choice              2 - 3                 30               20
Intermediate 1        200 - 400        multiple choice              2 - 3                 20               30 
Intermediate 2        400 - 600        multiple choice              3 - 5                 20               30
Intermediate 3        600 - 800        fill in the blanks             3 - 5                 30               30 
Intermediate 4        800 - 1100      fill in the blanks             3 - 5                 30               30
Advanced 1          1100 - 1500      essay/fill in the blanks    1/3 - 2/5            40               30
Advanced 2          1500 - 2000      essay                          2 - 5                  45              30 
Advanced 3          1500 - 3000      essay                          1 - 3              take home        30
Advanced 4          3000 - 5000      essay                          3 - 5              take home        45

From Starter 1 to Intermediate 2 students could answer the questions on the same sheet as the reading material. But from Intermediate 3 to Advanced 2 the students have to turn in their reading material before they answer the quiz questions. Then, students in Advanced 3 and 4 could do homework reading and simply take exams at school.

Without saying, the material should reflect the prevailing and/or previous grammar lessons.

I believe students will be forced to read and understand under close supervision this way until they are able to read with ease. This should promote reading comprehension, essay writing, as well as reinforce the current grammar lessons.

[madgirl09]

Thanks for all these great ideas renzphotography...I keep nodding while reading your lists of techniques and activties. Yes, the comic books are good altenative readers especially to the not-so-motivated. Up to now, I am still using the Archie comic books (buy them at Ebay,-whole lot for cheap  ). Filipinos loved them. Unfortunately, my Japanese students find it hard to understand the vocabulary of senior high level Archie books. I use them for adult learners now. The Filipinos, for me, are a lot easier to encourage and teach. I remember, at some months, instead of reading a classical novel (which is compulsory to high school students) the students are allowed to have 4 romances or adventure stories instead of one classical novel. Would you believe they'd choose to read the paperbacks instead of the boring classics? And guess what I did to check whether the students (in Phil.)read their assigned book or not...After submitting their book reports on a classical novel, students get scheduled for oral test (interview) during lunch time. To find out whether they really read each page of the book, I would randomly open on a spread and ask the student to retell in detail the events in the given pages. If the student could not narrate the events clearly, he'd be marked down  . Haha, why, teachers have to always find ways to "outsmart" their own students! 

[renzphotography]

Oh my, you're a harsh teacher!    I imagine you with eyeglasses and a rod for whipping! 

[renzphotography]

Actually, I wanted to suggest Readers Digest if not for the stiff price it charges for a copy. Just a few days ago I have read an article saying the pocket magazine has filed for bankruptcy. Another prominent magazine in danger of folding up is the Far Eastern Economic Review.

My dad used to subscribe Newsweek, Time Magazine, Far Eastern Economic Review and even the defunct Asiaweek back in the 80's (these magazines were so much cheaper back then) and these helped me practice reading as well.

In Reader's Digest I loved reading "Laughter is the Best Medicine", "All in a Day's Work", and other regular sections. It normally has a section on vocabulary word enrichment. I also enjoyed looking at the tiny water color art work featured in that magazine.

Did you say you teach Japanese students Madgirl09? Which school exactly do you teach if I may ask you can PM me if you like?

In any case, I heard the Montessori school model is good for motivated kids because kids progress at their own pace--in short motivated kids get accelerated while slow kids lag.

[madgirl09]

I'm in Japan now, so most of my students are Japanese. Some days, I teach at a senior high; the rest of the week, in the public facility for seminars, or private lessons/small groups in my small classroom at home. It's hard to earn money here as a teacher, but teaching could also be the best way to earn more. Occasionally, I'd have Brazilian, German and Russian adult students, but I teach Filipino adults too through my ELT Teaching project. As I see more and more positions vacated by other foreigners especially in language teaching, I continue to offer short seminars for Filipinos. In the Phil. less than two decades ago, I taught English to HS and college Filipinos, Chinese and Koreans. I have also taught Papua New Guineans (in PNG, a decade ago). In Japan, I started working as a substitute teacher in an international school...That's my resume...I meet people from everywhere...Do you think it would be better for me to work for United Nations? 

[renzphotography]

I suppose you are better off working in Japan. At least you could fly home very easily if need be. I wonder how you teach other nationalities who hardly speak English.

Anyway, I was just kidding when I said I imagined you with a rod. But now, I imagine you with a kimono and a Japanese umbrella. 

The usual resources available to people who wish to study foreign languages are the learn-to-speak books and electronic media sources.

I tried many times to learn Spanish from books and from a DVD but I was left more confused. I suppose nothing beats learning from another human being.

[madgirl09]

Right, very different indeed! The Japanese learn more through a very entertaining English teacher than a DVD or CD. Teaching English here is far different from the way we teach the subject in Philippines and PNG. I never used a rod in the Philippines  . Just my "tiger look" was enough to bug the students even in their nightmares  . Filipinos know how important learning English is, that's why. And so, in Japan, English teachers have to be more charismatic and funny, or else, nobody listens  . Teachers should have lots of energy thinking of new games and activities to make lessons easy to comprehend, and be able to endure tiring dramatizations, dancing, singing, acrobats, (ahhhhhh) ...so there's no room for those with arthritis here (ouch! ). Hey, that's why I still feel young as ever, like a newlygrad .

No, you don't learn a language by just listening to Cds and DVDs. Interact or live with the speakers of the target language to speed up your learning. The Japanese love homestays, thinking that it could shorten their L2 learning with actual and natural use of the language. That is what I keep advising my students too...and not applying this is the very reason why I dont learn Nihongo even after 10 years of stay here  .

[Bunty]

Grammar is not the most exciting subject in the world, but it is important. Grammar used to be taught using a language book, learning about parts of speech and doing language exercises such as diagramming sentences. Now grammar is usually taught with writing, and it is taught through mini-lessons. It may also be taught in literature circles when teachers discuss with students how an author writes or a character's speech pattern. When you teach grammar with these methods, students are more likely to remember the grammar rules and apply them to their everyday life.

Instruction:

1.Assess your students before you teach any grammar. If they already know what a noun and verb is, then you don't need to waste class time teaching them and doing exercises where everyone is getting 100 percent. The important thing about nouns, for example, are rules such as each sentence needs a subject, capitalizing proper nouns making sure nouns and verbs agree. What are your objectives in grammar for your grade level, and where are your students in regards to these objectives?

2.Plan mini-lessons to address your students' deficiencies with grammar. If your students can't remember to always capitalize the word "I" (such as a first grade class), then before writing workshop one day, gather the students around your chart paper and do a lesson on capitalizing the word "I." Students can practice this skill by writing a personal narrative where they use the word, I, and immediately, they incorporate the lesson into their everyday writing. Mini-lessons can be taught on any subject. Skills can be practiced in writing. It just takes a little planning on your part.

3.Teach grammar points while you are also discussing books you are reading to the class or that students are reading themselves. Real authors can be amazing tools to use to teach about contractions, noun/verb agreement and all other grammar points you may need to teach. There are even picture books that focus on certain parts of speech or punctuation. Ask your local or school librarian to help you find these books if you want to share them with your class. Show students how real-live authors use grammar in their writing, so students will also use correct grammar and punctuation in their writing. Point out if a character has a weird speech pattern and discuss it. Discuss why that character might not be using proper grammar. These discussions will be more meaningful than doing language exercises.

4.Practice punctuation, proper grammar, and capitalization with spelling sentences. Teachers often assign students to write spelling sentences, using a spelling word correctly in each sentence. What have your mini-lessons been focusing on? Ask students to practice these skills with spelling sentences. These sentences are also a good assessment when you teach grammar. They will show you if students are applying the grammar rules they are learning, or if students need more instruction and practice.