A. V. Pavlovych

English Teacher

The National Technical University of Ukraine "Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute"

Modern Strategies in Grammar Teaching

Grammar teaching is an important part of foreign language teaching. In teaching grammar two main approaches can be used: the deductive approach and the inductive one. The deductive approach implies presentation of rules and examples of their use. Conversely, the inductive approach is aimed at providing some examples for the use of a certain rule and then the rule itself is derived. In Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) the latter is applied. All basic principles of CLT are applied through the use of the inductive approach in teaching grammar. Both approaches can be combined to help students understand grammar rules correctly. Pair work or group work, discussions help learners to interact and enjoy learning process. Learning rules helps to consolidate acquired knowledge and avoid misunderstanding of new material use. Task-based instruction is an important element of teaching grammar. Teacher use tasks that can help to involve students in interaction. Thus, learners develop their communicative strategies, interactional competence, communications skills, focus on the grammar material that is learned and use it in speech [1, 267-283].

D. Newby claims that different parts of language or grammatical structures has to be presented and taught as a communicative event “as it stresses “action-oriented”, “real-time” perception nature of language.” A cognitive+communicative approach implies that learners should perceive grammatical structures as parts of natural language. This approach does not distinguish between grammar and meaning but between grammar meaning and message meaning. The meaning of an utterance is expressed by all its parts including grammar. The term notional grammar is used by D. Newby. “A Notion will be defined as a single semantico-grammatical concept, or a grammatical meaning, expressed by a speaker when s/he formulates a proposition and encodes it into form.” Examples of notions:

· Arranged activity – I am playing tennis tonight.

· Expressing intention – I am going to use my new racket.

· Interpreting signs – it is going to be a tough match.

· Making a prediction – I will probably be back by six.

· Spontaneous decisions – I think I will change my racket.

NG rules are aimed at highlighting “salient perceptional elements” and helping learners to understand use of certain grammar patterns. According to D. Newby the Notional approach, if used systematically has, has considerable advantages that make teaching process more efficient. It also minimizes learning of rules and helps teachers be clear about what they teach and learners to understand clearly what they learn [2, 13-34].

An example of the use of communicative approach in teaching the grammatical constructions will and be going to.

Students read two dialogues.

Dialogue 1.

Sandra. Let`s go to the cinema.

Mike. That is a great idea. I will buy tickets.

Dialogue 2.

Sandra. We are going to watch a new film at the cinema.

Marry. Watch it. That`s a wonderful film.

After reading the dialogue students have to guess why speakers use will and be going to to speak about the same future activity. They discuss it in pairs and tell a teacher their ideas. A teacher helps them to identify the difference between these two grammatical constructions. The second task for learners is to do an exercise and open brackets. Then students make their own dialogues using will and be going to and speak in pairs. At the final stage a teacher can ask one of learners write on a board when they use will and be going to, e. g. will – spontaneous decisions, be going to – intentions. In such a way students interact, analyze life-related situations in which these constructions are used and derive the rule by themselves. So, a teacher elicits information, engages students and helps them to study and activate their knowledge. Learners teach themselves with a teacher`s help which is the basic principle of communicative teaching.

Communicative approach is a foundation of modern foreign language teaching. Teaching grammar in terms of CLT requires good knowledge of language, psychology and pedagogics and teaching methods. On the other hand, it is necessary to use correct ways of organizing teaching process. Many aspects of teaching grammar within the framework of CLT have been studied. Teaching grammar includes peculiarities as it implies cognitive and learning processes. Views of scholars about teaching strategies in grammar teaching vary but CLT is a basis of it. Many facets of grammar teaching are to be studied deeper, namely methodological and psychological constituents and interconnection between them.

References:

1. Damaris Coredero Badilla, Ginneth Pizarro Chacon, Revista de Lenguas (2013). Communicative Grammar: An Effective Tool to Teach a Second Language in Today`s Classes, 18, 267-283. Retrieved from revistas.ucr.ac.cr/index.php/rlm/article/viewFile/.../11620

2. Newby D. (2015) The Role of Theory in Pedagogical Grammar: A Cognitive+Communicative Approach. Eurasian Journal of Applied Linguistics 1(2), 13-34). Retrieved from www.ejal.eu/index.php/ejal/article/download/51/16