Teaching Grammar

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Teaching Grammar

• Prof. A.karim Benlaayouni
• Ibn Zohr Univ.
• Department of Anglo-Saxon Studies
• Agadir
• http//www.benlaayouni.tripod.com
• Karim.benlaayouni_at_yahoo.com

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What is grammar?

• grammar is "a living resource that gives us the
  ability to communicate our ideas and feelings and
  to understand what other people say or write to
  us"
• A description of the structure of a language and
  the way in which linguistic units (words and
  phrases) are combined to produce sentences in
  that language.

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• Grammar describes the speakers knowledge of the
  language.
• Grammar looks at the language in relation to how
  it is structured in the speakers mind, and which
  principles and parameters are available to the
  speaker when producing the language

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Steps for Learners

• In order to master the grammar successfully
• Learners must
• 1. notice the item
• 2. begin to understand it in terms of form,
  meaning and use
• 3. try it out within a controlled environment,
• so that they can make mistakes and receive
  feedback
• 4. need opportunities to use the new language in
  different situations.

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Deductive Learning

• An approach in which learners are taught rules
  and given specific information about a language.
  Then they apply them when using the language
• (Grammar translation method audio-lingual
  method)
• Rules
• Teacher centered approach

Practice
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Inductive Learning

• An approach in which learners are not taught
  rules directly, but are left to discover - or
  induce - rules from their experience of using the
  language
• Emphasis on the use of language rather than
  presentation of information about the language
• (direct method communicative approach)
• Practice
• learner centered approach

Rules
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Stages of a lesson
Inductive Lesson
Deductive Lesson

• Presentation
• Drilling
• Explanation
• Checking
• Drilling again
• Exploitation

Creation of need Introduction Checking Drilling Ex
ploiting
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Teaching techniques

• Examples / Tables and charts
• Memorizing / visual aids
• Tape recorders / Visual grammar
• Choral repetition / Gap filling
• / Role
  playing
• language labs

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Drilling.

• A technique commonly used in language teaching
  based on guided repetition or practice.
• A drill which practices some aspects of grammar
  or sentence formation is often known as pattern
  practice

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Types of drills

• Substitution drill
• Inflections e.g., I bought the ticket. I
  bought two tickets.
• Replacement e.g., I bought the candy. She
  bought the candy.
• Expansion
• I know him. (hardly) I hardly know him.
• Restatement
• Ask her how old she is.- How old are you?
• Completion
• Ill go my way and you go.- Ill go my way and
  you go yours.

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• Transformation
• He knows my address.
• NegativeHe doesnt know my address.
• QuestionDoes he know my address?
• PastHe used to know my address.
• Restoration
• students/waiting/busStudents are waiting for the
  bus.

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A good drill?

• Realistic
• Meaningful
• Consistent
• Varied
• Clear
• Appropriate (level structure)
• pace (fast / slow)

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Students errors

• Over-generalization
• Language learners often produce errors which
  are extensions of general rules to items not
  covered by the rules,
• e.g. 'I comed home'.
• Correction techniques
• Self correction
• Peer correction
• Teacher correction

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• Thanks for your attention
• Good luck