FAKULTI PENDIDIKAN DAN BAHASA

HBEL 3203
TEACHING OF GRAMMAR

NAMA

NOMBOR MATRIK

NO KAD PENGENALAN

NOMBOR TELEFON

E-MAIL

PUSAT PEMBELAJARAN

CONTENTS
NO
1.0

CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION

PAGES
3

2.0

DATA COLLECTION METHOD

3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0
5.0
6.0

IMPLICIT OR EXPLICIT TEACHING METHOD

MY TEACHING METHOD IN CLASSROOM
IMPLICIT OR EXPLICIT TEACHING METHOD
MY TEACHING METHOD IN CLASSROOM
CONCLUSION
REFERENCES

10
12
13
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INTRODUCTION
People often think of grammar as a matter of arbitrary pronouncements (defining 'good' and
'bad' language), usually negative ones like There is no such word as ain't or Never end a
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sentence with a preposition. Linguists are not very interested in this sort of bossiness
(sometimes called prescriptivism). For linguists, grammar is simply the collection of
principles defining how to put together a sentence.
One sometimes hears people say that such-and-such a language 'has no grammar', but that is
not true of any language. Every language has restrictions on how words must be arranged to
construct a sentence. Such restrictions are principles of syntax. Every language has about as
much syntax as any other language. For example, all languages have principles for
constructing sentences that ask questions needing a yes or no answer, e.g. Can you hear me?,
questions inviting some other kind of answer, e.g. What did you see?, sentences that express
commands, e.g. Eat your potatoes!, and sentences that make assertions, e.g. Whales eat
plankton.
We all use language to think and communicate. Language is systematically organised by its
grammar which is inextricably linked to meaning and communication we cannot make
sense without shaping grammatical and linguistic structures. All pupils have extensive
grammatical knowledge. Much of this is implicit, but they are able to generalise and
improvise from this knowledge. Teaching which focuses on grammar helps to make this
knowledge explicit, extend childrens range and develop more confident and versatile
language use.
One of the most beneficial way of helping students to improve their command of grammar in
writing is to use students writing as the basis for discussing grammatical concepts. In
addition, researchers agree that it is more effective to teach punctuation, sentence variety, and
usage in the context of writing than to approach the topic by teaching isolated skills (Calkins,
1980; DiStefano and Killion, 1984; Harris, 1962).
As students revise and edit their writing, teachers can provide grammar instruction that
guides students in their attempts to identify and correct problems in sentence structure and
usage. For example, a teacher who sees that many students are writing sentences containing
misplaced modifiers can present a minilesson on this concept, using examples from student
writing. The teacher can have students edit their own and one another's drafts for this
problem.
This is what we called as explicit teaching method where the teachers need to guide students
in every step. Other than explicit teaching method, there is implicit teaching method. In
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contrast, this teaching method let the students to do everything with their own effort. These
two teaching method has its strengthens and weakness.

This paper will explore the

definitions, purpose, applications, and the affordances and constraints of both explicit and
implicit teaching methods.
DATA COLLECTION METHOD
Instruction given to the students from class 5 to write an essay about During last school
holidays activities. From the essays, we can see how students use two tenses which are
present tense or past tense. During last school holidays is about a past event. However,
students often confused about where to use present tense or past tense.
From 25 students, 5 students essays will be selected and analysed. The ability of students on
writing in past or present tense will be decided based on their writing. In order to explain how
and when to use these two tenses in writing their essays, teacher will use either implicit or
explicit teaching method. Based on the essays, we will find out about the effectiveness of
these two methods.
IMPLICIT OR EXPLICIT TEACHING METHOD
Explicit Teaching
Explicit teaching is an instructional strategy used by teachers to meet the needs of their
students and engage them in unambiguous, clearly articulated teaching. Teachers plan for
explicit teaching to make clear connections to curriculum content, through a concise focus on
the gradual and progressive steps that lead to a students development and independent
application of knowledge, understanding and skills.
Direct/Explicit teaching involves directing student attention toward specific learning by
introducing teaching methods for reading and writing or actively involving students in
knowledge construction. The instruction is focused on producing specific learning outcomes.
Topics, concepts and contents are broken down into small parts and taught as part of the
whole. It involves explanation, demonstration and practice. Children are provided with
guidance and structured frameworks.
Reading and writing topics are taught in a logical order and directed by the teacher. The
vehicle to begin this process is the Scott Foresman Reading Street Literacy program or the
core text for social studies and science that have been adopted by the Wauconda Board of
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Education. Each story in Reading Street acts as a mentor story, guiding students through
the process of building background knowledge and the development of strategies and skill
development to create strategic readers in all genres. The mentor story may not be easily
read by each student as it is an instructional text to support scaffolded learning. Another
important characteristic of direct/explicit teaching involves modeling skills and behaviors and
modeling thinking. This involves the teacher thinking out loud when working through
problems and demonstrating the reading/writing processes for students.
The Purpose of Explicit Teaching
Direct/explicit teaching is useful for introducing topics and specific skills. It provides guided
instruction and strategic development in the basic understanding of required skills in reading
and writing, which students can then build on through developmental practice, collaboration,
repetition, hands on activities while scaffolding instruction. We define skills as:
1. Automatic actions that result in decoding and comprehension with speed, efficiency,
and fluency. These usually occur without awareness of the components or control
involved.
2. To characterize students as a skilled reader is to recognize that they can orchestrate a
wide array of process to make reading work effortlessly.
3. When we are teaching skills it involves practice and feedback to improve speed and
efficiency, and when blended together they amount to what we call fluency.
Afflerbach, Pearson & Paris (2008)
We define strategies as:
1. Deliberate goal-directed attempts to control and modify the readers efforts to decode
text, understand words, and construct meaning of text 2.
2. To characterize students as strategic readers is to recognize that they are flexible and
adaptable to particular circumstances, and when the situation calls for it they can
select just the right strategy to overcome any temporary roadblock they might
encounter.
3. When we are teaching strategically, we help students to analyze tasks, to consider
various approaches to performing the task, and to choose among alternative actions to
reach the goal. Afflerbach, Pearson, & Paris (2008).
How to Apply Explicit Teaching in Classroom

Teachers generally associate xplicit teaching with traditional grammar teaching which are
giving students the formula for conjugation and the different stems and endings. This
approach is very straightforward, and begins teacher-centered and then concludes as studentcentered. Below are the step in implementing explicit teaching in classroom:
o Step 1: Set the stage for learning. In this stage, the students are told about the
purpose of learning.
o Step 2: Teachers explain to the students about what to do.
o Step 3: Show the students model on how to do.
o Step 4: Guide students with hands-on application/practice
To summarize, explicit teaching begins very teacher-centered with little student responsibility
and ends with a goal of complete student independency with very little teacher involvement.
Affordances of Explicit Teaching

Constraints of Explicit Teaching

Straightforward rules

Doesnt offer communicative learning

Adult learning benefit from a more

Generally doesnt allow for authentic,

structured approach

contextualized learning

Good for logical, mathematics, linguistic

or verbal intelligences

Students memorize rules; doesnt

enable individualized understanding

Implicit Learning
Ellis (1994) provides definitions of implicit and explicit learning:
"Implicit learning is acquisition of knowledge about the underlying structure of a complex
stimulus environment by a process which takes place naturally, simply and without conscious
operations. Explicit learning is a more conscious operation where the individual makes and
tests hypotheses in a search for structure. Knowledge attainment can thus take place
6

implicitly (a nonconscious and automatic abstraction of the structural nature of the material
arrived at from experience of instances), explicitly through selective learning (the learner
searching for information and building then testing hypotheses), or, because we can
communicate using language, explicitly via given rules (assimilation of a rule following
explicit instruction)." (Ellis, 1994, p. 1f).
The purpose of Implicit Learning
In the early 20th century, Jespersen, like Boas, thought grammar should be studied by
examining living speech rather than by analyzing written documents. By providing grammar
in context, in an implicit manner, we can expose students to substantial doses of grammar
study without alienating them to the learning of English or other foreign language. The
principal manner in which accomplish this is by teaching short grammar-based sessions
immediately followed by additional function-based lessons in which the new grammar /
structure is applied in context.
The hypothesis is that adult language students have two distinct ways of developing skills and
knowledge in a second language, acquisition and learning. Acquiring a language is picking it
up, i.e., developing ability in a language by using it in natural, communicative situations.
Learning language differs in that it is knowing the rules and having a conscious knowledge
of grammar / structure. Adults acquire language, although usually not as easily or as well as
children. Acquisition, however, is the most important means for gaining linguistic skills. A
persons first language (L1) is primarily learned in this way. This manner of developing
language skills typically employs implicit grammar teaching and learning.

MY TEACHING METHOD IN CLASSROOM

Students are required to write essays and analysed 5 of them to determine students ability in
using present and past tense. Thus, I choose to implement explicit teaching. Since my
students are from class 5, they need to be guided step by step. Otherwise, they will not be
able to use the tenses correctly.

As discussed earlier, explicit teaching is a teacher-centered method. From my point of view,

it is suitable to use when teaching about these two topics. In addition, the students need to be
guided step by step so they will be able to understand the use of it. Below is my lesson plan
for the writing session.
Subject

English Language

Class

5 Amanah

Time

11.45 am 12.45 pm (60 minutes)

Date

20.10.2014

Enrolment

23 pupils

Theme

World of Knowledge

Topic

School Holiday

Teaching Points

Keywords almost,voice,shaking,struggles,chances,knock,

lose, moment, side, faith

Grammar

Present tense, Past tense.

dreaming,saying,trying,shaking,waiting,facing,taking, going and moving.

Learning Outcomes : By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:
1.

Pupils can distinguish between present tense and past tense.

2.

Give three out of five short replies in response to teachers questions.

3.

Pupils able to write an essays.

4.

Match the six words to the each both characters in the story.

Educational Emphases : 1. Moral Values hardworking, responsibility, appreciate,kind

generous 2. Thinking Skills listing, identifying main ideas and categorizing.
Teaching Materials

: Slide MS Powerpoint and worksheets.

Stage/Time Contents

Teaching Learning
Activities
8

Not

Set Induction

i) What is in the picture?

1. Teacher shows

(5 minutes)

ii)What is the famous place in Malaysia?

the picture of a
forest in the slide

iii)How to get to there?

show .

iii) Can you give example the name of beautiful places in

2. Teacher asks 4

Malaysia.

Slid

sho

questions to the

Pow

pupils according

poin

to the pictures.
3.

Teacher

introduces the topic

for the day;- School
Holiday

Stage 1

i) Singing the song:

15 minutes

The Climb

Shared Reading
A4
1. Teacher
distributes the

Keywords:

lyrics to all the

almost, voice,shaking,struggles,

pupils.

chances, knock, lose

, moment, side and

2. Teacher read the

faith

lyrics and
pronouncing with

Short Questions based on the text:

i)What is the song about?We should never give up to
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correct stress and

intonation while
chanting a singing.

pap

achieve a dream.
3. Teacher play the
song to
introduce the
song to
the pupils.
ii)What is the meaning behind the word
Mountain? answers: A challenge for achieving a dream.

4. Teacher sings the

song once and
asks few pupils
to sing it

iii) What is the meaning of the climb? The effort to

together.

achieve our dream

5. Pupils
pronouncing the
words with
iii)What should we do if we fail to achieve our dream? We

correct stress and

should always keep trying and never give up.

intonation while
chanting a
singing.

iv)What is the meaning of the word Faith? A believe and

confidence.
6. Teacher asks
pupils to tell
what is the song
about.

7. Teacher asks
question based
on the lyric and
the pupils
answer three out
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of four questions
orally.

Stage 2

Keywords:

15 minutes

almost,voice,shaking,struggles,
chances,knock,lose,moment,

Focused Word Work

Pow

(Teaching Points)

poin

1. Teacher drills the

pupils to the

side,faith

pronunciation of
highlighted
words on the

Grammar:

blackboard.

1) Present tense and Past tense

2. Teacher asks
pupils to give the

dreaming,saying,trying,

meaning of each

shaking,waiting,facing,taking, going and moving

held,

words.
3. Teacher explain
what is past
tense
4.

Teacher asks
pupils to circle
words in present
tense and past
tense that can be
found in the
lyrics.

5. Pupils rewrite
11

Slid

sho

the root words of

each present
tense and past
tense that they
found.
6. Teacher asks
pupils
to construct 5
example of
present tense and
past tense.

Stage 3

Group-work

15 minutes

Guided Reading

Ma

/Writing or

card

Independent Work

Writing or
Independent Work
1. Teacher divides
the class into
5 groups.
2. Teacher asks the
pupils to read a
text about
beautiful places
in Malaysia
3. Pupils need to
write an essay

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about their last

school holiday

Closure

Summing Up

1. Teacher goes

5 minutes

We have to fill up our holidays with good memories

through the
days lesson
2. Teacher
highlights the
moral value of
the text.
3. Teacher
monitors and
assesses how
much the pupils
have learnt.
.

ANALYSIS OF THE ESSAYS: THE USE OF PRESENT TENSE

A form of the verb that is represented in English by either the third-person singular -s
inflection (for example, "She laughs") or the base form ("I/You/We/They laugh"). Also called
the non-past. Contrast with the past tense or preterite.
The present tense may refer to an action or event that is ongoing or that takes place at the
present moment. However, because the present tense in English can also be used to express a

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range of other meanings (including references to past and future events, depending on the
context), it is sometimes described as being "unmarked for time."
As mentioned earlier, this essay should be in the past since the title is During last school
holiday. First student named Mohd Aizat, he was using present tense in whole essay. For
example, During last school holidays, I and my family go to my grandmother home at
Sandakan. Noticed the verb used in this sentence which is go. It should be replaced to
went to show that this event was happened on last school holidays.
ANALYSIS OF THE ESSAYS: THE USE OF PAST TENSE
Past tense is a grammatical tense whose principal function is to place an action or situation in
past time. In languages which have a past tense, it thus provides a grammatical means of
indicating that the event being referred to took place in the past. Examples of verbs in the past
tense include the English verbs sang, went and was.
In some languages, the grammatical expression of past tense is combined with the expression
of other categories such as mood and aspect (see tenseaspectmood). Thus a language may
have several types of past tense form, their use depending on what aspectual or other
additional information is to be encoded. French, for example, has a compound past for
expressing completed events, an imperfect for expressing events which were ongoing or
repeated in the past, as well as several other past forms.
Sarah Adriena bt Matnoor was using past tense. For example, I just finished my UPSR a
week ago., Our first visit was the mushroom farm. Other than that, Nur Atiqah Syahirah bt
Tazudin essay, she used past tense in the right place. For example, My father decided,
my father Encik Zaidi, drove us. From five essays, only this two students are considered
able to use past tense in their writing. Meanwhile, other students still need a lot of
improvement.
CONCLUSION
Grammar is the sound, structure, and meaning system of language. All languages have
grammar, and each language has its own grammar. People who speak the same language are
able to communicate because they intuitively know the grammar system of that language
that is, the rules of making meaning. Students who are native speakers of English already

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know English grammar. They recognize the sounds of English words, the meanings of those
words, and the different ways of putting words together to make meaningful sentences.
However, while students may be effective speakers of English, they need guidance to become
effective writers. They need to learn how to transfer their knowledge of grammatical concepts
from oral language to written language.
Effective grammar instruction begins with what students already know about grammar, and it
helps them use this knowledge as they write. By connecting their knowledge of oral language
to written language, teachers can demystify abstract grammatical terminology so that students
can writeand readwith greater competence and confidence.
(2880 words)
REFERENCES
Braddock, R., Lloyd-Jones, R., & Schoer, L. (1963). Research in Written Composition.
Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English.
Calkins, L. M. (1980). "When Children Want to Punctuate." Language Arts, 57, 56773.
Cooper, C. (1975). "Research Roundup: Oral and Written Composition." English Journal, 64,
72.
DiStefano, P. & Killion, J. (1984). "Assessing Writing Skills Through a Process Approach."
English Education, 16 (4), 2037.
Harris, R. J. (1962). "An Experimental Inquiry into the Functions and Value of Formal
Grammar in the Teaching of Written English to Children Aged Twelve to Fourteen."
Ph.D. dissertation. University of London.
Hillocks, G., Jr. (1986). "Research on Written Composition: New Directions for Teaching."
Urbana, IL: ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading and Communication Skills and the
National Conference on Research in English.
Hillocks, G., Jr. & Smith, M. (1991). "Grammar and Usage." In J. Flood, J. M. Jensen, D.
Lapp & J. R. Squire (Eds.), Handbook of Research on Teaching the English Language
Arts. New York: Macmillan, 591603.

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Mellon, J. C. (1969). "Transformational Sentence-Combining: A Method for Enhancing the

Development of Syntactic Fluency in English Composition." NCTE Research Report
No. 10. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English.
National Council of Teachers of English and the International Reading Association. (1996).
Standards for the English Language Arts. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of
English.
Noguchi, R. R. (1991). Grammar and the Teaching of Writing: Limits and Possibilities.
Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English.
O'Hare, F. (1973). Sentence-Combining: Improving Student Writing Without Formal
Grammar Instruction. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English.

APPENDICES

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