Teaching and Assessment of Grammar PDF

# Teaching and Assessment of Grammar ## Pedagogy - Pedagogy is a collection of instructional strategies that make up the art or science of teaching. - Curriculum is the sum total of organized learning (Garcia, 1970) - Curriculum is designed as planned and guided learning experiences with intended...

# Teaching and Assessment of Grammar ## Pedagogy - Pedagogy is a collection of instructional strategies that make up the art or science of teaching. - Curriculum is the sum total of organized learning (Garcia, 1970) - Curriculum is designed as planned and guided learning experiences with intended learning outcomes. ## Types of Syllabi (Reilley) * ### Structural/Formal Syllabus: * Content is a collection of the forms and structures of the language being taught. * Students move from simpler to more complex structures. * Example: Nouns, verbs (Parts of Speech) * ### Content-based Syllabus: * Primary purpose is to teach content or subject matter. * Language learning is incidental information using the target language. * Example: A Science class taught in the target language. * ### Skill-based Syllabus: * Content is a collection of specific skills and purposeful tasks using the target language. * Skill application is primary. * Language learning is incidental.   * Example: Reading/listening for the main idea, writing well-formed paragraphs, giving effective oral presentations. ## Approaches to Teaching * ### Notional/Functional: * Content is a collection of the functions or notions that are performed in the use of the target language. * Students learn how to use the target language to express their own ideas, notions, and purposes. * **Functions** are performed in real life situations including: informing, agreeing, apologizing, requesting. * **Notions** are expressed in real life situations by using: age, size, color, comparison, time * ### Situational * Applying functions in real life. * Content is a collection of imaginary situations where the target language is used. * Example: Seeing the dentist, complaining to the landlord, buying a book at a bookshop. * ### Task-Based * Content is a series of complex and purposeful tasks that the target language learners perform. * Focuses on more general linguistic competence, focusing on activities that have a purpose when using the target language. * Example: Applying for a job, talking with a social worker, getting housing information over the telephone. ## Key Terms in Managing and Implementing Standards-based Grammar Teaching * **Grammar** should focus on **form** but it should also focus on **meaning and use** * **Grammar Ability** - learners are accurate, meaningful, and appropriate. * **Grammar** is what one knows about a language, while **language skills** are what we do with the language. (Benhima) * **Grammar Translation Approach** - Grammar was seen as the core of the language. * There was a shift from **structuralism** to **transformational grammar**. * **Grammar** should be seen as a fifth skill (Larsen-Freeman). * **Grammating** is the ability to accurately, meaningfully, and appropriately use grammar structure. It involves sensitivity to usage (Larsen-Freeman, 2001). * **Grammaticalization** (1912) - Antoine Millet (1866-1936) - one of the most influential comparative linguists of his time. * **He clearly explained the early Indo-European linguistic system and traced its history.** * **He emphasized that any attempt to account for linguistic change must recognize that language is a social phenomenon.** * **He introduced the concept that grammaticalization is described as the process by which grammar is created, or the study of the process. (Croft, 2006)** * **It is the language process change by which words representing objects and actions (content words) become grammatical markers (function words).** * **Reduction also known as phonetic erosion or phonological reduction is an expression in linguistics that loses phonetic substance if it undergoes grammaticalization**. * **Examples of Grammaticalization:** * **Going to (verb) - gonna (auxiliary verb)** * **Because - coz** * **That (demonstrative) - that (complementizer)** ## Mistakes vs. Errors * **Mistakes** refer to slips students commit that they can self-correct once pointed out to them. * **Errors** refer to mistakes which students can't correct themselves. This needs explanation, so they can correct themselves. ## Positive Feedback * Positive feedback confirms a student's response correctness. ## Negative Feedback (Error Correction) * Negative feedback corrects faulty language behavior. ## Positive Feedback Examples 1. **Confirmation:** "I like how you pronounce X. Can you try it once more so that it sounds more like it is pronounced in the target language?" 2. **Praise:** "Amazing", "bravo", "excellent" 3. **Request to Repeat:** Teacher applauds students in front of the class, "Can you repeat what you said so that others can hear it?" ## Negative Feedback Examples * **Indirect/Implicit Strategies:** * **Recasts**: "Student: Yesterday I go shopping. Teacher: On yesterday I also went shopping. You are reformulating the language in the correct way." * **Clarification Requests:** "Excuse me?" "Pardon me?" * **Direct/Explicit Strategies:** * **Correct Answer Feedback**: "Oh, you mean...","You should say... The correct verb form is..." * **Guided Feedback**: Elicitation Techniques. * **Metalinguistic Feedback**: The teacher asks a question or provides comments related to utterance of the students without giving the correct form. * **Ex**: "Is it masculine?" "Is that how you say it in English?" * **Request to repeat (w/corrective intent)** ## Spoken Grammar * Spoken grammar has a distinct approach from written grammar. * We don't speak the way we write and we don't write the way we speak. * Spoken grammar is dynamic and immediate. ## Acceptable in Spoken Grammar * Contractions (I'll, how's) * Slang words or colloquialism * Breaking of strict grammar rules ## Fossilization in Grammar * This refers to the process in which incorrect language becomes a habit and cannot be easily corrected. * It can be compared to error and slips, which are mistakes learners make while acquiring language. ## Balancing Form and Function * Finding the right balance between teaching the form (rules and structures) of grammar and the function (how grammar is used in communication) can be challenging. ## Handling Learner Errors * Addressing learner errors effectively without discouraging students from using the language can be tricky. ## Teaching Grammar in Context * Integrating grammar lessons into meaningful contexts to make learning more engaging and relevant. ## Differentiated Instruction * Tailoring instruction to meet the diverse needs and proficiency levels of students in a single classroom. ## Formative vs. Summative Assessment * Striking a balance between ongoing formative assessment and summative assessment. ## Cultural Sensitivity * Addressing potential cultural differences. * Teaching meta-awareness, developing students' metalinguistic awareness, or their ability to reflect on and analyze language structures. ## Teacher Training and Professional Development * Ensuring that language teachers have the necessary training and seminars. ## Modes of Teaching Grammar * **Linguistic Mode** - referring to different approaches or techniques used in teaching grammar based on linguistic principles. * **Auditory Mode** encompasses various strategies and methods educators employ. Learners primarily rely on their sense of hearing to understand and internalize grammar. Ex: Playing audio clips of native speakers. * **Visual Mode** includes images, video, color, visual layout, design, font size, format, symbols, visual data (charts & graphs), animation, using visual aids. Learners learn best through physical engagements and hands-on activities. * **Immersive Learning** Stories create an immersive language learning environment. * **Visualization** Storytelling encourages mental imagery which helps students visualize context. * **Dialogue Practice** - Incorporate dialogues - Assignment: Sentence Diagram * **Written Mode** includes group discussions, debates. It involves grammar writing, writing assignments. * **Comparative Mode** - pointing out similarities and differences between structures. * **Contextual Mode** - Contextual learners understand grammar through contexts and real-world situations. * **Problem Solving Mode** - Learners here enjoy solving puzzles and grammatical challenges. * **Storytelling Mode** - uses narratives or stories that incorporate specific grammar points and structures. ## Rules of Teaching Grammar * **Rule of Context** - Teach grammar in context, re-contextualize as soon as possible. * **Rule of Use** - Teach grammar in order to facilitate learners' comprehension and production of real language. * **Rule of Economy** - Minimize presentation time. * **Rule of Relevance** - Teach only grammar that students have problems with, and find out what they already know. ## Grammar - A set of rules that govern the structure of a language.