Effective Ways To Teach Grammar

Effective ways to teach Grammar
In teaching English to the learners, one must aim at making them efficient users of the language. The learners
should be enabled to use the language for all their needs of communications. For the last several years, the
teaching of grammar on schools has been the subject of criticism. There are some who argue that there is no
correlation between the teaching of grammar and the pupils’ improvement in writing of English. They are of the
opinion that a language is learnt not by learning its rules but by actually practicing it.
English grammar as it came down to all was mostly based on Latin, Greek and Sanskrit. All these
classical languages were studied and analyzed in great detail by Scholars. English grammar consisted of
elaborate rules, definitions and exceptions about the structure of the language. It dealt mainly with the physical
forms of words, word endings, word groups and sentences and not their total meaning as a piece of
communication or conversation.
According to the old translation method, too much emphasis was placed on grammar. Grammar was
thought to be all important and it dictated the terms of language usage. Children at very young age were made to
study the complicated rules of grammar. But modern educationists are of the opinion that a pupil who is good at
grammar and has studied all the rules will still make the most elementary mistakes in grammar.
There are various types of grammar. They are
Ø Prescriptive grammar or Formal grammar.
Ø Descriptive grammar or Functional grammar.
Prescriptive grammar or Formal grammar:
Prescriptive grammar is a grammar which prescribed the rules for every one to follow without questioning.
Teaching of such grammar is called Formal grammar. In teaching formal grammar, the ever changing nature of
the English language and using it meaningfully were totally ignored.
Descriptive grammar or Functional grammar:
Grammar which allows usage, as it develops and describes from time to time, is called “Descriptive
grammar”. It takes note of new usage as it appears from time to time in communication. The teaching of such
grammar is called Functional grammar. The young learners required functional grammar. This is because
theoretical grammar is to abstract. A child learns his first language without learning its grammar. Similarly a child
should learn English by practice. The child learns to speak and write correctly by imitation and intuition.
Methods of Teaching Grammar:
Various simple procedures may be followed in t he teaching of grammar. The best known are Deductive
method and Inductive method.
Deductive method:
Under this method, the teachers starts with rules and definitions and proceeds to apply them to particular
examples and clarify the underlying ideas and implications of the formula and rules.
In this method the following rules are followed:
v The teacher gives the rules and definitions. The students are not allowed to arrive at them after examining
some examples.
v The definitions and the rules have to be memorized by the students. The teacher proceeds from abstract to
concrete before they reach the abstract.
Generally formal grammar was taught by the deductive method. Only rules and examples were recited by the
teacher and the pupils and there was no practice, no action and no linking of word and its meaning. Everything
appeared easy and time saving but the pupils did not anything finally because there was no practical
demonstration or practice of the pattern.
Inductive method:
This follows the reverse process. The teacher proceeds from the particular to general. He presents
several examples to the students. After the examples he lays down the rules. The advantages of this method are:
v This method is psychological rather than logical. The popular psychological maxims like “from known to
unknown”,”from simple to complex”, “from concrete to abstract” and “from general to particular” are allowed in this
method.
v In this method the students become an active partner in the classroom. They become the discoverer of rules
and usage of grammar.
v The students get an opportunity to apply his brain and intelligence. It instills self confidence and sense of
participation in the students mind.
Teaching Grammar through Games:
To teach grammar in an effective way and to make the students to involve actively, it can be taught
through games.
Ex.
Name of the game: The woman on the roof.
Grammar: Present continuous tense.
Rule:
Ø Tell the students to tear two pages up into twelve slips of paper.
Ø Ask them to imagine a woman on a roof. Ask them to shut their eyes and picture her up there on the roof.
Ø Now ask the students to write up to twelve different reasons why she is on that roof.
Ø Make it clear that each sentence is to convey a new meaning.
It encourages the students’ imagination, word power and the use of grammar.
Teaching Grammar through Technology:
Post – Modern age connects a big link between language and technology. Technology plays a vital role in
teaching all the subjects. Modern teaching methodology of PowerPoint presentation with animation motivates the
students to learn grammar with ease. The Paper chart on the wall has given way to the animated LCD
screens. There are many Printable documents available on the internet which will also help the students to learn
grammar easily and enthusiastically. One of the best known sources to teach grammar and such activity is ESOL
Printable and British council.org/eltecs. British council has given question and answer for grammar activity with
justification for the answer. One such example is attached. Thus grammar is like bitter gourd to the students but
the modern technology and the method of teaching help them to learn easily. These are some of the effective
ways to teach grammar.

Effective Ways To Teach Grammar

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Effective ways to teach Grammar

There are various types of grammar. They are

Ø Prescriptive grammar or Formal grammar.

Ø Descriptive grammar or Functional grammar.

Prescriptive grammar or Formal grammar:

Descriptive grammar or Functional grammar:

Methods of Teaching Grammar:

In this method the following rules are followed:

Teaching Grammar through Games:

Name of the game: The woman on the roof.

Grammar: Present continuous tense.

Ø Make it clear that each sentence is to convey a new meaning.

Teaching Grammar through Technology:

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