DEFINITON OF

GRAMMAR
Grammar
may be defined as

the
rules of a language, governing the
way in which words are put
together to convey meaning in
different
contexts.
(Nesamalar
Chitravelu;
Sararatha
Sithamparam & The Soo Choon,
2005)

Grammar is generally a thought to be

set of rules specifying the correct
ordering of words at the sentence
level (Nunan, 2003)
Grammar is a description of the
rules
that
govern
how
a
languages sentences are formed
(Thornbury, 2008)

FLUENCY VS
ACCURACY

Accuracy
Accuracy is the ability to produce correct
sentences using correct grammar and vocabulary.
Fluency
Fluency is the ability to read, speak, or write
easily, smoothly, and expressively.
In other words, the speaker can read, understand
and respond in a language clearly and concisely
while relating meaning and context.
Source;
http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/blogs/english12345/fluencyor-accuracy-speaking

Comparisons of Accuracy-oriented
activities & Fluency-oriented activities
Accuracy acitivities

Fluency activities

Purposes

to help students
achieve accurate
perception and
production of a target
item which can be a
sound, a word, or a
sentence structure.

to help students
practice language in
listening, speaking,
reading, and/or
writing activities to so
develop fluency in
using the language in
spontaneous
communication.

Material

the texts are usually

composed of separate
items: the target
items are usually
practiced out of
context or situation;

the texts are usually

whole pieces of
discourses:
conversation, stories,
etc.; texts are usually
authentic and used as
they would be in real

Activities

students' attention
is focused on a
particular target
item; their output is
usually predictable;
their performance
is assessed on how
few language
mistakes are made;
students' errors are
corrected; tasks do
not usually
simulate real-life
situations.

students' attention
is focused on
communicating
information and
expressing ideas;
their output may
not always be
predictable; their
performance is
assessed on how
well ideas are
expressed or
understood;
students' errors are
not corrected
unless it interferes
with
Source;
communication;
http://www.auburn.edu/~nunnath/engl6240/accuracy.htm
tasks often

SAMPLE OF ACTIVITIES
Accuracy : grammar presentations,
gap-fill exercises, frame dialogues.
Fluency : role plays, speeches,
communicative activities, games.

GRAMMAR OF
YOUNG LEARNERS

Young Learners..
Different kinds of grammatical
knowledge at different learning
stages.
Only understand rules to use
them.
Do not need to have conscious
grammar knowledge.

DESCRIPTIVE VS
PRESCRIPTIVE GRAMMAR

TYPES OF
ENGLISH
GRAMMAR
PRESCRIPTIVE
GRAMMAR

DESCRIPTIVE
GRAMMAR

Prescriptive grammar
is what speakers
should or shouldn't
say.

Descriptive grammar
is what speakers say,
and when, why and
how they say it.

Example:
The subject of a sentence
must agree with the verb
(subject-verb agreement)
The instructions are clear
not the instructions is
clear.

Example:
Some English speakers use
double negatives for
negation
I dont have nothing.

COVERT AND OVERT

APPROACHES

COVERT VS OVERT
COVERT GRAMMAR TEACHING

OVERT GRAMMAR TEACHING

The teacher gets the pupils

involved in using the structure
without drawing their attention to
grammatical rules (grammatical
facts hidden from the pupils)

The teacher explicitly explains the

rules when presenting the new
language (grammar rules
provided and explained)

Pupils attention is focused on the

activity and not grammar rules but
they have ample opportunity to
practice the question form
(learn grammar rules through
the activity)

APPROACHES:
i. Deductive approach (ruledriven learning)
ii. Inductive approach (discovery
learning)

Activities: information gap activity

Activities: get pupils to work with
or reading a text where new
the language (rational cloze,
grammar is practiced or introduced. objective questions, etc)

DEDUCTIVE
APPROACH
(RULE-DRIVEN
LEARNING)
Starts with the
presentation of a
rule and is followed
by examples in
which the rule is
applied.

EXAMPLE OF DEDUCTIVE APPROACH

SUBJECT AND OBJECT PRONOUNS
The subject is the person or thing doing the action:
I left early
Examples of
She went home
rule
We said goodbye
The object is the person or thing receiving the action:
She telephoned me
Examples of
I hit him
rule
We saw her

ADVANTAGES

DISADVANTAGES

It gets straight to the point and can

therefore be time saving. Allow
more time on practices and
application.

Starting the lesson with a grammar

presentation may be off putting for
some students. (do not have
sufficient metalanguage- language
used to talk about grammar
terminology)

Acknowledges the role of cognitive

processes in language acquisition.

Students do not have much

opportunity to get involve (teachercentered)

Confirms students expectations

about classroom learning
particularly for students with
analytical learning style.

Explanation is seldom memorable.

Allows teacher to deal with

language points as they come up,
rather than having to prepare for
them in advance.

Encourages belief that learning a

language is simply a case of
knowing the rules.

INDUCTIVE
APPROACH
(DISCOVERY
LEARNING)

Starts with some

examples from
which a rule is
inferred.

Students are
given a sample
and the teacher
guides them in
discovering the
grammar rules
used in the
sample.

ADVANTAGES

DISADVANTAGES

Make the rules more meaningful,

memorable and serviceable.

May mislead students that the rule

is the objective instead of the
meaning.

Mental effort involved ensures a

greater degree of cognitive depth
(greater memorability)

Time consuming

Students are actively involved.

Students may hypothesise wrong

rule

An approach which favours pattern

recognition and problem solving
abilities.

Place heavy demands on teachers

in planning a lesson.

Extra language practice (if problem

solving is done collaboratively)

Frustrates students who prefer

simply to be told the rules.

Self reliance.

GRAMMAR IN
ISOLATION VS.
GRAMMAR IN CONTEXT

Grammar in isolation

Grammar is taught as
separate topic to make
sure the pupils
recognize the rules and
regulations of
grammar.
E.g. : past tense
Present tense
Irregular verbs

Integrate grammar in
everyday teaching

Grammar in context

Also applicable while

teaching other skills.

E.g. : listening
Writing
Speaking
And language arts

M-U-F
FRAMEWORK

MEANING
For the first step, teachers introduce a new
language to children in MEANINGFUL CONTEXT
to help the children understand the meaning of
the language that they are learning.
Meaning can be created through situations that
are related to childrens life.

WAYS TO CREATE MEANING

Set situations or dialogues that are fun for
children using dolls or other media. (puppet
show).
Using stories.
Playing dramas.
Using Total Physical Response (TPR)
Using pictures.
Using childrens experiences as learning
materials.

USE
After children are exposed to English language
through the situations manipulated by teachers,
they also need opportunities to use English to
communicate with others. They may use the
language to play or to act in plays.

SAMPLE OF ACTIVITIES

Games
Information gap
Quiz
Plays
Giving and following instructions to do or making
something.
Creating funny rhythms or songs.

FORM
Children are subconsciously notice form of
language (grammar) and tend to use language
naturally in accordance with their need.
Thus, teachers have the responsibility to attract
childrens attention to language forms
during English lesson, which means that the
teachers are making the children aware of
accurate language use both orally and written.

 Children need certain conditions to make them

understand meanings of English vocabularies and
to use the language in natural context.
This means that the teachers have to introduce
the language form with meaningful context,
which to make the children feel motivated to use
English as well.

SOME STRATEGIES
Gameschildren raise their right hands if teacher says
singular animals, and their left hands if teacher says
plural animals.
Writingcompleting sentences, arranging words into
good sentences, or completing dialogues.
Activities that increase students awareness on grammar
teacher asks What is similar about these sentences?
He is talking
She is listening
They are eating at the restaurant

INTEGRATION WITH TEACHING OF

LISTENING, SPEAKING, READING AND
WRITING SKILLS.

READING
Teacher assigns a reading text,
The students read the assigned text that
their teacher has chosen,
The students answer the comprehension
or true/false questions which are already
given below the text,
The teacher checks if the students have
answered the questions correctly,

LISTENING
Review new vocabulary.
Read the story one time and ask students to raise
their hands when they hear nouns.
Read the story 2 or 3 times.
Students answer Listening Comprehension
Questions.
Review answers to Listening Comprehension
Questions.
Read story one more time. Students listen and
write down all of the proper nouns they hear.
Review answers

VOCABULARY

scared scare
quietly
excited
introduced introduce
dream
discuss
entered - enter
asked ask

SPEAKING
Activity: Describe a Picture
Bring pictures of different people or animals to
the classroom.
Students describe the picture using possessive
nouns. For example, they might say: The mans
blue shirt. The womens green dress.

WRITING
Activities: Grammar in Action

ISSUES IN TEACHING GRAMMAR

Focus on discourse
Adapting the textbook
Focus On Discourse
a. To be aware of discourse features of the
text and make student aware of them
b. Discourse features
.The way text is organized
.Layout
.Style of language

ADAPTING TEXTBOOKS