EDU 3200 Teaching EDU 3200 Teaching Grammar in TESLGrammar in TESLIntegrating Grammar into the Integrating Grammar into the Classroom Classroom

Deductive and Inductive approaches to Deductive and Inductive approaches to teaching grammarteaching grammar

A deductive approach starts with the A deductive approach starts with the presentation of a rule and is followed by presentation of a rule and is followed by examples in which the rule is appliedexamples in which the rule is applied

An inductive approach starts with some An inductive approach starts with some examples from which a rule is inferred examples from which a rule is inferred

(Thornbury, 1999, p. 29)(Thornbury, 1999, p. 29)

Advantages of a Advantages of a Deductive ApproachDeductive Approach

Gets straight to the point; time-savingGets straight to the point; time-saving Respects the intelligence and maturity of Respects the intelligence and maturity of

students, esp. adultsstudents, esp. adults Meets expectations about learningMeets expectations about learning Allows teacher to deal with grammar Allows teacher to deal with grammar

points directlypoints directly

Disadvantages of a Disadvantages of a Deductive ApproachDeductive Approach

A turn-off as students may be expected A turn-off as students may be expected to have considerable metalanguageto have considerable metalanguage

Teacher-fronted, transmission style; Teacher-fronted, transmission style; teacher explanation vs. st. interactionteacher explanation vs. st. interaction

Explanation is less engaging than other Explanation is less engaging than other forms of presentation – e.g. demosforms of presentation – e.g. demos

Encourages viewing lang. as declarativeEncourages viewing lang. as declarative(Thornbury, 1999, p. 30)(Thornbury, 1999, p. 30)

Advantages of an Advantages of an Inductive ApproachInductive Approach

Self-discovery leads to better integrationSelf-discovery leads to better integration Students are more actively engagedStudents are more actively engaged Favours students who like pattern Favours students who like pattern

recognition and problem solvingrecognition and problem solving Allows for added language practice Allows for added language practice

through problem solving group workthrough problem solving group work Prepares students for autonomyPrepares students for autonomy

Disdvantages of an Disdvantages of an Inductive ApproachInductive Approach

Time and energy neededTime and energy needed Time on understanding rule vs. time on Time on understanding rule vs. time on

productive activityproductive activity Hypothesise the wrong ruleHypothesise the wrong rule Demands on teacher in planning a lessonDemands on teacher in planning a lesson Can frustrate some students who prefer Can frustrate some students who prefer

to be simply told the rulesto be simply told the rules(Thornbury, 1999, pp.54-5)(Thornbury, 1999, pp.54-5)

Three Dimensions of Three Dimensions of Grammar TeachingGrammar Teaching

FORM – How is it Formed?

MEANING – What does it mean?

USE – When/Why is it used?

Larsen-Freeman, 1991

Three Dimensions of Three Dimensions of Grammar TeachingGrammar Teaching

Form/Structure; Meaning/Semantics; Form/Structure; Meaning/Semantics; Use/Pragmatics and DiscourseUse/Pragmatics and Discourse

Every grammatical structure can be Every grammatical structure can be analysed according to these three analysed according to these three dimensionsdimensions

Teacher’s task is to identify the learning Teacher’s task is to identify the learning challenge for his/her set of students challenge for his/her set of students (challenge principle)(challenge principle)

Ensuring Interest in Ensuring Interest in Grammar Activities Grammar Activities (Ur, (Ur, 1988)1988)

Careful selection of the non-linguistic Careful selection of the non-linguistic topic of the activitytopic of the activity

Providing a visual focusProviding a visual focus Open-endedness in responsesOpen-endedness in responses Information gaps and personalisationInformation gaps and personalisation Ensuring pleasurable tension through Ensuring pleasurable tension through

game-like activitiesgame-like activities Building an entertainment element into Building an entertainment element into

the activitiesthe activities

Grammar in Grammar in CommunicationCommunication

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

General Criteria for General Criteria for Grammar ActivitiesGrammar Activities Whether the presentation is explicit or implicit Whether the presentation is explicit or implicit

depends on the situation and learners involveddepends on the situation and learners involved Structures should be integrated in some sort of Structures should be integrated in some sort of

context or language systemcontext or language system There should be a skills-getting and a skills-using There should be a skills-getting and a skills-using

phasephase Practice should be meaningful and help Ss Practice should be meaningful and help Ss

become sensitive to the structures involvedbecome sensitive to the structures involved Feedback should be built in into the practiceFeedback should be built in into the practice

In the Classroom In the Classroom (Celce-Murcia & Hilles, 1988)(Celce-Murcia & Hilles, 1988)

Presentation of the grammar structurePresentation of the grammar structure Focused practice for manipulating the Focused practice for manipulating the

structurestructure Communicative practice where the Communicative practice where the

structure is used in communicative structure is used in communicative activitiesactivities

Teacher feedback and correctionTeacher feedback and correction

In the Classroom In the Classroom (Penny Ur, 1988)(Penny Ur, 1988)

PresentationPresentation Isolation and explanationIsolation and explanation PracticePractice TestTest

In the Classroom In the Classroom (The P-P-P Model –see Thornbury, p. 128 & Ch. (The P-P-P Model –see Thornbury, p. 128 & Ch. 8)8)

Presentation – grammar explanationPresentation – grammar explanation Practice – to achieve accuracyPractice – to achieve accuracy Production – achieve fluencyProduction – achieve fluency Logical appealLogical appeal Assumption: language is learnt in bits Assumption: language is learnt in bits

and is linearand is linear Assumption: Accuracy always precedes Assumption: Accuracy always precedes

fluencyfluency

In the Classroom In the Classroom (Task Based – see Thornbury, p. 129 & Ch.8)(Task Based – see Thornbury, p. 129 & Ch.8)

TaskTask TeachTeach TaskTask Perform a communicative taskPerform a communicative task Teach language that could be usedTeach language that could be used Re-perform the taskRe-perform the task

In the Classroom In the Classroom (The 3E Model -Sysoyev, 1999)(The 3E Model -Sysoyev, 1999)

ExplorationExploration – Student given examples – Student given examples and asked to find patternsand asked to find patterns

ExplanationExplanation – With the patterns found, – With the patterns found, Ss and teachers summarise what has Ss and teachers summarise what has been discoveredbeen discovered

ExpressionExpression – Ss start practicing the – Ss start practicing the production of meaningful utterances in production of meaningful utterances in meaningful and communicative tasksmeaningful and communicative tasks

In the Classroom In the Classroom (The PACE Model -Donato & Hauck, (The PACE Model -Donato & Hauck, 1992)1992)

P – presentation of meaningful language; P – presentation of meaningful language; Presentation of language as a wholePresentation of language as a whole

A – Attention; Focus the students attention of A – Attention; Focus the students attention of selected items in the presentation part selected items in the presentation part

C – Co-construct an explanation; Ss and C – Co-construct an explanation; Ss and Teachers work together; Teacher can use Teachers work together; Teacher can use questions to guide Ssquestions to guide Ss

E – Extension activity; allows Ss to use E – Extension activity; allows Ss to use knowledge in a creative way; NOT worksheets – knowledge in a creative way; NOT worksheets – puts the “whole” backputs the “whole” back

In the Classroom In the Classroom (PACE and Whole Language)(PACE and Whole Language)

The teacher foreshadows the grammar The teacher foreshadows the grammar explanation through the use of integrated explanation through the use of integrated discourse (e.g. a story)discourse (e.g. a story)

The teacher uses “multiple passes” and The teacher uses “multiple passes” and recycles the story which deepens recycles the story which deepens comprehensioncomprehension

Once meaning is clear, T turns attention to Once meaning is clear, T turns attention to form; Both T and Ss co-constructs grammar form; Both T and Ss co-constructs grammar explanationexplanation

Extension activities to allow meaningful useExtension activities to allow meaningful use