This document discusses different approaches to grammar instruction, including prescriptive vs descriptive grammar, grammar and context, grammar and pronunciation, and form, meaning and use. It also covers deductive vs inductive presentation, meaningful practice, and focusing students on form through communicative interaction.

1. Approaches to grammar instruction Ian Martin Teacher Development World Link

2. Prescriptive vs. Descriptive A prescriptive grammar specifies what is right and what is wrong A descriptive grammarian tries to avoid making judgments about correctness, and concentrates on describing and explaining the way people actually use language

3. ?? A: Would you like some more coffee, sir? B: Yes please. A: Can you hit the man in seat 10D. C: Sure. B: Thanks.

4. Interpreting literally A: How many times do I have to tell you? B: Five times. A: We need this photocopied for the 4 o’clock meeting. B: That’s true. A: Let’s give Heidi a call. B: Yes, please do. A: Could you do the dishes? B: Yes, I could.

5. Grammar and context A: What did you buy your girlfriend? B: I bought the flowers for my girlfriend. A: Who did you buy the flowers for? B: I bought my girlfriend a bunch of flowers. A: What did you buy your girlfriend? B: I bought my girlfriend a bunch of flowers. A: Who did you buy the flowers for? B: I bought the flowers for my girlfriend.

6. Grammar and pronunciation She’s Italian, isn’t she? (rising intonation) = I believe that she’s Italian, but I’m really not certain. (falling intonation) = I’m pretty sure she’s Italian, but I’d like your confirmation on that. She’s Italian, is she? (rising intonation) = I thought she was Spanish, but I’ve just received information that leads me to revise my belief.

7. Grammar and pronunciation Daughter: Mom, can I get a belly-button ring? Mother: No. (falling tone) Daughter: Did you say yes? Mother: No. (rising tone) Daughter: Well, I kinda got one today. Mother: No! (low tone)

8. The power of the pause A woman without her man is nothing. A woman without her man (pause) is nothing. A woman (pause) without her man is nothing.

9. Grammar and vocabulary DRUNK GETS NINE MONTHS IN VIOLIN CASE IRAQI HEAD SEEKS ARMS MOUNTING PROBLEMS FOR YOUNG COUPLES QUEEN MARY MAY HAVE BOTTOM SCRAPED

10. Authenticity (spoken vs. written) When I was in Thailand, one of the things that I did wrong was to wear shorts. I wore them to museums and other places without thinking that I might be offending people. When I got home my friends told me I should not have worn shorts, that the Thais found it offensive. I wish I had paid more attention to cultural dos and don’t before I arrived.

11. Authenticity (spoken vs. written) One of the things that … that I kinda did wrong when I was in Thailand that I wish I … I had paid more attention to before I did it … was I wore shorts around town, and when … when I went with friends to, to go, um, you know, visit the museums or whatever, and we got back home … and they said you know you really shouldn’t wear shorts around town, and I was like … I didn’t even think about it – and you know, it … it’s really kind of offending to them.

12. Helping students make sense Three subsystems of language: phonological, lexical, and grammatical Language can only make sense, and be understood, in context Integrate teaching of grammar with teaching of pronunciation and vocabulary

13. Form, Meaning and Use Form Meaning Use Celce-Mercia & Larsen-Freeman

14. Form, Meaning and Use How is it formed? What does it mean? When/why is it used?

15. Deductive vs. Inductive presentation In a deductive presentation, students are given the rule, and apply it to a set of examples In an inductive presentation, students infer the rule, pattern or generalization from a set of examples

16. World Link grammar Presentation and practice reflect the most common problems mastering a structure

17. Form Meaningful practice, keeping declarative knowledge in working memory Need to avoid ‘inert’ knowledge

18. Meaning Activities needs to associate form and meaning of target structure For beginners, visual reinforcement/TPR can help

19. Use Trouble choosing correct structure or language for a given context Past tense or present perfect? Discourse grammar

20. ‘ Filling in the gaps’ Textbooks can’t teach everything Not all language students need is found in the classroom Regularly occurring patterns There are always exceptions to rules; rules don’t change – language does

21. Grammar for beginners Beginners more likely to rely on L1 Structures aren’t learned one at a time Frequent regression (‘he cans swim well’) Negative evidence is important Recycle

22. World Link grammar Focuses students on form, through meaningful, communicative interaction Balances deductive and inductive presentation Provides appropriate presentation and practice for each target

23. Questions?