GOALS AND TECHNIQUES FOR TEACHING GRAMMAR IN CLASS

 

( THE GUIDE BELLOW IS FOR ENGLISH TEACHERS, I'M SORRY STUDENTS, NEXT POST WILL BE FOR YOU)

Goals and Techniques for Teaching Grammar

The goal of grammar instruction is to enable students to carry out their communication purposes. This goal has three implications:

• Students need overt instruction that connects grammar points with larger communication contexts.
• Students do not need to master every aspect of each grammar point, only those that are relevant to the immediate communication task.
• Error correction is not always the instructor's first responsibility.

Overt Grammar Instruction

Adult students appreciate and benefit from direct instruction that allows them to apply critical thinking skills to language learning. Instructors can take advantage of this by providing explanations that give students a descriptive understanding (declarative knowledge) of each point of grammar.

• Teach the grammar point in the target language or the students' first language or both. The goal is to facilitate understanding.
• Limit the time you devote to grammar explanations to 10 minutes, especially for lower level students whose ability to sustain attention can be limited.
• Present grammar points in written and oral ways to address the needs of students with different learning styles.

An important part of grammar instruction is providing examples. Teachers need to plan their examples carefully around two basic principles:

• Be sure the examples are accurate and appropriate. They must present the language appropriately, be culturally appropriate for the setting in which they are used, and be to the point of the lesson.
• Use the examples as teaching tools. Focus examples on a particular theme or topic so that students have more contact with specific information and vocabulary.

Relevance of Grammar Instruction

In the communicative competence model, the purpose of learning grammar is to learn the language of which the grammar is a part. Instructors therefore teach grammar forms and structures in relation to meaning and use for the specific communication tasks that students need to complete.
Compare the traditional model and the communicative competence model for teaching the English past tense:
Traditional: grammar for grammar's sake

• Teach the regular -ed form with its two pronunciation variants
• Teach the doubling rule for verbs that end in d (for example, wed-wedded)
• Hand out a list of irregular verbs that students must memorize
• Do pattern practice drills for -ed
• Do substitution drills for irregular verbs

Communicative competence: grammar for communication's sake

• Distribute two short narratives about recent experiences or events, each one to half of the class
• Teach the regular -ed form, using verbs that occur in the texts as examples. Teach the pronunciation and doubling rules if those forms occur in the texts.
• Teach the irregular verbs that occur in the texts.
• Students read the narratives, ask questions about points they don't understand.
• Students work in pairs in which one member has read Story A and the other Story B. Students interview one another; using the information from the interview, they then write up or orally repeat the story they have not read.

Error Correction

At all proficiency levels, learners produce language that is not exactly the language used by native speakers. Some of the differences are grammatical, while others involve vocabulary selection and mistakes in the selection of language appropriate for different contexts.
In responding to student communication, teachers need to be careful not to focus on error correction to the detriment of communication and confidence building. Teachers need to let students know when they are making errors so that they can work on improving. Teachers also need to build students' confidence in their ability to use the language by focusing on the content of their communication rather than the grammatical form.
Teachers can use error correction to support language acquisition, and avoid using it in ways that undermine students' desire to communicate in the language, by taking cues from context.

• When students are doing structured output activities that focus on development of new language skills, use error correction to guide them.

Example:
Student (in class): I buy a new car yesterday.
Teacher: You bought a new car yesterday. Remember, the past tense of buy is bought.

• When students are engaged in communicative activities, correct errors only if they interfere with comprehensibility. Respond using correct forms, but without stressing them.

Example:
Student (greeting teacher) : I buy a new car yesterday!
Teacher: You bought a new car? That's exciting! What kind?

¿Cómo estudiar Inglés? Trucos para estudiar mejor.

HOW DO I STUDY ENGLISH?

Learning strategies or study skills determine the approach for achieving the learning objectives. The strategies are usually tied to your needs and interests to enhance learning and are based on many types of learning styles.
Here are some strategies that can help you be successful in your studies.

Set small, achievable goals (establece pequeñas metas)

Start with small steps to reach higher targets.

1. For example, try to learn 5 new English vocabulary items every day. (Aprende 5 nuevas palabras cada día )
2. Set a 30 minutes study session every day.
3. Learn the lyrics of an English song every now and then. (aprende la letra de una canción de vez en cuando)
4. Read a short English text every day. (Lee algo en Inglés cada día)

Setting small targets is much better than setting huge goals that you cannot achieve. Remember that "small drops of water make the mighty ocean"

Plan your studies

Planning your studies gives meaning to your work. If you know all the steps necessary to achieve a goal and these steps are written down on a piece of paper, it will be easy for you, then, to see the whole picture.

Be motivated (Motívate, lee algo que te guste, ve una película de tus actores favoritos...)

The secret to success is that you should be motivated to learn. Try to avoid boredom by having fun in what you do. Try to find a positive aspect to studying English.

1. Read about what you are interested (hobbies, fields of interest...) in English.
2. Watch your favourite films in English
3. Listen to your favourite English songs and learn the lyrics.
4. Write your diary in English.
5. Read about your favorite stars in English websites...

Remember, we learn better and fast things we really want to learn.

Manage your time (Aministra el tiempo)

In order to manage your time successfully, having an awareness of what your goals are will assist you in prioritizing your activities. Time management provides you with the opportunity to create a schedule that works for you, not for others. This personal attention gives you the flexibility to include the things that are most important to you.

Set a reward for yourself ( Premiate al terminar de estudiar)

Set a reward for yourself that you can look forward. For example, when you reach a goal, give yourself a reward:

1. Watch a movie.
2. A delicious snack.
3. Meet your friends.
4. Go to the café.