TSL3108 GRAMMAR

Meaning and definition of grammar

Description of the rules that govern how a
languages sentence are formed.
Fluency

error are corrected; tasks do not usually

stimulate real-life situations.
Grammar for young Learners

Purpose:
To help students practice language in
Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing
activities to develop fluency in using the
language in spontaneous communication.

Material:

Pieces of discourses: conversation,

stories, etc. texts are usually authentic and
used as they would be in real life.
Activities:
Focused on communicating information
and expressing ideas; their output may not
be
always
be
predictable;
their
performance is assessed on how well
ideas are expressed or understood;
students errors are not corrected unless it
interferes with communication; tasks often
stimulate real-life situations.
Accuracy
Advantage:
Produce students who can reproduce
accurately sentences learnt
Disadvantage:
May not be effective in communicating the
language in real life situations
Purpose:
To help students achieve accurate
perception and production of a target item
which can be a sound, a word, or a
sentence structure.
Material:
Composed of separate items; the target
items are usually practised out of context
or situation;
Activities:
Focused on a particular target item; their
output is usually predictable; their
performance is assessed on how few
language mistakes are made; students

They respond to meaning even if

they do not understand individual
words.
They often learn indirectly rather
than
directly-taking
every
information around them than
focusing on the precise topic being
taught
Their understanding comes from
explanation as well as from what
they see and hear and interact
with.
They find abstract concepts such
as grammar rules difficult to grasp.
They have a limited attention span;
unless activities are extremely
engaging, they can get easily
bored, losing interest after ten
minutes or so.

Descriptive Grammar
Descriptive grammars describe how
people use spoken and written language
ne, and the knowledge that they use to
decide
whether
something
or
grammatically correct.
Prescriptive grammar
Dealing with the syntax and word
structures of a language, usually intended
as in aid to the learning of that language. It
refers to the structure of a language as
certain people think it should be used.
Prescriptive grammars prescribe the rules
of a language.
Covert Approach

Uses the structure without drawing

attention to grammatical rules.
The focus in on the activity and not
the grammar rules
Errors should be tolerated during
the course of the activity but
should be noted and dealt with a
later session.

Overt Approach

TSL3108 GRAMMAR
Teacher explicitly explains the rules when
presenting the new language. There are
two options to the teacher; deductive
approach and the inductive approach.

Deductive approach - teacher

presents
the
rules/patterns/
generalizations and then goes
Inductive approach also known
as the discovery method. The
students are first given a number
of sample sentences containing
the target forms and then the
teacher guides the students in
deriving the rule for themselves.

The two approaches should not be seen

as separate but rather as complementary.
Grammar in Isolation

Involves learning grammar which is

presented out of the context.
Learners are given isolated
sentences,
which
they
are
expected to internalize through
exercises
involving
repetition
manipulation and grammatical
transformation.
These exercises are designed to
provide learners with formal,
declarative
mastery
of
the
language in which they are able to
explain rules of using the form of
the language.

Use:

When or why is the vocabulary, functional

expression or grammar structure used?
The words, functional expressions,
grammar structures we choose to use are
determined by the situation we are in
and/or what we want to communicate to
our listener(s). Use is interconnected with
meaning.
Form:
How is the vocabulary unit, functional
expression, or grammar structure formed?
Form refers to the visible and audible
parts of vocabulary, functional expressions
and grammar units: the spelling,
phonemes, syllable stress, words in a
phrase, prefixes or suffixes, syntax (word
order), choice of noun or verb, etc. for a
particular place in a sentence, and/ or
punctuation.
Integration with the Teaching of
Listening, Speaking Reading and
Writing Skills.
Three ways in which grammar can be
integrated with the other language skills
like, listening, speaking, reading and
writing;

Grammar in Context

Involves teaching grammar in

relations to the context of the
situation the utterances are usually
used.
Learners
are
given
the
opportunities to explore grammar
in context.

Meaning, Use, Form (MUF) framework

Meaning
There are two aspects of meaning.

First, what is literal or essential

meaning of the word, phrase,
functional expression or grammar
structures?

Second, what does it mean in the

context its being used in?

By a systematized mapping of the

grammar
syllabus
within
a
thematically conceived series of
unit.
By a unit-by-unit mapping of
grammar.
Through the specific ways in which
grammar
supports
and
is
supported by each language skill.

Issues in grammar teaching

KSSR

To teach of not to teach grammar

Should grammar be presented
inductively or deductively
Should grammar be taught in
context in isolation
Should
teachers
correct
grammatical errors

TSL3108 GRAMMAR

Primary (exit after Year 6)

The English language Curriculum for
Primary Schools aims to equip pupils with
basic language skills to enable them to
communicate effectively in a variety of
contexts thats appropriate to the pupils
level of developments.
KBSR
Primary (exit after Year 6)
The English language syllabus for primary
school aims to equip pupils with skills and
provide a basic understanding of the
English Language so that they are able to
communicate, both orally and in writing, in
and out of school.
Working from discourse to grammar

The language of
management
Talking with children

classroom

Guided noticing activities

Listen and notice

Presentation of new language with
puppets

Language practice activities that offer

structuring opportunities

Questionnaires,
surveys
and
quizzes you like) pupils will
improve their
Information gap activities
Drills and chants

Technique for Teaching Grammar

Songs

How to use songs?

Songs are authentic texts

Song can be linked to societal
issues which might be interesting
to students
Songs provide good context for
grammar.
Songs can trigger emotional and
affective connections to the target
language and culture
Learning through songs involve
different skills.

Classic gap-fill
Spot the mistakes
Comic strip
Order the verses
Discussion
Translation

Chants

Grammar chants can be a lot of

fun to use in classes
Using a chant is pretty straightforward. The teacher (or leader)
stands up in front of the class and
chants the lines
Remember that through the use of
repetition and having fun together
(be as crazy as you like) pupils will
improve their automatic use of the
language

Stories
Stories are excellent resources for
grammar teaching for several reasons:

Reasons to use songs in the classroom:

Songs are good way to teach in

Edutainment way because they
incorporate all the language skills:
1. Listening (to the song)
Following
the
song
to
determine words.
2. Reading (following the lyrics to
determine the words)
3. Writing (filling in the blanks)
4. Speaking (singing the song)
Kind of songs

Children, adolescent and adults all

love stories & this generate
positive attitude to the lesson for
which the story acts as a
framework.
Stories provide a context for
several grammatical structures.
A story can provide contexts for
real use of English (variety of
emotions and issues).

Circle Story

Question story
Retelling stories

TSL3108 GRAMMAR
Nursery Rhymes and Poems
Since poetry is often spoken, repeated,
dealt with, and considered, it acts as an
effective tool for practicing a specific
grammatical structure
In the selection of a poem, the teacher
should first consider the grammatical
structure to be presented, practiced, or
reviewed, then the level and the age of the
students, next the theme and length of the
poem and its appropriateness to the
classroom objectives.

4. Games provide language practice

in the various skills-speaking,
writing, listening and reading.
5. They encourage students to
interact and communicate.
6. They create a meaningful context
for language use
What kinds of games work best?

Games
1. Games are a welcome break from
the usual routine of the language
class.
2. They
are
motivating
and
challenging.
3. Learning a language requires a
great deal of effort. Games help
students to make and sustain the
effort of learning.

Which skill do the games practice?

What type of game is it and what is
it purpose?
Does the difficulty level of the
game match with the students
ability level?
Does the game require maximum
involvement by the students?
Do the students like it? Do you like
it?
What specific vocabulary or
grammar are you introducing or
practising with this game?
Can you keep control of your class
ad play this game?