Teaching grammar

Questions and answers
Teaching grammar
We have two questions this week on the topic of grammar teaching. Grammar is an essential part of the language learning process but opinions vary on the best way of teaching it.

The questions

Grammar TranslationZahid Hameed, Pakistan"Can you please tell me the different advantages and disadvantages of the grammar translation method?"
Grammr teaching methodsJulianaHi everybody! Well I really need your help! I was wondering what would be the best way to teach grammar! Most teachers say that we should present the structure at first, but others say that it is better to use an inductive approach .What do you think?Thanks .

Your answers

Mahesh Chandak, India
I take it your main aim is to teach spoken english. For, if you are teaching grammar for the sake of grammar, the inductive approach won't help, because it won't tell the students the why's. For spoken English, the less of grammar that is used, the better it it for the students. Grammar becomes more of a hindrance than a help so far as spoken English is concerned. I have often seen students fumbling for words because every sentence they speak is preceded by a mental check-up of the grammar of the sentence. Language should come fluently. Grammar should follow only after the student has gained fluency. After all, don't 4-5 year old kids in English-speaking countries like US, Canada and UK speak near-perfect English when they barely know the letters of the alphabet, let alone any grammar? So let's not confuse students with grammar. Grammar will make sense once they learn to speak and write proper english through speaking, hearing and reading.

Meric, Turkey
Whatever you teach you have to include fun in it. Even if it is grammar I believe teachers should somehow link it with real life situations. Experiencing is the best way of learning. So it must be something visual and aural. The more concrete it is the better the result would be. The thing is, the learner should feel the touch.
Jeanette, USAThe school I'm currently at has been using the inductive approach for several years at the elementary level. As an 8th grade teacher, I'm seeing students with extremely low writing skills; this is supported by our annual spring testing results. Even though our students write across the curriculum from grade two, their writing skills are not improving. I'm currently doing some action research to figure out if the old drill and skill approach to grammar works. I'll know more next spring. I disagree with many people who have the "field of dreams" approach; if you simply show the students correct sentence structure, mechanics, etc., they will learn it. The osmosis approach to grammar simply does not improve their writing skills. Grammar skills needs to be viewed the same as basic maths skills. Practice makes perfect.
Walid El Dars, EgyptIn my opinion(as a teacher of 6 years experience),the best way of presenting a structure is as follows. 1- creating a situation in the class containing the structure 2- writing some examples on the board first and then eliciting the structre from the students.You may use your mother tongue analogies to check understanding. Finally , you should practice the structure in real-life situations.

Dr.Udaya Ravi S V, Karnataka, India
Well, it depends on whom you are teaching to, and why. English for Specific purposes - The syllabi of many schools and colleges have English grammar exercises for testing which fetch them marks in the exams. If you are teaching them for that purpose, getting in to the mechanics of the language is mandatory. But if one needs to be taught the communicative English, one need not go technically. Go for the direct method as Farah, Kuwait says. Experience has taught me that there is no one single method to teaching grammar. Depending on the competence of the learner, a proper blend of methods is suggested. After all they are not water -tight compartments.

Elizabeth Ruiz Esparza, Mexico
I think grammar (a particular structure) should always be practiced in context, using exercises to develop the four skills, students should be working with meaning so that they produce the structure freely, after that and before passing to the next grammar structure, then an analysis of the structure used and rules will follow trying to elicit them from the same students.
Gurjinder S.Brar, India . khiThe grammar of any language is the rules of the language . You cannot avoid them . If you do ....the result will be 'junklingo ' or slang. We are heading towards the same slowly. To avoid the total collapse of the Queen's language, the grammer will have to be taught as it is , maybe more interestingly with stories etc and diagrams . Thats all.
Fung Yen Li, TaiwanI am interesting to learn English all my life for about fifty years now. I think the most important effetive method is learning by diagram.
Farah, KuwaitI think it is better to teach grammar for children without rules in the beginning , by talking , playing and giving examples.

Shazia, Pakistan
I have always found teaching grammar helpful in the course of my teaching as it enables students to appreciate it better by looking at its application.
Ratna Mukerji, IndiaI teach english the way mother tongues are taught,i.e.teaching grammer as it comes along,while going through the text, telling students where they are wrong and why.
Guadalupe, ArgentinaThe grammar translation method does not develop student awareness of the new language as it relies only in analogy with their first language. Try making your students figure out rules, which will assure the learning of the new grammar

Rocio, Ecuador
I usually teach grammar in context, the input to present the grammar topic could be a reading or a listening activity. I write on the board a sentence and the students have to work using the inductive approach. When they discover the knoiwledge for themselves it means they are involved and they will learn. After that they have to use the new atructure. When they use it in speaking or writing activities, they won't forget it.
Rotimi Jiboku, NigeriaIt is advisable to teach grammar in a given context. Illustrations and role play can then be used to reiterate mthe teaching points.
Kate, PolandYou should show your students what the structure means and how it is used by native speakers, by giving examples. Establish the form of it and also make its usage clear (you can put it in context) so that the students are able to produce it.
Annette, TaiwanI think the best way to learn grammar is read as much as possible. While reading, not focusing too much on the text structure,just go through from page to page. Little by little you will learn grammar naturely.

Maissa, Egypt
I've been working as an English teacher in Egypt for over four years now and have found that the best way to teach grammar is to lead in to a grammar point using grammar they already know. For example, when teaching the past tense ask something in the present first like: "where do you go every day?" then say "what about yesterday?" to teach "went" and so on.

Patrisius, Indonesia
You can try the 'Consciousness-Raising' technique: make your learners aware of certain grammatical features in the target language.

Daniele, Italy
The best way to teach grammar depends on the place and the people you are working with.I believe in speaking, so let's do it and comment on the grammar later on.
Larissa JonkAdopting the method where the teacher acts as a facilitator, encouraging and assisting the learner to discover the patterns (grammar) for themselves, helps them to better understand and remember. Languages being culturally different, there are many aspects which cannot be translated into other languages as it is culturally idiosyncratic.
Valentina, SpainI like presenting situations and contexts to point out the different uses of grammar structures.

Anonymous, China
As for my students, they have studied and have a solid understanding of basic English grammar. It might be a good idea to bring up some grammar exercises to refresh what they know already. I find all my students, all of whom have reached an intermediate level, are rather attentive looking at grammar notation I wrote in the black board. I think the inductive method can be useful for those who have basic knowledge. I can't think off the top of my head how I am supposed to teach beginner grammar using the method. While motivating students and teaching them the benefit of learning the language, since many novice students lose their interest in learning in earlier stage, a teacher should teach grammar patiently...

Maryam, UAE
Well, try this. Expose your students to the structure through a context. Then, isolate the example, ask them why it is used, how and when it is used..etc. DEDUCE..as much as possible and let them drill examples..it will stick better.
Prabhu, IndiaThe best way is to teach through examples. Then trace out the verb patterns and parts of speech there after.

Yameen, Maldive Islands
There is no,one exact method to follow when teaching english. The teachers have to design the lesson according to the students.

Agus, Indonesia
Try to create a scene, a role play, presenting the grammar so students can understand the use of the grammar in the conversation