What about the fifth What about the fifth skill?skill?

Badria Al BrashdiBadria Al Brashdi

Louise GreenwoodLouise Greenwood

Kate TindleKate Tindle

Grammar is often seen Grammar is often seen as…as…

‘…‘…a static product that a static product that consists of forms that are consists of forms that are rule-governed, sentence-rule-governed, sentence-level, absolute, and level, absolute, and constitute a closed system.’constitute a closed system.’

Larsen-Freeman, 2003Larsen-Freeman, 2003

Grammar involves…Grammar involves… MEANING F

OR

M USE

There’s a pen on the desk.

Celce-Murcia and Larsen-Freeman, 1999

‘…students (need) to learn how to use grammar structures accurately, meaningfully and appropriately.’

Celce-Murcia and Larsen-Freeman, 1999

Is it teachable?Is it teachable?

‘‘There is ample evidence to There is ample evidence to demonstrate that teaching demonstrate that teaching grammar works.’grammar works.’

Ellis, 2006Ellis, 2006

‘…‘…students will not students will not necessarily learn what we necessarily learn what we teach them when we teach teach them when we teach (it).’(it).’

Willis, J.,1996Willis, J.,1996

coverage = masterycoverage = mastery

Verb ‘to be’

Possessives

Present simple

Articles

There is/there are

Some/any

Can/can’t

‘‘Grammar can be productively Grammar can be productively regarded as a fifth skill, not only as regarded as a fifth skill, not only as an area of knowledge.’an area of knowledge.’

Larsen-Freeman, 2003 Larsen-Freeman, 2003

‘‘It’s a process for which we need a It’s a process for which we need a verb – something like verb – something like grammaringgrammaring.’.’

Thornbury, 2001Thornbury, 2001

One evening in late 1972, my father George Latham was driving across town to collect my sister from a party. A white car passed him in the lane to his left, and then slowed to turn. My father saw a flash and then there was a big explosion. The white car, with its four passengers, was on fire. A drunk driver had crashed into it from behind.

Immediately, Dad stopped the car and ran back to the scene of the accident. The driver, a woman, jumped from the car. Some men pulled two of her daughters out, just as the fire began to reach the engine. A third little girl, an eleven-year-old, was screaming in the back seat. She couldn't undo her seat-belt. One of the men shouted that he couldn't open her door. "It's hopeless," somebody said, as everyone moved back. The little girl was going to burn to death right in front of them.

My Dad and the Burning Car

a. Visitors cansouvenirs likecarpets and Omanicoffee pots.

S

b. spenda whole day in themall.

c.clothing such as adishdasha.

d. You can’t all the shops.

e. choosefrom hundreds ofabayas and scarves.

1.Who is ‘you’ in these sentences?

2.Why does the writer use ‘can’?

2. a. Work with a partner. Read the first paragraph of George’s story.

One evening in late 1972, my father was driving across town to collect my sister from a party. A white car passed him in the lane to his left, and then slowed to turn. My father saw a flash and then there was a big explosion. The white car, with its four passengers, was on fire. A drunk driver had crashed into it from behind.

b. Look at the underlined phrases in 2a above. What is the difference between them? Why?

e. Read the third paragraph below. Underline any examples of ‘a or an + noun’. Circle any examples of ‘the + noun’.

My father heard all this and saw all this. He ran to the car and reached through the open door on the other side. He pulled the child across the seat and out of the car, through the flames. He turned and walked out of the fire just as the back window of the car exploded. Within moments, the whole car was on fire. People gathered around the little girl. My hero dad just walked back to his car and drove on, thinking only about picking up his own daughter.

f. Which paragraph has the most examples of ‘a + noun’? Why?

1. Work with a partner. Read the first draft 1. Work with a partner. Read the first draft of the beginning of the story below. of the beginning of the story below. What is What is wrongwrong with this first draft? Write your with this first draft? Write your corrections on the text.corrections on the text.

The Monkey and the Milk SellerThe Monkey and the Milk Seller 1st draft 1st draft

Once upon a time, there was a poor but honest milk seller. Once upon a time, there was a poor but honest milk seller. People liked the milk seller so much that people wouldn’t People liked the milk seller so much that people wouldn’t buy milk from anyone else.buy milk from anyone else. One day, the milk seller was on the milk seller’s way to the One day, the milk seller was on the milk seller’s way to the market to sell the milk seller’s milk when all of a sudden, market to sell the milk seller’s milk when all of a sudden, the milk seller tripped over a big stone and fell onto the the milk seller tripped over a big stone and fell onto the road. road.

4. Improve your writing4. Improve your writing

Look back at the story you Look back at the story you wrote for the competition and wrote for the competition and check it:check it:

Did you use Did you use pronouns (he, she, pronouns (he, she,

him, etc.) him, etc.) and and possessives (her, possessives (her, his) his) correctly?correctly?

Make changes to your first Make changes to your first draft if necessary.draft if necessary.

My Log

Subject Verb(live or lives)?

Hee.g. Ahmed

……………………

in Saham.

Shee.g. Aisha

Ite.g the car

I ………………………

You

Wee.g my family and I

Theye.g. Ahmed and Aisha

1. What I learned about language a. When do we use the present simple? …………………………………………………………………………………How do we form the present simple? Complete the tables.

To practise or not to To practise or not to practise…practise…

‘… ‘… some structures may some structures may require (in-depth require (in-depth practice) before they practice) before they can be fully acquired.’can be fully acquired.’

Ellis, 2006Ellis, 2006

SS

TT

AA

RR

TT

go for a long walk

have fun with your friends

see giant turtlesbuy cheap sunglasses

make new friends

learn how to drive

ride a camelget help at

SQU

visit a wadi buy good souvenirs

have some quiet time

alone

visit a beautiful

beach

see lots of birds study

?(your idea)

see a beautiful garden

walk on a mountain

have a picnic?

(your idea)

1 2 3

3 1 1

-1 2 2

Close your eyes!

What can visitors do in your town/village? Write four sentences.

Name of your town/village: …………………………………….

a.______________________________________________________

b.______________________________________________________

c.______________________________________________________

d.______________________________________________________

QUESTIONS

NAME(S) OF

STUDENT(S)

Do you usually go to bed before 11pm?

Do you play table tennis?

Do you speak more than two languages?

Do you like Indian food?

Do you drink tea without sugar?

Do you live near a wadi?

Do you drive a car?

SummarySummary Equip your students with the skill of Equip your students with the skill of

‘grammaring’.‘grammaring’. Guide students to make discoveries Guide students to make discoveries

about language in texts.about language in texts. Draw students’ attention to meaning Draw students’ attention to meaning

and use, not just form.and use, not just form. Provide opportunities for meaningful, Provide opportunities for meaningful,

creative practice.creative practice. Don’t expect mastery. Students learn Don’t expect mastery. Students learn

when they are ready.when they are ready. Make learner engagement a high Make learner engagement a high

prioritypriority..

ReferencesReferences

Celce-Murcia, M. and Larsen-Freeman, D. (1999). Celce-Murcia, M. and Larsen-Freeman, D. (1999). The Grammar BookThe Grammar Book.. USA: Heinle & Heinle.USA: Heinle & Heinle.

Ellis, R. (2006).‘ Current Issues in the Teaching of Ellis, R. (2006).‘ Current Issues in the Teaching of Grammar: An SLA Perspective’. Grammar: An SLA Perspective’. TESOL QuarterlyTESOL Quarterly, , 40:1.40:1.

Larsen-Freeman, D. (2003). Larsen-Freeman, D. (2003). Teaching Language: Teaching Language: From Grammar to Grammaring.From Grammar to Grammaring. Newbury House: Newbury House: Canada.Canada.

Schmidt, R.W. (1990).Schmidt, R.W. (1990). ‘ ‘The Role of Consciousness The Role of Consciousness in Second Language Learningin Second Language Learning’. ’. Applied Applied LinguisticsLinguistics, , 11:2.11:2.

Thornbury, S. (2001). Thornbury, S. (2001). Uncovering GrammarUncovering Grammar. . Oxford: Macmillan.Oxford: Macmillan.

Willis, J. (1996). Willis, J. (1996). A Framework for Task-Based A Framework for Task-Based LearningLearning. Harlow, Essex: Longman.. Harlow, Essex: Longman.

http://www.myhero.comhttp://www.myhero.com