Grammar is more than a set of rules of language with do's and don'ts.

1. Teaching
Grammar
Dr Bhavin Chauhan

2. Teaching
Points
Grammar: Intro and
Importance
Principles of Teaching
Grammar
Types of Grammars
Best Practices in
Teaching Grammar

3. Introduction
grammar (noun): the structure and system of a
language, or of languages in general, usually considered
to consist of syntax and morphology.
The word grammar comes from the Greek, meaning
"craft of letters." It's an apt description. In any language,
grammar is: The systematic study and description of a
language (as compared with usage).
A set of rules and examples dealing with the syntax and
word structures (morphology) of a language.
3

4. Grammar
Introduction and Importance

5. Grammar: Concept
• Grammar is the system of a language. People sometimes describe
grammar as the "rules" of a language; but in fact no language has rules*.
If we use the word "rules", we suggest that somebody created the rules
first and then spoke the language, like a new game. But languages did
not start like that. Languages started by people making sounds which
evolved into words, phrases and sentences. No commonly-spoken
language is fixed. All languages change over time. What we call
"grammar" is simply a reflection of a language at a particular time.
• Grammar is not simply of list of rules-Dos and Don’ts.

6. What
does
teaching
grammar
mean?
It means enabling
language students to
use linguistic form
accurately,
meaningfully and
appropriately.
(Larsen-Freeman, 2001)

7. Real-World Uses of Grammar
There are several applications of grammatical study:
(1) A recognition of grammatical structures is often essential for punctuation
(2) A study of one's native grammar is helpful when one studies the grammar of a
foreign language
(3) A knowledge of grammar is a help in the interpretation of literary as well as
nonliterary texts, since the interpretation of a passage sometimes depends crucially on
grammatical analysis
(4) A study of the grammatical resources of English is useful in composition: in
particular, it can help you to evaluate the choices available to you when you come to
revise an earlier written draft.
—From An Introduction to English Grammar by Sidney Greenbaum and Gerald Nelson

8. Seven Principles of Teaching
Grammar
• Build up your own subject knowledge
• To teach grammar, you need explicit as well as implicit knowledge, to be
confident about using the correct terms and explaining these. Don’t just
learn the next term you are teaching. It is important to be able to relate new
learning to other features and the text as a whole.
• Give talk a high priority in your classroom
• Children need to be able to select from a wardrobe of voices that includes
Standard English.
• Remember the purpose of teaching grammar
• Grammar is not simply the naming of parts of speech or for teaching the
rules of English. It needs to be strongly embedded in classroom talk, reading
and writing.

9. Seven Principles of Teaching
Grammar
• Teach grammar in context
• By introducing children to grammatical features and language in context, you will be helping
them to internalise these principles. Try not to go for the ready-made solution by using a
worksheet from a book. It will make very little difference to children’s use of language and
will be meaningless for those learners who are not yet able to think in abstract ways.
• Read aloud and discuss how authors use grammar
• Children who read extensively and are read to will have a ‘toolbox’ of structures, patterns and
rhythms to draw on.
• Be systematic
• Make sure you know what the class you are working with have already learned and what they
need to learn now. Link new learning with their prior knowledge.
• Make learning grammar fun
• Teaching grammar can involve investigations, problem-solving and language play as part of
developing children’s awareness of and interest in how language works.

10. English National Curriculum
(2014)
• Explicit knowledge of grammar is very important, as it gives
us more conscious control and choice in our language. Young
readers and writers need to understand how language is
organised to make meaning and communicate effectively.

11. What does not work when teaching
grammar?
• Teaching grammar as a subject in isolation from writing is not effective.
• Students learn nothing about the use of grammar by diagramming
sentences.
• Learning to identify parts of speech does not improve the quality of a
student’s writing.
• Studying grammar in isolation does not help students avoid
grammatical errors in their writing.
• Teaching grammar as grammar is not helpful and takes up classroom
time that could be better spent reading and writing.

12. What does work when teaching
grammar?
• Educator and author on teaching English, Rei R. Noguchi, says, “We need to teach
not so much ‘rules of grammar’ but ‘principles of writing.'” Research validates his
theory and the following principles have been proven to be more effective than
teaching grammar as a separate subject.
Include reading and writing
• The best grammar instruction includes extensive reading and writing. This includes
the teacher reading aloud to students of all ages. When students hear and see what
is proper, they incorporate it into their own writing. This means that teachers need
to provide extensive opportunities for students to read and write in the classroom.
• The writing process itself teaches grammar. As students proofread, edit and revise
their own work, they learn about the proper use of grammar.

13. What does work when teaching
grammar?
Students should self-assess their own work
• Students learn grammar by carefully examining their own writing and
identifying errors. They need opportunities to read their own work out loud.
Students can read to each other. Students can also read their own work
quietly but out loud so they can hear it and identify their own mistakes.
Combine sentences meaningfully
• Sentence combining exercises are effective in teaching sentence structure. It
teaches students grammar principles like parallelism and variety. Students
learn how the meaning of a sentence can change simply by the way clauses
are put together.

14. What does work when teaching
grammar?
Use “mini-lessons”
• Mini-lessons are effective. A mini-lesson on how comma placement can change the meaning of a
document impresses students far more than memorizing comma rules. For example, a well-known
“Dear John” letter is helpful and fun. Depending on where the commas are placed, the writer of the
letter is either professing her undying love for John or telling him how much she loathes him.
• Another effective mini-lesson is on dangling modifiers. A common one used for teaching is, “I shot an
elephant in my pajamas.” Ask students why the elephant is wearing pajamas. Making it fun helps
students remember the principle and recognize the errors when they see them in their own writing and
the writing of others.
Literature for grammar
• Use literature to teach grammar within the context of writing. Students can analyze the sentence
structure of authors and learn how the use of words, punctuation and sentence structure contribute to
their opinion of the author’s work. Students can then copy the style of an author they admire and
improve their own writing.

15. Why to teach Grammar?
• 1) There is a positive correlation between teaching embedded
grammar skills and writing improvement
• 2) In order to improve student writing, have students write
• 3) Memorizing rules and skill-and-drill approaches to grammar
prove to be ineffective ways to help students understand the
English language

16. Types of Grammar
• Descriptive Grammar-
• Refers to the structure of a language as it’s actually used by speakers and writers.
• Prescriptive Grammar-
• Refers to the structures of a language as certain people think it should be used.
• Both are concerned with rules.
• Specialist of descriptive grammar (also called linguists) study the rules
and patterns that underlie our use of words, phrases, clauses, and
sentences.
• Prescriptive grammarians lay out rules about the what they believe to
be correct or incorrect use of language.

17. Prescriptive vs Descriptive Grammar
Prescriptive Descriptive
There is such a thing as one true, honest, pure form of a language and that only that
version is correct or acceptable.
A language is being used to communicate effectively is correct- because that is the basic
purpose of language.
How one SHOULD say to use the language PROPERLY. How one actually use the language, describing the patterns of languages in actual use.
Prescribing how language should like. ---
Prescribes rules governing what people should /should say. Describes the rules that govern what people do or can say.
Prescription rules are not natural. They must be taught/learned in school, often reflect
value judgements
Descriptive rules are natural, known intuitively, need not be taught.
Refers to the structure of a language as a certain people think it should be used. An objective, non-judgemental description of the grammatical construction in a language.

18. Accuracy with Fluency
Accuracy Fluency
Form-focused Meaning-focused
Grammar Translation/Structural Method Direct Method/ Communicative Method
Error Correction Error Tolerance
Detailed Orientation Go with Flow
Features of Patterns and Grammar Points Interactive/Group work
Develop Explicit Knowledge (know what) Develop Implicit Knowledge (know how)

19. Deductive Teaching of Grammar
• Explain the rules to the learners
• Provides no context or communicative purpose for the grammar
• Focuses on form first and then meaning
• Drill students to learn the rule mechanically
• Assumes all responsibility for student learning

20. Deductive Approach (Rule driven
teaching)
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
boring for some students.
Acknowledges the role of cognitive processes in language
acquisition.
Students do not have much opportunity to get involve
(teacher-driven)
Confirms students’ expectations about classroom learning
particularly for students with analytical learning style.
Explanation is seldom memorable.
Allow 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.

21. Deductive vs. Inductive
Deductive
• Students learn grammar rules and then use the rules.
Inductive
• Students use grammar rules and then learn rules.

22. Teaching Grammar Inductively
• Allows the learner to formulate and discover the rule (to induct)
• Provides a context and purpose for use: Text-based work
• Focuses on meaning first and form second
• Helps learners discover the rule through meaningful
communication
• Empowers the students to problem solve and learn how to learn a
language

23. Criteria for Effective Inductive
Grammar Teaching
Teacher needs…
• A clear and interesting context
• A purpose for the grammar in communication
• To show the grammar pattern clearly, frequently and naturally in
context
• To keep meaning and communication in focus (not just form)
• A lesson that moves from comprehensive to production
• To encourage learner to communicate using the new grammar

24. Inductive approach (discovery
learning)
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 (great memorability)
Time consuming
Students are actively involved. Students may hypothesize wrong rules.
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.

25. Inductive vs deductive
• The degree to which learners are required to discover aspects of
grammar themselves.
• Through teacher instruction (deductive)
• Through their own discovery learning (inductive)

26. 3-d Framework of Grammar
Meaning/
Semantics
Use/ Pragmatics
Form/
Structure
How is it formed? What does it mean?
When/ Why it is used?
Source: Larson-Freeman,
Teaching Grammar (2001)

27. Understanding 3D Framework
• Form – Each Tense has a particular structure.
• _____ is/am/are + Ving _____
• Harshad is reading a book now.
• Meaning- Each tense communicate an idea.
• The process of reading is happening at the present movement by
Harshad.
• Use- Each tense has a purpose.
• The continuous present tense denotes ongoing activity in the present.
• IMPORTANT- Context synthesizes form, meaning and use.

28. PPP Model for Teaching Grammar
• Widely successful model for teaching grammar and used
throughout the world by EFL and ESL teachers.
• Every PPP lesson has a language objective which students should
fulfill by the end of the lesson.
• PPP can used to teach grammar, functional English, vocabulary,
pronunciation.

29. PPP Model for Teaching Grammar
• Teacher Presents
• Students practise, teacher corrects
• Students produce
• Techniques used: Teacher uses situations, visual-based work,
sentence-based work

30. PPP Model for Teaching Grammar

31. The way to get started is to
quit
talking and begin doing.
Walt Disney

32. Thank you
Dr Bhavin Chauhan bhavinchauhan@hot
mail.com
http://edutainmentwithbhavi
nchauhan.blogspot.com/