teaching grammar:
A deductive (rule-driven) approach – presentation of a rule (1 – rule of form; 2 – rule of use) followed by examples in which the rule is applied.
Advantages:
-it is direct thus time – saving and efficient
-it respects students’ intelligence, expectations and learning style (if they are analytically inclined)
Disadvantages:
-it can be seen as dull (no student involvement), over-technical (metalanguage), and demotivating
-certain kinds of learners, including younger ones, may react negatively
-it encourages the belief that learning a language is simply a case of knowing rules
Didactic approach:
-The T writes a model/example of the language on the board.
-The T draws attention to the form.
-The T makes the meaning of the new language clear.
-The T makes the function of the language item clear.
-Ss do a written exercise focusing on the correct and appropriate use of the language item.
-The T uses visual or written prompts to elicit from the Ss “substitutions” – further sentences using the same language.
-Ss supply examples of the language relating to their own experience.
An inductive (discovery) approach – presentations of examples from which learners derive an understanding of the rule (learning through experience).
Advantages:
-students are more involved in the learning process (not passive recipients) thus more likely to be more attentative and more motivated
-the mental effort makes the rules more memorable and meaningful
-it is suitable for learners who like challenge (problem solving)
-it prepares students for greater self-reliance and is therefore conductive to learner autonomy
Disadvantages:
-it is more time consuming (less time for productive practice)
-students may hypothesize the wrong rule
-it can place heavy demands on lesion planning (careful guidance for learners)
-it may be frustrating for some students (different learning styles and past learning experiences)
Inductive approach:
-The T makes the meaning of the new language clear.
-The T makes the function of the language item clear.
-The T asks questions to test Ss’ understanding of the meaning and/or function of the language item.
-The T draws attention to the form.
-Ss repeat the example or “model” sentence exemplifying the language item.
-The T uses visual or written prompts to elicit from the Ss “substitutions” – further sentences using the same language.
-Ss supply examples of the language relating to their own experience.
-Ss do a written exercise focusing on the correct and appropriate use of the language item.
-The T writes a model/example of the language on the board.
Teaching grammar through texts – grammar best taught and practiced in context (levels of context: the co-text – the surrounding text, the context of situation, the context of culture – can contribute to the meaning of the text)
Advantages:
-co-textual information – learners can deduce the meaning from the co-text (i.e. the surrounding text)
-authentic texts can show how the item is used in real communication
-grammar input, vocabulary input, skills practice, features of text organization
-good preparation for independent study
Disadvantages:
-the difficulty of the text
-not all texts are of equal interest to students
-simplified texts may give a misleading impression of the natural use of the item
Stages of accurate reproduction:
choral repetition
individual repetition:
T nominates – S responses – T feedback (acknowledge/show incorrectness)
cue-response drills:
Instruct, 2. Cue, 3. Nominate
Decision to be made before presenting a new structure 1.what structure to tech 2.what aspect of the structure to teach
3. what form to teach4.what context/situation to intro
Duce the structure in and what explanation techniques t
O use5.what aids will be necessary 6. what material to revise
GRAMMAR-arguments for grammar teaching:
-the sentence machine arg(U have to memorize the whole individual items because e.g. Phrase book isn't useful-it doesn't have more complicated sentences);
-the fine-tuning arg:(U have to be more explicit,claryfy more clearly,able to express wider range of meanings);
-the fossilization arg:(u appreciate the value of theory of teaching lang,grammar,when U want to do more study of lang.);
-the direct item arg(learning the set of rules can help U to reduce overloading in lang&organise the vocab in categories);
-the rule-of-law arg(a teacher transfers some knowledge to students,they expect some rules,discipline,order;it's much easier to present grammar if it has rules);
-the learner expectatiopn arg(in some way parents create the expectactions of students) arguments against grammar teaching:
-the knowledge-how arg(learners may learn the rules but they aren't able to apply the rules in use);
-the communication arg(ls have ability to communicate despite not knowing grammatical rules etc;knowledge of grammar isn't the most import_atnt thing in learning lang-more significant is learning by practice);
-the acquisition arg(go back to the way we learn the mother tounge if we know the rules of grammar of mother lang we can easly use it in learning another lang.);
-the nature order arg(related to acquisition arg-Chomsky-we acquire grammatical structures in order;universal grammar has universal principles)
-the lexical chunks(while learning the lang we focus on lang chunks(e.g.would you ever,would you like);
Levis-learners can communicate without grammatical knowledge);
-the learner expectation arg.
ACQUISITION-being subconscious in learning precess;
LEARNING-conscious process=>Krasher's distinction.
Approaches to learning grammar:
1)the deductive(rule-driven)approach-based on teacher presentation,he presents the rules of form,rule of use,afterwards examples follow;next learners do exs.Adv:time saving&efficient,it may be easy for some groups of learners(adult);it respects te students' learning style, inteligence,expectitions.Disadv:students arent involved.overtechnical,it may be dismotivating,lang may be too difficult.
2)the iductive(discovery)approach-learners' job is ro discover some general principles,fact,rules,a teacher provides exapmles;students give ideas,the teacher guides them in discovering provided questions.
ADV:students are involved, motivated, the make the mental effort to discover rules,it can be meaningfull for them,they become more independent in work; it is a challenge for them, the teaches watches students,sees their problems,provides support.
DISADVANTAGES:it's more time consuming,sometimes is under the press of time,students may make mistakes,it may be frustratious for some of them who have another learning strategies
3)teaching grammar thorugh texts-for higher level students because grammar is provided in the context of the text.
ADV:students come across material,they can see how the text is organised,grammar structure colocations are use
.DISADV:difficulty of the text may dismotivate students,they may come to the wrong conclusions,they misleading impression of using grammar.The teacher should use simplified text
Characteristics of a good grammar presentation
-clear(learners should have no difficulties in understanding the new meanings&form);
-efficient(time-efficient,not too long,economical in sense of planning material,necessary to get to the personalization stage);
-lively&interesting(beacuse the more students are involved,the more they remember,the teacher should use humour,fun,exaggeration);
-appropciate(to lang,to students,to learners' level,age,previous learning experience);
-productive(teacher should give enough relevant examples,make a lot of sentences,questions in new lang.).
PRACTICE ACTIVITIES-attention to the form,getting it right,incubation time,learners have to be familiar with meaning,need sufficient time to think&reflect&be motivated to be accurate.To achieve accuracy a teacher has to use variety of drills.
DRILL- mechanical, automatical respond ,students have a very little control of what will be happening;repeating sth all over again until it is perfect,students produce lang. Mechanically,without much thinking of it.A)
imitation/repetition drill (the most mechanical&boring drill;the teacher says the model&students repeat it but children get bored quickly so the teacher the teacher should ude various ways of repeating (whisperin,shouting,say sth very slowly)-B)
substitution drill
-one element of the model is replaced by the item, picture. Students have to recall&put it in the sentence.C)
transformation drill-changing ,transformating model sentence into a question or negative ,in passive voice,etc
Ideas for effective drilling:
-guessing games;disappearing text;
-dialogue building (learning useful phrases);
-mingle activites(using in small classes;the teacher prepares some questions, students ask the same questions&then present the results);
-inf. Gaps
;-songs, rhymes & chants.