”Філологічні науки”/Методика викладання мови та літератури

Олеся Семенюк

К.ф.н., доц. Близнюк М.І.

Чернівецький національний університет

імені Ю. Федьковича

Goals and techniques of teaching grammar for communicative competence in TESL setting

Many language teachers, influenced by recent theoretical thinking in terms of language learning and language acquisition, tend not to teach grammar at all. Believing that pupils acquire their first language without overt grammar instruction, they expect students to learn their second language the same way. They assume that students will absorb grammar rules as they hear, read, and use the language in communication activities. This approach does not allow students to use one of the major tools they have as learners: their active understanding of what grammar is and how it works in the language they already know.

The goal of grammar instruction in TESL setting is to enable students to carry out their communicative intent. This goal has three implications:

• Students need overt instruction that connects grammar points with larger communication contexts.
• Students do not need to master every aspect of each grammar point, but those that are relevant to the immediate communication task.
• Remedial work error correction is not always the instructor's first responsibility.

Overt Grammar Instruction

Adult students appreciate and benefit from direct instruction that allows them to apply critical thinking skills to language learning [2]. Instructors can take advantage of this by providing explanations that give students a descriptive understanding (declarative knowledge) of each grammar point:

• Teach the grammar point in the target language or the students' first language or both. The goal is to facilitate understanding.
• Limit the time you devote to grammar explanations to 10 minutes, especially for lower attaining students whose ability to sustain attention can be limited.
• Present grammar points in written and oral forms to address the needs of students with different learning styles.

An important part of grammar instruction is providing examples. Teachers need to plan their examples carefully around two basic principles:

• Be sure the examples are accurate and relevant. They must present the language appropriately, be culturally correct for the setting in which they are used, and reflect the essence of the lesson.
• Use the examples as teaching tools. Focus examples on a particular theme or topic so that students have more contact with specific information and vocabulary.

Relevance of Grammar Instruction

In the communicative competence model, the purpose of learning grammar is to learn the language of which the grammar is a part. Instructors therefore teach grammar forms and structures in relation to meaning and use for specific communication tasks that students need to complete.

Compare the traditional model and the communicative competence model for teaching the English past tense:

Traditional: grammar for grammar's sake

• Teach the regular -ed form with its two pronunciation variants.
• Teach the doubling rule for verbs that end in d (for example, wed-wedded).
• Hand out a list of irregular verbs that students must memorize .
• Do pattern practice drills for –ed.
• Do substitution drills for irregular verbs .

Communicative competence: grammar for communication's sake

• Distribute two short narratives about recent experiences or events, each one to half of the class.
• Teach the regular -ed form, using verbs that occur in the texts as examples. Teach the pronunciation and doubling rules if those forms occur in the texts.
• Teach the irregular verbs that occur in the texts.
• Students read the narratives, ask questions about points they don't understand.
• Students work in pairs in which one member has read Story A and the other Story B. Students interview one another, using the information from the interview. This is followed by writing and repeating the story they haven’t read.

Error Correction

At all proficiency levels, learners produce language that is not exactly the language used by native speakers. Some of the differences are grammatical, while others involve vocabulary items and mistakes in the selection of language appropriate for different socio-cultural contexts.

In responding to student communication, teachers need to be careful not to focus on error correction to the detriment of communication and confidence building. Teachers need to let students know when they are making errors so that they can work on improving. Teachers also need to build students' confidence in their ability to use the language by focusing on the content of their communication rather than the grammatical form.

Teachers can use error correction to support language acquisition, and avoid using it in ways that undermine students' desire to communicate in the language, by taking cues from the context.

• When students are doing structured output activities that focus on development of new language skills, use error correction to guide them.

Example:
Student (in class): I buy a new car yesterday.
Teacher: You bought a new car yesterday. Remember, the past tense of buy is bought.

• When students are engaged in communicative activities, correct errors only if they interfere with comprehensibility. Respond using correct forms, but without stressing them.

Example:
Student (greeting teacher): I buy a new car yesterday!
Teacher: You bought a new car? That's exciting! What kind?

To sum it up, any grammar must be, first of all, taught for communicative purpose, otherwise ambiguity is likely to occur; moreover, when we have learned how to speak a foreign language – many doors will open before us and we will have a great opportunity to learn more and to acquire the language as the language speakers use it.

References:

1. Blyzniuk M. Lecture-notes on methodology of teaching English as a foreign language. – Chernivtsi: Chernivtsi National University, 1999. – 163p.

2. Larsen-Freeman, D. Teaching language: From grammar to grammaring.- Boston: Heinle & Heinle, 2001. – p. 84

3. Larsen-Freeman, D. Grammar and its teaching: Challenging the myths (ERIC Digest). Washington, DC: ERIC Clearinghouse on languages and Linguistics, Center for Applied Linguistics. Retrieved May 14, 2003, from http://www.cal.org/ericcll/digest/larsen01.html