TEACHING GRAMMAR TO MIDDLE SCHOOL

ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS

ENGLISH TEACHER

TEACHING GRAMMAR

2 Approaches to teaching Grammar

 i) The Deductive Approach
Presentation of a rule and and is followed by examples in which the rule is applied.
ii) The Inductive Approach
Some examples in which a rule is inferred and then looking at the rule.

Or you can use the terms rule driven learning and discovery learning respectively.

HOW DO YOU START TEACHING A GRAMMAR LESSON?

With the start of any Grammar Lesson, first assess the students depending on the tense or rules
of grammar, by providing an example.

Metalanguage –language used to talk about language such as grammar and terminology.
Sometimes this is absent in young learners and they may not be able to understand the concepts
involved.This rule driven approach is based on the quality of explanation of the rule.

A rule that a teacher may give learners to apply, Pedagogic rule. Two things that the teacher
explains

i) The Rule of form

ii) The Rule of Use

Explain the rule and running checks are made if the students understand what is being talked
about.

Inversion to form questions. (Pg.35)

GOOD EXPLANATION

Depends on Metalanguage of the student and the terminology that is necessary.

Minimal language pairs- Allowing students to understand a language rule by contrasting two
forms that are different only in one respect. Same things for teaching spelling and
pronunciation also. (eg. Ship/Sheep)

Give students enough time to think about the differences and understand the material, prime
them to be prepared for grammar explanation. Provide visual reinforcement on the board.

Next step is to assess the learner’s grasp of the rule and to prepare them for independent
practice.

Do not overburden learners with new vocabulary, allow them to devote maximum attention
to the grammar contrast.
 Next is teacher-led practice that allows them to provide their own content to the exercise.
Allowing them to focus on meaning and form.

Conduct grammar exercises through worksheets.

TPR(Total Physical Response) Learners learn best when they are fully engaged.

Children develop listening competence in advance of their speaking ability hence they tend to
learn properly, it registers and there is no stress in the process of language learning.

TEACHING TENSES THROUGH REALIA

(Pg 57 till 60)

i) Teaching vocabulary and language through real life instances and real life objects.
Engage students in a piece of detective work.
ii) Generating examples of the target language.
iii) Concordance Data for teaching tense. (67-69)