Grammar: nature and teaching

Materials for use in teacher preparation courses*

1994-2001 Costas Gabrielatos

STAGE I. VIEWS & BOUNDARIES

1. Which of the following statements is closer to your view of grammar?
a. Grammar is a set of rules which we must follow in order to use the language
correctly.
b. Grammar is an attempt to present in a systematic way observations about the
structure and use of language.
2. Imagine that a learner has made the following two mistakes. After being
corrected, the learner has asked you for the rule governing each case.
a. I explained him the answer.
b.

He was fonded of by Jane. (Used as the passive form of Jane was fond of him).
SOURCE: Batstone, R. 1994. Grammar. Oxford University Press.

In your groups prepare a rule and/or explanation for each.

STAGE II. MEANING & USE
1. Divide the following sentences/utterances in groups.
a. Susan cheats.
b. Hes getting his degree in October.
c. Would you by any chance be available next week?
d. Granny would always tell us bedtime stories.
e. Hes always coming late.
f. The show begins at 8 p.m.

I designed these tasks for the Grammar component of RSA/Cambridge Diploma and Certificate
courses, the short course Teaching Exam Prep Classes (Professionals in Language & Education), the BA
course Introduction to ELT (University of Indianapolis, Athens), as well as various seminars, lectures
and presentations, between October 1994 and July 2001.

Grammar: nature and teaching

What were your criteria?

Is there only one possible grouping?

What conclusions can you draw regarding the relation between form and concept?

Which two alternatives of presenting grammar items can you see? Which one do
you prefer? Why?
2. Think of a context in which the above sentences/utterances may have been used.

Fill in the following table.
SETTING
(PLACE & TIME)

PARTICIPANTS
& RELATIONSHIP

INTENTION OF
SPEAKER /
WRITER

a. Susan cheats
b. Hes always coming
late
c. Granny would always
tell us bedtime stories
d. The show begins at 8
p.m.
e. Hes getting his
degree in October
f. Would you by any
chance be available
next week?

3. Compare your ideas with other colleagues in the group.

Have you all come up with the same ideas about the intention of speakers/writers?
Why (not)?

Can you understand the speakers / writers intention based on the form and/or
concept alone?

What implications can you see regarding the teaching of grammar?

STAGE III. RULES & EXPLANATIONS

1. Provide the rule for the following grammatical phenomena:
a. some vs. any (include information about the type of nouns & sentences
they can be used with)
b. the first conditional

1994-2001 Costas Gabrielatos

Grammar: nature and teaching

2. Look at the following examples.

a.

SOME

vs. ANY

o Thats some car you have there!

o Would any of you like some more soup?
o Come and see me any time you like.
o He refused to make any other statements.
SOURCE:

b.

Leech, G.& Svartvik, J. 1994. 2nd ed. A Communicative Grammar of English. Longman.

FIRST CONDITIONAL

o If the party will end before midnight, its time to start enjoying ourselves
now.
o If youre going to be playing tennis against Jenny, youd better borrow my
racquet.
o Let me know if you should hear some more news.
o If Ive written the paper before Monday, Ill call you
o If you feel seasick, take one of these pills.
o If you are expecting a first-class hotel, youre going to be disappointed
o If anyone bets on horses, he or she deserves to lose money.
o If United can win this game, they may become league champions.
o If Mary is at liberty, I could see her for a moment.
SOURCES:

Bygate, M., Tonkyn, A.& Williams, E. eds. 1994. Grammar and the Language Teacher. Prentice Hall.
Leech, G.& Svartvik, J. 1994. 2nd ed. A Communicative Grammar of English. Longman.
Quirk, R. et. al. 1985. A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language. Longman

Can your rules account for all of them?

3. Read the following two texts and discuss the questions that follow each one.
TEXT 1

Bill:
Tom:
Bill:

Hey, have you been watching the re-run of that comedy series on TV - Fresno,
I think its called?
Ah, Fresno, yes! Annabelle really loves that programme.
Look, Tom. Im sorry but you really must let go of Annabelle. She left you over two
years ago, for goodness sake!
SOURCE: Batstone, R. 1994. Grammar. Oxford University Press.

1994-2001 Costas Gabrielatos

Grammar: nature and teaching

Considering that Bills relationship with Annabelle belongs to the past and that Bill
is not in a position to be certain about her present preferences, how do you account
for the use of loves instead of loved? Has Bill used the wrong tense?
TEXT 2

Skinner (1957) argued that language was learned through a process of stimulusresponse, with large amounts of controlled repetition. Chomsky (1959) argues that
language could never be learned in this way, and that we are all endowed at birth with a
language acquisition device which provides essential assistance in the learning process.
SOURCE: Batstone, R. 1994. Grammar. Oxford University Press.

Why is the writer referring to Skinners work using the Simple Past and to
Chomskys work using the Simple Present? Has he made a mistake?
4. There are two main types of grammar books relevant to TEFL: the ones
targeted at learners (pedagogical) and the ones targeted at teachers.

Identify similarities & differences between the two types in terms of the following
(interdependent) factors
FACTOR

PEDAGOGICAL GRAMMARS

GRAMMARS FOR TEACHERS

Terminology and style

of language
Coverage & detail
Rules & explanations
Examples

STAGE IV. WHICH GRAMMAR?

1. Read the transcript of a post-graduate student (native speaker) speaking
informally [+ = pause].

What do you think of it in terms of grammaticality ?
normally after + very heavy rain + or something like that + and + youre driving along
the road + and + far away + you see + well + er + a series + of + stripes ++ formed
like a bow + an arch ++ very very faraway + ah + seven colours but ++ I guess you
hardly ever see seven its just a + series of + colours which + they seem to be separate
but if you try to look for the separate-colours they always seem + very hard + to
separate + if you see what I mean ++
SOURCE:

Brown, G. & Yule, G. 1983. Discourse Analysis. Cambridge University Press.

1994-2001 Costas Gabrielatos

Grammar: nature and teaching

2. Although written & spoken language share a common core of grammatical

characteristics, there are significant differences regarding their structure.

Do you think that awareness of the differences between written and spoken
grammar should influence TEFL? Why (not)?

How can EFL teachers account for such differences in their planning and teaching?

STAGE V. PLANNING
1. Drawing on your knowledge & experience discuss the following aspects of a
grammar lesson:
AIM(S)
CONTENT

2. What does the preparation of a grammar lesson involve?

What factors should be taken into consideration?

What decisions does the teacher have to make?
3. You will be given the description of a grammar lesson. The different stages are
in jumbled order.

Put the stages in order. Be ready to state your reasons.
4. Look at the lesson description in the original order.

Identify the aim(s) of the lesson.

Identify the purpose of each stage.

Comment on the role of teacher & learners in the different stages.

Does the teacher adopt a deductive or inductive approach?

What previous knowledge does the teacher assume?

Comment on the staging decisions. Would you have preferred a different
staging? Why?
5. Can you think of other ways you can stage a grammar lesson?

1994-2001 Costas Gabrielatos

Grammar: nature and teaching

6. Observe the presentation stage of four different lessons.

During the lessons take part as learners.

During and/or after each presentation take notes regarding the following:
Aspect

Lesson 1

Lesson 2

Lesson 3

Lesson 4

AIM(S)
STARTING POINT:
form? concept? function?
CONTEXT:
suitability, clarity, appropriacy
MODE OF PRESENTATION:
spoken? written? visuals?
DEDUCTIVE vs. INDUCTIVE
APPROACH
ENSURING UNDERSTANDING OF
FORM / CONCEPT / FUNCTION
ROLES OF TEACHER
AND LEARNERS
ASSUMED PREVIOUS
KNOWLEDGE

7. Look at the following ways of introducing a grammar item.

Evaluate the potential effectiveness of each one - be ready to state your reasons.

Make any adaptations and/or additions you feel necessary.
1. Give rule
2. Give rule  give de-contextualised examples
3. Give rule  give contextualised data/examples
4. Set up context  introduce new item  give rule
5. Set up context  help learners clarify concept  guide learners to notice form -->
give rule
6. Set up context  help learners clarify concept --> guide learners to notice form -->
guide learners to understand aspects of form+ concept+ function
7. Set up context  help learners clarify concept  guide learners to notice form
 guide learners to understand aspects of form+ concept+ function  give rule
8. Set up context  create need for new item (i.e. give communicative task where
learners need to use new item)  follow any of options 1-7

1994-2001 Costas Gabrielatos

Grammar: nature and teaching

What do you understand by setting up the context? How can we do that? What is the
role of texts?

What do you understand by noticing the item? How can we guide learners to notice the
new item? What aspects of the item do learners need to notice?

What do you understand by giving the rule? What options do teachers have
regarding rules?

Can you add more alternatives?

1994-2001 Costas Gabrielatos