Getting creative with grammar practice

Jo Gakonga

Why does teaching

grammar get a bad press?

Illustrations from Jan, J.M. & Ollúa, R. (1950) El Inglés Práctico; Comercio, Exámenes y Viajes, Buenos Aires: Academias Pitman.

Do we need to teach grammar

at all?

http://iatefl.britishcouncil.org/2011/sites/iatefl/files/session/documents/walter_grammar_iatefl2011_handout.pdf

Catherine Walter

IATEFL Plenary 2011

Should we be planning to teach grammar?

Should we forget grammar and only teach vocabulary?

Vocabulary is arguably more important

..but do they get enough exposure?

Krashen's Input Hypothesis (1982)

Canadian immersion studies (Swain 1985; Genesee 1987).

Conscious knowledge of

grammar is seen to help at

different stages.

Ellis 1994

Proponents of task-based teaching all

argue for a place for pre-planned grammar

instruction in a TBI framework.

Skehan, 2003; Willis & Willis, 2007; Ellis,2006

In a skills approach conscious knowledge is seen to serve as a ‘crutch’ until language use becomes proceduralised (usable without conscious effort).

Johnson, 1996, DeKeyser, 1998

Norris and Ortega (2000)

meta-analysis

Gass and Selinker (2008)

meta-analysis

Spada and Tomita (2010)

meta-analysis

Do we need to teach grammar

at all?

YES!

What I am NOT saying…..

If we teach grammar, how

should we do it?

Creative AutomaticityGatbonton, E. and Segalowitz, N. (1988) ‘Creative automatization: Principles for promoting fluency within a communicative framework’, TESOL Quarterly, 22, 3.

‘The techniques for this approach are designed to provide students with ample opportunities for repetition and practice within a wholly communicative context, without the shortcomings usually characteristic of pattern drills or other more traditional methods’

http://scottthornbury.wordpress.com/?s=A+is+for

What isn’t so helpful...

• Teacher: I found the book.• Students: I found the book.• Teacher: Pen.• Students: I found the pen.• Teacher: Bought.• Students: I bought the pen.

Example of a mindless gap fill..

Use the present perfect to complete these sentences:

1. I _______ ________ (see) the Eiffel Tower.

2. She ________ _________ (eat) snake.

3. They ________ __________ (swim) in the sea.

4. We ________ _________ (fill) in too many of these gap-fill

exercises………

Activities that promote creative automaticity should be …

• genuinely communicative• focused• formulaic• inherently repetitive

Some common examples…

• A class photo…

• Find someone who… • What’s my line?

• What kind of animal am I? (“Do you have four legs? Can you fly? Do you lay eggs?” etc).

Creativity

Personalisation

Jill Hadfield’s ‘Creativity in the language classroom’

Modern English Teacher January 2012

When I am old…When I’m an old woman, I will wear purpleAnd a red hat that doesn’t go and doesn’t suit meAnd I will spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves and candles, and say we have no money for butter.I will sit down on the pavement when I am tired And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bellsAnd run my stick along public railingsAnd make up for the sobriety of my youth.I will go out in slippers in the rain And pick the flowers in other people’s gardens And learn to spit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fr1RU4SM2L8

I’ll definitely

I’ll probably

I might

I’ll

I definitely won’t

I probably won’t

I might not

I won’t

When I am old, I won’t be quiet and I’ll bother my neighbours. I might have a toy-boy.

When we are old we will definitely do many crazy and dangerous things,We will wear full make up from morning and we will spend our money for a face lift.

When I am old, I’ll be a honarable person.I’ll definitely lede the people and I’ll be self-confident.

• genuinely communicative• focused• formulaic• inherently repetitive

Creativity

Personalisation

Present Perfect for experience

I’ve never been to India, I’ve never been to FranceI’ve never eaten frog’s legsAnd I’ve never learnt to dance.

I’ve always lived in BirminghamI’ve never been abroadI’ve always lived at homeI’m getting rather bored.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbqXAwpAtLY

Present Perfect for experience

I’ve never been to India, I’ve never been to FranceI’ve never eaten frog’s legsAnd I’ve never learnt to dance.

I’ve always lived in BirminghamI’ve never been abroadI’ve always lived at homeI’m getting rather bored.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbqXAwpAtLY

Present Perfect for experience

I’ve never been to India, I’ve never been to FranceI’ve never eaten frog’s legsAnd I’ve never learnt to dance.

I’ve always lived in BirminghamI’ve never been abroadI’ve always lived at homeI’m getting rather bored.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbqXAwpAtLY

I've never been in Ireland.But I've been in love with Irish man. He had a huge talant to gain women's favor, but he was so mean. He inculcated in me a taste for art and love for adventure. Our love story was bright and unforgettable, but it finished witha phrase "I'm sorry". At parting he gave me a kiss with an fragrant of Irish legend.

I've never been in Italy.But I've been in love with Italian. He's been very clever, he's known many languages, but he's been so nervous and so fault-finding person.Well, we let as part friends. He gave me gave me as a keepsake the 33 recipes for Italian pasta and one recipe for happiness.

Alan Marsh’s article…

English Teaching Professional March 2012The Door to Spontaneity

Simple past tense questions..

Dates game – Did you / Were you..

1952 1989

1999 2011

Creativity

Personalisation

Thrill Drills

Milada Krejewska’s blog http://miladakrajewska.wordpress.com/

A picture paints a thousand words….

few

What is inside?

There is…There are…

What is happening inside?

Creativity

Personalisation

It could be…It might be..It definitely isn’t…

It looks like ….

..he has…

..he is -ing….

It looks like …...it has… ..it is -ing….

It looks like …...it has…..it is -ing….

It looks like …...they have…..they are -ing….

Sources of pictures….

How did this happen?

How did this happen?

Using odd pictures

How did this happen?

Any other ideas?

Thank you!jo.gakonga@elt-training.com