Teaching Grammar as Teaching Grammar as SkillSkill

Understanding Teaching Understanding Teaching Grammar as a SkillGrammar as a Skill

►1. Noticing as a Skill1. Noticing as a Skill►2. Teaching grammar as 2. Teaching grammar as

grammaticizationgrammaticization►3. Reflection3. Reflection

1. Noticing as a Skill1. Noticing as a Skill

►Notice grammar in contextNotice grammar in context►Listening and reading tasksListening and reading tasks►Learners are given tasks that require Learners are given tasks that require

top-down processing. But at the same top-down processing. But at the same time asked to notice the grammar time asked to notice the grammar

►More authentic and real lifeMore authentic and real life►However, realistic only because already However, realistic only because already

have some control over grammarhave some control over grammar

Example Example (From Batstone, 1994)(From Batstone, 1994)

►Bill: Hi Jane. How’s life?Bill: Hi Jane. How’s life?► Jane: Terrible, since you ask. I didn’t Jane: Terrible, since you ask. I didn’t

get that job I applied for – the one I get that job I applied for – the one I told you about – and my cat started told you about – and my cat started eating the carpet again. Oh, and my eating the carpet again. Oh, and my sister arrived recently and decided to sister arrived recently and decided to stay with me. We both are going to stay with me. We both are going to study at the university so we’re study at the university so we’re spending a lot of time together on spending a lot of time together on making preparations.making preparations.

EventEvent Happened Happened and and finishedfinished

Still Still going ongoing on

FutureFuture

Jane applies Jane applies for a jobfor a job

Jane gets Jane gets result of result of examination examination

Jane studies Jane studies at the Uat the U

Jane and Jane and sister spend sister spend time time togethertogether

►General trend – from lexis to grammarGeneral trend – from lexis to grammar►Teaching, however, from grammar to Teaching, however, from grammar to

lexislexis► Instead of giving learners the grammar Instead of giving learners the grammar

– give them the words instead:– give them the words instead:► arrivearrive AliAli leaveleave SitiSiti►what will students make out of this?what will students make out of this?►Contextual voidContextual void

2. Teaching grammar as 2. Teaching grammar as grammaticizationgrammaticization

ExampleExample

►arrivearrive AliAli leaveleave SitiSiti►Provide cues:Provide cues:►Situation1: You know that Ali doesn’t Situation1: You know that Ali doesn’t

like Sitilike Siti►Situation 2: Ali and Siti are good Situation 2: Ali and Siti are good

friends, but Siti has a prior friends, but Siti has a prior engagement.engagement.

►Siti arrived so Ali leftSiti arrived so Ali left►Ali arrived, but Siti had to leave.Ali arrived, but Siti had to leave.

3. Reflection3. Reflection►With process teaching, sometimes students With process teaching, sometimes students

don’t get that teaching has occureddon’t get that teaching has occured► Reflect on the quality of the language they Reflect on the quality of the language they

are using, appraising strengths and are using, appraising strengths and weaknesses.weaknesses.

► A reflection stage: Post task stageA reflection stage: Post task stage► Critically reflect – compare what has been Critically reflect – compare what has been

said and what could have been said.said and what could have been said.► Practical constraints – pressure for Ss to Practical constraints – pressure for Ss to

assess own work. Therefore, must provide assess own work. Therefore, must provide non-threatening contextnon-threatening context

ExampleExample► Option 1: After you have finished your Option 1: After you have finished your

dialogue, try to remember some of the things dialogue, try to remember some of the things you said. How did you express some of your you said. How did you express some of your points? How well do you think you expressed points? How well do you think you expressed them?them?

► Option 2: Record your dialogue. When Option 2: Record your dialogue. When finished, listen again to what you said and finished, listen again to what you said and discuss the language you used. Which points discuss the language you used. Which points are you happy with, and which do you think are you happy with, and which do you think you could improve? Think particularly about you could improve? Think particularly about expressions you used to persuade the other expressions you used to persuade the other personperson

Example (cont)Example (cont)►Option 3: Before you start your dialogue, Option 3: Before you start your dialogue,

work with your partner and make brief notes work with your partner and make brief notes of what each of you might say. Check your of what each of you might say. Check your plan with the teacher, then pass it over to plan with the teacher, then pass it over to another pair of students. Afterwards discuss another pair of students. Afterwards discuss and compare what you actually said.and compare what you actually said.

►Option 4: Work in groups of four. As one Option 4: Work in groups of four. As one pair acts out the role play, the other pair pair acts out the role play, the other pair listens for how verbs are used. When both listens for how verbs are used. When both pairs have finished, discuss what you did pairs have finished, discuss what you did well and what you would like to improve. well and what you would like to improve. Report your summary to the class and to the Report your summary to the class and to the teacher.teacher.