Pedagogy of English: Unit 4 - Teaching

of Grammar
4.1 Teaching of Grammar: Problems in Teaching
Grammar
●​ Grammar: The System of Language
○​ Definition: Grammar, in the context of English language teaching,
refers to the rules and principles governing the structure of the
English language, including how words are formed (morphology),
how they are arranged into sentences (syntax), and how these
structures convey meaning (semantics) and are used appropriately
(pragmatics).
○​ Goal: The overarching goal of teaching grammar is to enable
learners to use English accurately, meaningfully, and appropriately
for various communicative purposes. It aims to provide learners
with the tools to understand and produce grammatically correct
and contextually suitable language.
●​ Problems in Teaching English Grammar:
○​ Teaching grammar is often perceived as challenging, both for
teachers and learners. These challenges can be exacerbated in
diverse linguistic contexts like India.
○​ Abstract Nature of Rules: Grammar rules can feel abstract and
disconnected from real language use, making them difficult for
learners to grasp and apply.
○​ Complexity and Irregularities: English grammar has numerous
complex rules, exceptions, and idiomatic patterns that are
challenging to master (e.g., irregular verbs, phrasal verbs, article
usage).
○​ Learners' Negative Attitudes/Anxiety: Students may have prior
negative experiences with grammar teaching (e.g., rote
memorization, excessive drilling) leading to anxiety, boredom, or a
 belief that grammar is too difficult.
○​ Difficulty in Retention: Learners may understand a rule during a
lesson but struggle to remember and apply it correctly later,
especially under communicative pressure.
○​ Lack of Connection to Use: Grammar is sometimes taught in
isolation from communicative contexts, leading learners to know
the rules but not how or when to use them effectively.
○​ Overemphasis on Form: Traditional approaches sometimes
prioritize grammatical form and accuracy over meaning and
fluency, demotivating learners who want to communicate.
○​ Teacher's Confidence and Training: Teachers may lack
confidence in their own grammatical knowledge or in effective
pedagogical techniques for teaching grammar communicatively.
○​ Large Class Sizes: Managing diverse levels and providing
individualized attention and feedback on grammar in large classes
is challenging.
○​ Varied Learner Levels and Backgrounds: In a multilingual
context like India, learners come with different first language
backgrounds, which can influence the types of grammatical errors
they make and the concepts they find difficult.
○​ Excerpt:"The teaching of grammar has often been fraught with
difficulty, swinging between approaches that prioritize rote
memorization of rules and those that neglect explicit instruction
altogether. The real challenge lies in finding ways to make grammar
accessible, relevant, and a usable tool for communication rather
than an abstract system of arbitrary rules."​
(Highlighting the historical challenges and the goal of practical
relevance)
●​ Classroom Implementation:
○​ Problems in grammar teaching are evident when students
repeatedly make the same errors despite explanations, appear
disengaged during grammar lessons, or are hesitant to use new
structures in speaking or writing for fear of making mistakes. A
 teacher might observe students correctly filling in a grammar
worksheet but failing to use the same structure correctly in a
free-speaking activity.

4.2 Types of Grammar: Formal and Functional

●​ Different Perspectives on Grammar:
○​ Understanding different ways of viewing grammar is crucial for
deciding how to teach it. Two prominent perspectives are Formal
and Functional Grammar.
●​ Formal Grammar (Structural/Descriptive Grammar):
○​ Focus: Concerned with the internal structure and system of
language. It describes how linguistic elements (words, phrases,
clauses) are combined according to rules of syntax and
morphology. It analyzes the form of language structures.
○​ Emphasis: Identifying patterns, rules, and the correct formation of
linguistic units (e.g., subject-verb agreement, verb tense
conjugation, sentence types like simple, compound, complex).
○​ Relevance to Teaching: Provides the foundational knowledge of
how sentences are constructed correctly. Necessary for
understanding grammatical accuracy.
●​ Functional Grammar (Communicative/Pragmatic Grammar):
○​ Focus: Concerned with how language is used to perform
communicative functions and create meaning in different social
and communicative contexts. It analyzes the use and meaning of
language structures.
○​ Emphasis: Understanding how grammatical choices enable
speakers/writers to express intentions, relate to listeners/readers,
and organize information effectively (e.g., using different tenses to
express specific time relationships, using questions to request
information, using passive voice to shift focus).
○​ Relevance to Teaching: Essential for enabling learners to use
grammar appropriately and meaningfully in real-life
communication. Aligns strongly with the goals of Communicative
 Language Teaching (CLT).
●​ Integration in Teaching:
○​ Modern communicative approaches to teaching English grammar
recognize the importance of both formal and functional
perspectives. Learners need to know the correct form of a
structure (Formal Grammar) but, more importantly, they need to
understand its meaning and use it appropriately to communicate
effectively (Functional Grammar). Teaching often involves
presenting the form, clarifying the meaning, and demonstrating
the use in context.
○​ Excerpt:"While formal grammar provides the necessary
scaffolding of linguistic rules, functional grammar breathes life into
these structures by focusing on how they are employed to create
meaning and achieve communicative goals in diverse contexts.
Effective pedagogy balances attention to both the how (form) and
the why (function) of grammar."​
(Highlighting the need for a balanced approach in teaching)
●​ Classroom Implementation:
○​ An English teacher might teach the past simple tense (Formal
aspect - how to form it with -ed or irregular forms) and then focus
on its use to talk about completed actions in the past (Functional
aspect - its meaning and communicative purpose). One activity
might focus on drilling the -ed ending (Form), while another might
involve students interviewing each other about their last weekend
(Function), requiring the use of the past simple.

4.3 Procedure Involved in Teaching Grammar

●​ A Structured Approach to Grammar Instruction:
○​ Teaching a specific grammar point effectively typically follows a
pedagogical sequence that moves from introducing the structure
in a meaningful context to providing opportunities for learners to
use it freely. While variations exist, a common procedure includes
the following stages:
○​ 1. Introduction/Contextualization:
■​ Purpose: To introduce the target structure in a natural and
meaningful context, showing its relevance and use.
■​ Activities: Using a short dialogue, a brief story, a picture, a
real-life situation, or a short audio/video clip where the target
grammar appears naturally. Activating students' prior
knowledge or setting the scene.
○​ 2. Presentation:
■​ Purpose: To highlight the target structure and clearly explain
its form, meaning, and use.
■​ Activities: Drawing attention to the structure in the context
(e.g., underlining examples on the board or a handout).
Providing clear, simple explanations of the rule or pattern (could
be deductive – stating the rule, or inductive – guiding students
to discover it). Using visual aids (timelines for tenses, charts) to
clarify form and meaning. Checking basic understanding.
○​ 3. Focused Practice (Controlled to Semi-Controlled):
■​ Purpose: To provide learners with opportunities to practice the
accurate formation and basic use of the target structure with
limited room for error.
■​ Activities: Drills (repetition, substitution), gap-fill exercises,
matching exercises, sentence transformation tasks, error
correction exercises, completing sentences based on prompts.
The focus is on accuracy.
○​ 4. Communicative Practice (Freer Production):
■​ Purpose: To provide learners with opportunities to use the
target structure to express their own meaning in more realistic
and interactive contexts.
■​ Activities: Role-plays, discussions, debates, interviews,
surveys, information gap activities, storytelling, short writing
tasks. The focus shifts towards using the structure meaningfully
for communication, allowing for some degree of fluency.
○​ 5. Feedback and Error Correction:
 ■​ Purpose: To provide learners with information about their
performance and help them correct errors.
■​ Approach: Can be immediate (during controlled practice) or
delayed (during freer practice to avoid interrupting flow).
Should be supportive and focus on key errors related to the
target structure.
○​ 6. Review and Extension:
■​ Purpose: To reinforce learning and provide opportunities to use
the structure in new contexts.
■​ Activities: Incorporating the structure into subsequent lessons,
assigning homework that requires using the structure, providing
opportunities for extended use in projects or presentations.
○​ Excerpt:"A principled grammar teaching procedure moves
learners from controlled exposure and accurate formation towards
meaningful and fluent use. The progression from presentation
through focused practice to communicative production is
designed to build both confidence and competence in using the
target structure for real communication."​
(Explaining the pedagogical rationale behind the typical stages)
●​ Classroom Implementation:
○​ Following this procedure to teach the Present Continuous, an
English teacher might start by showing pictures of people doing
different actions right now (Introduction/Context). Then, they point
to the pictures and say, "He is reading," "They are playing,"
highlighting the 'is/are + -ing' form and explaining it means
something happening now (Presentation). Students then do a
gap-fill worksheet: "She ___ (write) a letter." (Focused Practice).
Finally, students interview each other about what their family
members are doing at home right now (Communicative Practice).

4.4 Methods of Teaching Grammar: Deductive Method,

Inductive Method, and Deductive-Inductive Method
●​ Approaches to Presenting Rules:
○​ Different methods emphasize distinct ways of introducing and
practicing grammatical rules.
○​ 1. Deductive Method:
■​ Principle: The teacher presents the grammar rule explicitly
first, often using a grammar explanation and examples, and
then students apply the rule through exercises.
■​ Sequence: Rule -> Explanation -> Examples -> Practice
Activities.
■​ Advantages: Can be time-efficient for explaining complex
rules, might suit learners who prefer explicit instruction and
analysis, provides a clear starting point.
■​ Disadvantages: Can be less engaging, may not promote
deeper understanding of meaning/use, can feel abstract if not
well contextualized, relies on memorization of rules.
■​ Classroom Implementation: The teacher writes the rule for
forming questions in the present perfect on the board
(Have/Has + Subject + Past Participle?). They explain it, give
example sentences, and then students practice by changing
statements into questions.
○​ 2. Inductive Method:
■​ Principle: The teacher provides learners with examples of
language containing the target structure and guides them to
observe patterns and deduce the rule themselves.
■​ Sequence: Examples -> Observation/Discovery -> Rule
Formulation (by students, possibly with teacher help) ->
Practice Activities.
■​ Advantages: More learner-centered and engaging,
encourages active thinking and discovery, can lead to better
retention of meaning and use, promotes noticing skills.
■​ Disadvantages: Can be more time-consuming, may be
challenging for learners who are not used to this approach or
for complex rules, the deduced rule might be inaccurate
 initially.
■​ Classroom Implementation: The teacher provides several
sentences like "I have finished my homework," "She has lived
here for five years." Students are asked to look at the verbs and
try to figure out the pattern and when this tense is used.
○​ 3. Deductive-Inductive Method (or Inductive-Deductive /
Mixed Approach):
■​ Principle: Combines elements of both methods, seeking a
balance. For example, starting with examples to induce the rule
(inductive) and then providing a clear rule summary
(deductive), or starting with a rule (deductive) and then
exploring numerous examples in different contexts to solidify
understanding of use (inductive).
■​ Advantages: Offers flexibility to cater to different learning
styles and types of grammar points, can balance guided
discovery with clarity and explicit knowledge.
■​ Disadvantages: Requires the teacher to skillfully blend
approaches and manage the transition between stages.
○​ Excerpt:"While the debate between deductive and inductive
methods persists, effective grammar teaching often employs a
blend, recognizing that learners benefit from both noticing
patterns in context and receiving clear explanations. The choice of
method depends on the specific grammar point, the learners' level,
and the pedagogical goals of the lesson."​
(Advocating for a flexible and context-dependent approach to
choosing methods)
●​ Classroom Implementation:
○​ An English teacher might use a mixed approach to teach modal
verbs like 'can' for ability. They might start with examples in context
(e.g., showing pictures of people with different skills and saying,
"He can swim," "She can play the piano") and ask students to
notice the pattern (Inductive start). Then, they provide a clear
explanation of 'can + base verb' and its meaning (Deductive
 clarification). Finally, students practice using 'can' and 'can't' to
talk about their own abilities and inabilities (Practice).

4.5 Language Activities Used During English Classes

●​ Activities for Practice and Production:
○​ English language classes utilize a wide array of activities to help
learners practice and use grammar structures, progressing from
controlled focus on form to freer focus on meaning and
communication.
○​ 1. Controlled Practice Activities:
■​ Focus: Accuracy of form. Learners have limited choice in the
language they use, ensuring they practice the target structure
correctly.
■​ Examples:
■​ Drills: Repetition drills, substitution drills (e.g., Teacher: "I
like apples." Student: "I like bananas."), transformation drills
(e.g., changing sentences from present to past).
■​ Gap-fill exercises: Completing sentences with the correct
form of the target structure.
■​ Matching exercises: Matching sentence halves or matching
structures to their function/meaning.
■​ Sentence unscramble: Arranging jumbled words to form
correct sentences.
■​ Error correction exercises: Identifying and correcting
grammatical mistakes in sentences.
■​ Classroom Implementation: Students might do a worksheet
with gap-fill exercises using the third person singular '-s' after
the teacher presents the rule.
○​ 2. Semi-Controlled Activities:
■​ Focus: Balancing form and meaning. Learners have slightly
more choice, but the activity is still designed to elicit the target
structure.
■​ Examples:
 ■​ Question and Answer practice: Using specific question
forms with controlled answers.
■​ Guided dialogues: Practicing conversations with provided
prompts or sentence frames that require using the target
structure.
■​ Picture description: Describing pictures using specific
structures (e.g., describing what people are doing in a
picture using Present Continuous).
■​ Sentence prompts: Completing sentences with their own
ideas, but the beginning of the sentence dictates the
structure (e.g., "If I won the lottery, I would...").
■​ Classroom Implementation: Students might work in pairs
using picture prompts to ask and answer questions about past
actions using the past simple ("What did he do?").
○​ 3. Freer/Communicative Activities:
■​ Focus: Meaning and fluency. Learners use the target structure
to communicate their own ideas in more authentic and less
controlled situations, often integrating various language points
and skills.
■​ Examples:
■​ Role-plays: Acting out scenarios that require using the
target structure (e.g., ordering food in a restaurant, making
future plans).
■​ Discussions and Debates: Expressing opinions and
supporting them, requiring complex sentence structures.
■​ Interviews and Surveys: Asking and answering questions
about personal experiences or opinions.
■​ Information gap activities: Students have different pieces
of information and must use the target language to
complete a task (e.g., finding differences between two
pictures, completing a schedule).
■​ Storytelling: Narrating past events, requiring various past
tenses and sequencing language.
 ■​ Writing tasks: Composing emails, stories, reports, or
opinion pieces that require the use of various grammatical
structures.
■​ Classroom Implementation: Students might participate in a
class debate on an environmental issue, requiring them to use
modal verbs for possibility/necessity or structures for
expressing opinions (e.g., "I believe that...", "In my opinion...").
○​ 4. Games: Many games can be adapted to practice grammar, from
board games requiring sentence formation to charades focusing
on verb tenses.
○​ 5. Task-Based Activities: Activities where the primary goal is
completing a non-linguistic task, and the target language
structures emerge naturally as necessary tools for completion
(e.g., planning a party together, solving a mystery).
○​ Excerpt:"Varied practice is essential for grammar mastery.
Learners need controlled activities to build accuracy and
confidence in forming structures, semi-controlled tasks to bridge
the gap, and communicative activities to develop the fluency and
ability to use grammar meaningfully in authentic interaction. A
healthy mix ensures both correctness and communicative
competence."​
(Highlighting the importance of moving along the practice
continuum and the goal of communicative competence)
●​ Classroom Implementation:
○​ An English teacher uses a mix of these activities. After introducing
comparative adjectives, students might first do a worksheet
comparing specific items (Controlled). Then they might compare
items in the classroom using sentence prompts (Semi-controlled).
Finally, they might discuss in groups who is taller/shorter,
older/younger in their families (Freer/Communicative). This range
of activities helps students solidify both the form and the use of
the structure.