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HOW TO TEACH GRAMMAR

By:

Javed Iqbal PDT, PDCN for EDIP project

24-9-2011

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What is Grammar? Grammar is the system of a language. People sometimes describe grammar as the "rules" of a language; but in fact no language has rules*. If we use the word "rules", we suggest that somebody created the rules first and then spoke the language, like a new game. But languages did not start like that. Languages started by people making sounds which evolved into words, phrases and sentences. No commonly-spoken language is fixed. All languages change over time. What we call "grammar" is simply a reflection of a language at a particular time.

http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/grammar-what.htm

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Cont…• Grammar is the structural foundation of our

ability to express ourselves. The more we are aware of how it works, the more we can monitor the meaning and effectiveness of the way we and others use language

• (David Crystal, "In Word and Deed," TES Teacher, April 30, 2004).

• It is necessary to know grammar, and it is better to write grammatically than not, but it is well to remember that grammar is common speech formulated. Usage is the only test.(William Somerset Maugham, The Summing Up, 1938)

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What do you think?

• Would you agree or disagree with the following

statement?It’s not important for students to use correct grammar when they are talking, as long as they are getting their message across.

It’s not important for students to use correct grammar when they are writing, as long as they are getting their message across.

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Cont…• Accuracy is important because…

From the point of view of the hearer/reader, inaccuracy, even if it doesn’t affect meaning,

•From the point of view of the teacher, professionalism means teaching the language as best we can

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Things need to consider while teaching Grammar 

• What type of learning background do the learners have?

• What are the objectives of this class? • What learning materials and resources are available?

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Importance of Grammar• With the widespread institution of standards

and high-stakes tests, students are expected to recognize and use correct grammar. Educators can no longer afford to assume that students acquire an accurate understanding of formal language structures through reading, http://www.glencoe.com/sec/teachingtoday/subject/to_teach.phtml

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Two Common ApproachesInductive

• First a quick definition: Inductive is known as a 'bottom up' approach. In other words, students discovering grammar rules while working through exercises.

• For example: • A reading comprehension which includes a number

of sentences describing what a person has done up to that period in time

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Deductive approach• Deductive is known as a 'top down' approach. This

is the standard teaching approach that has a teacher explaining rules to the students.

• For example: • The present perfect is made up of the auxiliary

verb 'have' plus the past participle. It is used to express an action which has begun in the past and continues into the present moment... etc

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Let’s Do Some Activities

• Group No 1 Adverb & suffix• Group No 2 Antonym & complete

sentence• Group No 3 Adverb & subject verb

agreement• Group No 4 Present simple tense &

Compound sentences

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Conclusion To conclude we can say that we cannot

ignore grammar in language. Because it directly influence the effectiveness and meaning. Language and grammar both goes side by side we cannot separate one from another and we should teach grammar combining it with the language in a communicative way.

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