1. “How to Teach Grammar” Teaching the Language System Teaching Grammar
A presentation by Merle Oesterschulze & Ann-Kristin Tibo
Teaching Grammar
Teaching the Language System
“How to Teach Grammar”
This presentation is (mainly) based on
Tricia Hedge’s Teaching and Learning in the Language Classroom, (2000) Chapter 5 pp
Further material was taken out of
Scott Thornbury‘s How Teach Grammar, (1999)
Rosie Tanner‘s and Cathrine Green‘s Tasks for Teacher Education. A Reflective Approach, (1998) (Chap.3)

2. Overview Content of our Presentation Introduction
Teaching Grammar
Overview
Introduction
Why teach grammar?
Grammar acquisition
Basic principles
Guiding principles in
the teaching of
grammar
Presenting grammar
Practising grammar
How can we suit
approach to learner
needs?
Content of our Presentation
Introduction
1.1 Why teach grammar?
1.2 Grammar acquisition – a short revision
1.3 Basic principles for grammar teaching
2. Guiding principles in the teaching of grammar
2.1 Presenting grammar
2.2 Practising grammar
3. How can we suit approach to learner needs?
4. Bibliography

3. Introduction - Why teach grammar? - Teaching Grammar
Overview
Introduction
Why teach grammar?
Grammar acquisition
Basic principles
Guiding principles in
the teaching of
grammar
Presenting grammar
Practising grammar
How can we suit
approach to learner
needs?
To what extent do you agree or disagree with these statements?
taken from “Tasks for Teacher Education” p. 13

4. Presentation of grammar can facilitate learning in a number of ways:
Introduction
- Why teach grammar? -
Teaching Grammar
Presentation of grammar can facilitate learning in a number of ways:
it can provide input for noticing language forms
it can help to see the difference between the learner’s output and accurate
forms of English
Without some focus on form, learners run the risk of fossilising
it can give information on the stylistic variation of language form
 “Me Tarzan, you Jane”- kind of language fails to deliver intelligibility
BUT this does not mean that grammar should be the goal of teaching, nor that a focus on form alone is sufficient.
“A language is acquired through practice [communication]; it is merely perfected through grammar” (Leibniz)
On balance, there is a convincing case for grammar teaching
(taken out of “How Teach Grammar” pp.15-17; 23-25)
Overview
Introduction
Why teach grammar?
Grammar acquisition
Basic principles
Guiding principles in
the teaching of
grammar
Presenting grammar
Practising grammar
How can we suit
approach to learner
needs?

5. - Grammar acquisition -
Introduction
- Grammar acquisition -
Teaching Grammar
We have to be aware of the ...
… developmental sequences or natural order hypothesis
= “readiness to learn“
 order in which certain features of language are acquired
… variation of the time needed to learn a new structure among Ls
 implication: to recycle structures
… fact that the process is not a lockstep one
e.g. go  went  *goed
… inductive learning
- use of acquired knowledge and knowledge of L1 to “discover” the
language
 Consequences for the role of grammar instruction
Overview
Introduction
Why teach grammar?
Grammar acquisition
Basic principles
Guiding principles in
the teaching of
grammar
Presenting grammar
Practising grammar
How can we suit
approach to learner
needs?

6. Introduction - Basic principles -
Teaching Grammar
Grammar presentation and practice activities should be evaluated
according to:
1. How efficient they are
1.1 How time-efficient is it? (its economy)
 presenting grammar: the shorter the better
1.2 How easy is it set up? (its ease)
 the easier an activity is to set up, the better it is
1.3 Is it consistent with good learning principles? (its efficacy)
 try to exclude any distracting or irrelevant details
 understandable and easy to remember
2. How appropriate they are
2.1 learners’ needs and interests
2.2 learners’ attitudes and expectations
 factors: age; level; group size; constitution of the group …
(taken out of “How Teach Grammar” pp.25-28)
Overview
Introduction
Why teach grammar?
Grammar acquisition
Basic principles
Guiding principles in
the teaching of
grammar
Presenting grammar
Practising grammar
How can we suit
approach to learner
needs?

7. Guiding principles - Presenting grammar - Teaching Grammar Overview
Introduction
Why teach grammar?
Grammar acquisition
Basic principles
Guiding principles in
the teaching of
grammar
Presenting grammar
Practising grammar
How can we suit
approach to learner
needs?

8. Guiding principles - Presenting grammar -
Teaching Grammar
“Language is context-sensitive” (Thornbury; p.90)
Context can be created through:
visuals; miming/ demonstrating; dialogues; texts; songs; videos; situations …
The context should be useful and appropriate to the learners’ needs
Overview
Introduction
Why teach grammar?
Grammar acquisition
Basic principles
Guiding principles in
the teaching of
grammar
Presenting grammar
Practising grammar
How can we suit
approach to learner
needs?
Which forms and in what order?
Experiment

9. Guiding principles - Presenting grammar - Experiment
Teaching Grammar
Consider the set of forms for the present continuous tense to express current actions:
Overview
Introduction
Why teach grammar?
Grammar acquisition
Basic principles
Guiding principles in
the teaching of
grammar
Presenting grammar
Practising grammar
How can we suit
approach to learner
needs?

10. Guiding Principles - Presenting Grammar -
Teaching Grammar
- metalanguage may be useful for advanced learners and
analytical learners
Sometimes, it is most effective to guide students into
seeing the patterns (above all for beginners)
Overview
Introduction
Why teach grammar?
Grammar acquisition
Basic principles
Guiding principles in
the teaching of
grammar
Presenting grammar
Practising grammar
How can we suit
approach to learner
needs?
Explicit = deductive approach
 grammatical explanation and application activity
Implicit = inductive approach
 “discovery learning“ e.g. consciousness-raising tasks
Compare Material 5A and 5B
Pattern: it + linking verb + adjective + infinitive with “to”
e.g.: “It’s difficult to make up your mind.”
“It’s easy to say that.”
 Lexical phrases used by native speakers

11. aim: to achieve accuracy aim: to achieve fluency
Guiding Principles
- Practising Grammar -
Teaching grammar
The PPP model
Overview
Introduction
Why teach grammar?
Grammar acquisition
Basic principles
Guiding Principles in
the Teaching of
Grammar
Presenting Grammar
Practising Grammar
How can we suit
approach to learner
needs?
PRESENTATION
PRACTICE
aim: to achieve accuracy
PRODUCTION
aim: to achieve fluency
See table 5.1; p. 166

12. Guiding Principles - Practising Grammar - The PPP model Pros Cons
Teaching Grammar
The PPP model
Overview
Introduction
Why teach grammar?
Grammar acquisition
Basic principles
Guiding principles in
the teaching of
grammar
Presenting grammar
Practising grammar
How can we suit
approach to learner
needs?
Pros
Cons
has a logic appeal both to teachers and students and reflects the way other skills are learned, e.g. football
Learners will perform the activity with the new learned structure correctly in that lesson, but will then cease to use it, or produce it inaccurately (see also: Ellis; p.166)
allows the teacher to control the content and pace of the lesson and
provides a convenient template
Language is learned in bits and steps
BUT: Language acquisition is more complex and less linear than the PPP model assumes
Controlled practice stage provides conscious focus on form
assumes that accuracy precedes fluency
BUT: learners might be able to speak fluently while still making mistakes

13. Guiding Principles Sample Lesson - Practising Grammar -
Teaching Grammar
Alternative Models:
Dictogloss Technique
Form of dictation, BUT: students need to hear and reconstruct the whole text
Focus is on language form which is contextually embedded in a situation
Learners are encouraged to reflect on grammar
Students need to work collaboratively on reflecting the text which necessitates decision-making
“negotiation of form” (Swain)
Sample Lesson
Overview
Introduction
Why teach grammar?
Grammar acquisition
Basic principles
Guiding Principles in
the Teaching of
Grammar
Presenting Grammar
Practising Grammar
How can we suit
approach to learner
needs?

14. Sample Lesson Guiding Principles
- Practising Grammar -
Teaching Grammar
Sample Lesson
aim: Learn would in its past habitual sense
example: When we lived in Canada we would often
go kayaking.
Instructions
Listen and as soon as I have finished write down what you remember of the text.
Join up in pairs and compare what you have noted down.
Try to reconstruct the text.
Compare your version with the original.
Overview
Introduction
Why teach grammar?
Grammar acquisition
Basic principles
Guiding Principles in
the Teaching of
Grammar
Presenting Grammar
Practising Grammar
How can we suit
approach to learner
needs?

15. Guiding Principles - Practising Grammar -
Teaching Grammar
“When I was a child we used to go camping every summer. We‘d choose a
different place each year, and we‘d drive around until we found a beach we
liked. Then we‘d pitch our tent, as near as possible to the beach. We‘d
usually spend most of the time on the beach or exploring the country round
about. We never went to the same beach twice.“
Taken out of “How Teach Grammar” p.83
Overview
Introduction
Why teach grammar?
Grammar acquisition
Basic principles
Guiding Principles in
the Teaching of
Grammar
Presenting Grammar
Practising Grammar
How can we suit
approach to learner
needs?

16. To sum it up… Guiding Principles - Practising Grammar -
Teaching Grammar
To sum it up…
Order of the dictogloss activities
‘warm-up‘ to the topic and preparation of relevant vocabulary
text is read twice, on the second reading students note down the words they catch
students try to reconstruct the text in groups  they use the grammar they know and consider the possible alternatives
when comparing their version of the text with the original, students see the difference
Overview
Introduction
Why teach grammar?
Grammar acquisition
Basic principles
Guiding Principles in
the Teaching of
Grammar
Presenting Grammar
Practising Grammar
How can we suit
approach to learner
needs?

17. focus on: fluency-to-accuracy sequence
Guiding Principles
- Practising Grammar -
Teaching Grammar
Alternative Models:
2) Task-Based Model
focus on: fluency-to-accuracy sequence
Learners perform a communicative task
Teacher uses this to identify language features learners could have used to communicate more effectively
These features are taught and practised
Students re-perform the original (or a similar) task
Overview
Introduction
Why teach grammar?
Grammar acquisition
Basic principles
Guiding principles in
the teaching of
grammar
Presenting grammar
Practising grammar
How can we suit
approach to learner
needs?
TASK
TEACH
TASK

18. How can we suit approach to learner needs?
Teaching Grammar
Overview
Introduction
Why teach grammar?
Grammar acquisition
Basic principles
Guiding principles in
the teaching of
grammar
Presenting grammar
Practising grammar
How can we suit
approach to learner
needs?
Celce-Murcia: “the more factors the teacher identifies on the left side of the grid, the less important it is to focus on form; the more factors the teacher identifies on the right, the more important the grammatical focus“ (Celce-Murcia 1993: 294)

19. Bibliography
Teaching Grammar
Green, Catherine & Tanner, Rosie (1998). Tasks for Teacher Education. A Reflective Approach. Longman
Hedge, Tricia (2000). Teaching and Learning in the Language Classroom. Oxford University Press
Thornbury, Scott (1999). How Teach Grammar. Longman