ELC688 METHODS ISURVEY OF BEST PRACTICES IN TESOL

English Grammar TeachingApproaches and Instructional

Strategies for EFL Professionals

BY TERESA HECHT VALAIS

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What is Grammar?

• Two definitions are listed below for contemplation. As you followthrough this presentation, reflectively refer back to the question: whatis grammar?

Grammar may be roughly defined as the way language manipulates andcombines words (or bits of words) to form longer units of meaning.

(Ur, 1988)

Grammaring is the ability to use lexicogrammatical structures accurately,meaningfully, and appropriately.

• In addition, the –ing on grammar shows that grammar is dynamic. Itevolves, changes, and is learned in language use.

(Larsen-Freeman, 2008)

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Approaches to Grammar

• Traditional Approach – emphasizes the relationship of classes ofwords – parts of speech – and how these classes of words functiongrammatically at the sentence level

• Transformational Approach - is supported by the notion thatgrammar is an abstract set of rules contained within a human mind,independent of meaning. (It should be noted this approach appliesmainly to L1 Grammar acquisition, not towards second languagelearning pedagogy, thus no further discussion of this approach willfollow)

• Functional Approach - focuses on how form, meaning and use areinterrelated and need to be attended to in all four language skills areascommunicatively

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Traditional Grammar Approach

• Fails to distinguish between the way a word is formed and how itfunctions in a sentence.

Example 1: What parts of speech are the bolded, italicized, words in thefollowing sentences?

• Baltimore is a town in the country. Yes, Nouns!

Example 2: How about the following sentences?

• Baltimore is a country town.• My cousin bought a town house in Baltimore.• Stop here for a real Baltimore experience.

• Key point: In the second example, the bolded, italicized words arestill nouns in terms of form; however, they are not functioning as nouns –their function has changed and so has the meaning.

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Functional Grammar Approach

• Functional Grammarians ask the following three questions:

What does it mean?

• Question: In examples 1 and 2 below, is the intended meaning the same for bothquestions? Is the language function the same? What is the speaker looking for? Inexample 3, the sentences are structured differently, is there a difference in meaning?

When/why it is used?

• Example 1: Do you have the time? (Yes/No question)

• Example 2: Please tell me the time. (Imperative statement)

How is a given utterance or sentence formed?

• Example 3: Jenny gave Hank a brand-new comb. OR Jenny gave a brand-newcomb to Hank.

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Traditional vs. Functional Approach

• Traditional Approach analyzes grammar at the level of the sentence.

No attempt to analyze grammar as a tool for communication

No connection between connecting sentences for written discourse or threadedinteractions for spoken discourse

• Functional Approach analyzes understanding grammar – what it isand why it is the way it is – while looking at it in the communicativecontext in which it occurs.

“We need to see how form, meaning, and use are systematicallyinterrelated.”

(Larsen –Freeman, 1999)

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Grammar Question

• Question:

What is the disconnect between knowing the rules of grammar andbeing able to apply those rules automatically in listening, speaking,reading, and writing?

• Answer:

Differences in declarative knowledge and procedural knowledge

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Declarative Knowledge

Declarative knowledge is knowledge about something. Declarativeknowledge enables a student to describe a rule of grammar and apply itin pattern practice drills.

•Grammar example: Student is able to identify part of speech forrelated words and place the correct word ending in a practice drill butunable to demonstrate proper word use and meaning correctly insentences or more lengthy pieces of writing such as paragraphs andessays. Example: care, careful, carefully.

Focus is on form – word endings and syntactic category.

•Real world analogy: knowledge you have when you read and understand theinstructions for programming the DVD player

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Procedural Knowledge

Procedural knowledge is knowledge of how to do something.Procedural knowledge enables a student to apply a rule of grammar incommunication.

•Grammar example: Using ‘please’ for imperative statements toseparate formality from authority focuses on use and meaning

•Real world analogy: knowledge is what you demonstrate when youprogram the DVD player.

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Declarative and ProceduralKnowledge Dichotomy

• Declarative knowledge does not translate automatically intoprocedural knowledge

Negative: L2 learners may be able to state a grammar rule, butconsistently fail to apply the rule when speaking or writing

• imbalanced focus on grammar form

• accuracy over fluency

Positive: knowledge of the language rules

• Procedural knowledge does not translate automatically intodeclarative knowledge

Negative: learners use the language clearly and correctly throughcommunicative practice and inductive strategies without necessarily beingable to explain the rules of grammar

• fluency over accuracy

Positive: requires higher order thinking skills

• critical and analytical thinking for developing meaning of grammatical forms andrules for productive uses

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Declarative and ProceduralKnowledge Dichotomy

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What are Students’ Learning Goals?

• Students who plan to use the language exclusively for reading journalarticles need to focus more on the declarative knowledge ofgrammar and discourse structures that will help them understand thosetexts.

• Students who plan to live in the target language country for work oruniversity studies need to focus more on the procedural knowledgethat will help them manage day to day oral and written interactions andexpectations.

• Misdirected learning goals can cause MAJOR language challenges forforeign language students entering universities in the target languagecountry.

Vocabulary Optional Reading: Increasing Academic Language Knowledge for English Language Learner Success

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Implementing a Functional GrammarApproach: Form, Meaning, and Use

“While grammar does indeed involve form, in order to communicate,language users also need to know the meaning of the forms and when touse them appropriately.”

(Larsen-Freeman, 1999)

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Form, Meaning, and Use

(Celce-Murcia, 1999)

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Strategies for Teaching Grammar

Does explicit rule based grammar instruction alone supportlanguage accuracy and fluency?

•Deductive Strategies

•Inductive Strategies

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Deductive Strategies

Teacher presents grammar rule and then gives studentsexercises in which they apply the rules.

(Grammar Translation Method is based on deduction.)

•Benefits:

Students know the rules of the language Explicit grammar teaching is time saving

•Limitations:

Knowing the rules doesn’t mean a student can produce the languageaccurately or convey an intended meaning accurately

Fosters declarative knowledge development Leans toward a teacher-centered learning environment Students view language as a set of rules

(Nunan, 2003)

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Inductive Strategies

• Benefits:

Focuses on helping learners work out (construct) grammatical rules for themselves Learners, through accurate rule construction, become aware that a form, for example, can

be used in one context rather than another, or that there are choices which depend onwhether the student is speaking or writing – formal or informal intended use.

Fosters procedural knowledge – allowing learners to process language more deeplyutilizing critical thinking than simply being told the rule

Learners experience the ‘dynamism’ of language learning

• Limitations:

Takes time for students to arrive at grammar rules. The time spent to work out the ruleneeds to be weighed against the time needed to putting the rule into productive practice

Students can construct inaccurate rules Individual students’ learning style may not account for strong analytical processing

Teacher presents samples of language then students have to comeup with an intuitive understanding of the rule.

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Combined Deductive & Induction Strategies

• Deductive and Inductive Strategies to teaching grammar are notmutually exclusive. Both strategies are beneficial in the languagelearning classroom.

• “Learners need opportunities to both encounter and producestructures that have been introduced either explicitly through thegrammar lesson, or implicitly through frequent exposure.”

(Ellis, 2002)

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Combined Deductive & Induction Strategies(continued)

Fotos (2002) strongly suggests that explicit instruction [alongwith communicative activities] draws the students’ attentionto the target form and raises their consciousness of it.

•Explicit grammar instruction – Teacher gives students explicit grammarrules and explanation

focus on form

•Communicative activities – Teacher provides many communicativeactivities that involve uses of the constructed form

focus on use

•Outcome: Students become more aware of the gap between the targetlanguage they want to produce and the limitations of their currentinterlanguage.

(Carroll & Swain as cited in Fotos, 2002)

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Conclusion

Integrated Language Instruction fosters a FunctionalApproach to learning grammar requiring students to focuson forms, use, and meaning in a communicative way usingall four skills areas.

• Grammar Learning from Input

Reading and Listening

• Grammar Learning from Output

Speaking and Writing

• Inductive and deductive strategies as well as implicit instruction andexplicit instruction are needed for students to attain accuracy andfluency

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Interactive Grammar Websites

http://www.chompchomp.com/

http://www.englishmedialab.com/teachers.html

http://www.nonstopenglish.com/

http://www.esl-galaxy.com/

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References

Celce-Murcia, M., & Larsen-Freeman, D. (1999). The grammar book: An ESL/EFLteacher's course. Heinle & Heinle.

Ellis, R. (2002). Methodological options in grammar teaching materials. In Hinkel, E., &Fotos, S., (Eds.), New perspectives on grammar teaching in second language classrooms.New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers Mahwah.

Fotos, S. (2002). Stucture-based interactive tasks for the EFL grammar learner. In Hinkel,Eli, and Fotos, Sandra, (Eds.), New perspectives on grammar teaching in second languageclassrooms. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers Mahwah.

Krashen S. (1985). The input hypothesis: issues and applications. New York: Longman.

Larsen-Freeman, D. (2001). Teaching grammar. In M. Celce-Murcia (Ed.), TeachingEnglish as a second or foreign language (3rd ed.) (pp. 251-266). Boston: Heinle & Heinle.

Larsen-Freeman, D. (2003). Teaching language: from grammar to grammaring. Canada:Thomson/Heinle.

Nunan, D. (2003). Practical English language teaching: grammar. New York: McGrawHill.

Rutherford, W. (1987). Second language grammar and teaching. London: Longman.

Ur, P. (1988). Grammar practices: A practical guide for teachers. Cambridge: CambridgeUniversity Press.