Hello Colleagues, I think there is a lot of agreement that teaching vocabulary within a meaningful context is important. I also believe teaching grammar contextually can be an effective approach. I've been trying out some different ideas for engaging both advanced and beginning level students in paying attention to the grammar that appears in the texts we read.
After a selecting a text to use in my class, I examine the text to see what aspects of grammar are used. For instance, are there pronouns, past tense verbs, modal verbs, etc. When I examine the text, I look for patterns. I often use highlighting in different colors to label the different aspects of grammar I see, so all the present perfect verbs might be highlighted in yellow, and all the gerunds might be highlighted in blue, etc.
Once I've examined the text, I decide which aspect of grammar I want to draw students' attention to. My decision is guided by the grammar we have already studied, as well as what points of grammar will help students to comprehend the text we are working with.
Recently, in my low/high beginning level class, we read an article about women training to be welders. There were a lot of past tense verbs in this article. We had studied regular and irregular past tense verbs a couple of months prior, and I thought it would be helpful to revisit this area of grammar. I asked the students to identify all the past tense verbs in the article and to label them regular or irregular and enter this information into a table. They also added the simple form to the chart.
I found this activity to be a good review of past tense verbs, which was made meaningful since the students could see how these verbs were used in the article we had been reading. This is one strategy I am using as I seek to enhance the rigor of my teaching.
How do you usually approach teaching grammar? What do members think about teaching grammar contextually? What pros and cons do you see? If you approach grammar this way, what are some strategies you've used to do so?
Looking forward to members' thoughts on the topic of teaching grammar!
Cheers, Susan Finn Miller
Comments
Susan, technology has changed teaching and learning a bit so that learning becomes more “student centered”.
I agree that learning grammar in context is the best way to master it, and that is why reading should be the matrix in which learning a language is taught/learned.
At the same time, when students take on more responsibility for their learning, they ask more questions, in my experience.
In a WhatsApp study circle often my students will have lengthy discussions about grammar, especially verb tenses – without me! These discussions are usually led by one of the more advanced students in a Peer teaching environment. At some point someone will say: “Let’s ask Paul when he gets back.”
Usually they will review the section in my online grammar workbook and also the appropriate section in pumarosa.com. But at the same time, there are nuances and certain subject areas that I have not covered.
On Google and Facebook I have found a lot of lessons for these questions, and now I have accumulated a glossary of favorites, all of which can be copied and pasted to WhatsApp.
Pronunciation is always a problem and needs to be practiced or reviewed.
So at times I find an appropriate poem or song to read out loud or sing. For example, “If Ever I Would Leave You” is very good for ‘would’ and ‘could”; “Singin’ in the Rain” helps with the present progressive/continuous and contractions; “I’ve Been Workin’ On The Railroad” – present perfect progressive, etc.
Paul
Hello Paul, I love your story about students having lengthy discussions about grammar without the teacher! You are right that there are so many online tools and sites that can answer students' questions about grammar and that offer helpful grammar support.
You stated, "I agree that learning grammar in context is the best way to master it, and that is why reading should be the matrix in which learning a language is taught/learned." We are on the same page with this.
I'm curious what other members think about teaching grammar contextually, particularly through reading. What are some examples you can share from your practice?
Cheers, Susan Finn Miller
Moderator, AELL CoP