1、中学英语教学法中学英语教学法 Unit 6 Teaching Grammar 主讲教师:陈道明(华南师范大学外文学院)Unit 6 Teaching Grammar Issues for discussion1.The role of grammar in ELT2.Grammar presentation methods3.Grammar practice6.1 The role of grammar in ELTThe value of grammar in foreign language teaching has been a focus of debate for decades,a
2、nd no conclusion is in sight.The answer to whether grammar should be taught and to what extent grammar should be taught depends on some variables in the language teaching/learning context,such as learner variables and instructional variables.It is generally believed that Grammar teaching is less imp
3、ortant for children than for adults;Grammar teaching is less important in listening and reading than in writing.Grammar teaching can be seen in most formal classroom language teaching.6.2 Grammar presentation methods The deductive method and the inductive methodThe deductive method(p.62)The deductiv
4、e method relies on reasoning,analysing and comparing.Presentation of an example explanation(comparison may be done between the target language and the native language)Sss practice(producing sentences)with given prompts The deductive method is criticized because:Grammar is taught in an isolated way;L
5、ittle attention is paid to meaning;The practice is often mechanical.However,the deductive method is not without merits.It could be very successful with selected and motivated students.It could save time when students are confronted with a grammar rule which is complex but which has to be learned.It
6、may help to increase student confidence in those examinations which are written with accuracy as the main criterion of success.The inductive method(pp.62-63)In the inductive method,the teacher induces the learners to realise grammar rules without any form of explicit explanation.It is believed that
7、the rules will become evident if the students are given enough appropriate examples.It is believed that the inductive method is more effective in that(=because)students discover the grammar rules themselves while engaged in language use.In practice,the distinction between the deductive method and th
8、e inductive method is not always apparent.6.3 Grammar practice According to Ur,“practice may be defined as any kind of engaging with the language on the part of the learner,usually under the teacher supervision,whose primary objective is to consolidate learning”.(Ur,1988:11)Ur predicts that the foll
9、owing 6 factors contribute to successful practice:Pre-learning.Learners benefit from clear perception and short-term memory of the new language.Volume and repetition.The more exposure to or production of language the learners have,the more likely they are to learn.Success-orientation.Practice is mos
10、t effective when based on successful practice.Heterogeneity.Practice should be able to elicit different sentences and generate different levels of answers from different learners.Teacher assistance.The teacher should provide suggestions,hints and prompts.Interest:an essential feature that is closely
11、 related to concentration Two categories of practice:Mechanical practice and meaningful practiceMechanical practice Mechanical practice involves activities that are aimed at form accuracy.e.g.Substitution,andTransformation drills:Substitute the underlined part with the proper forms of the given word
12、s:green lawn clean house pretty garden nice flowersMrs Green has the largest house in town.Change the following sentences into the past tense.Use the adverbs given in the brackets.Now he lives in London.(last year,Paris)We have English and maths today.(yesterday,music and P.E.)He usually gets up at
13、seven.(this morning,eight)Questions for discussionWhat is the purpose of mechanical practice?What are the advantages and disadvantage of mechanical practice?Meaningful practiceIn meaningful practice the focus is on the production,comprehension or exchange of meaning,though the students“keep an eye o
14、n”the way newly learned structures are used in the process.e.g.After the presentation and mechanical practice of adjective comparatives and superlatives:Pair work:Look at the table below.Rank the items on the left column according to the criteria listed on the top.CheapHealthy Tasty Fattening Import
15、ant BeerWaterFruitCigarettesAlcoholMilkThe students may come up with:I think beer is cheaper than fruit.No,no,I think fruit is cheaper than beer.Questions for discussionWhat are the advantages of meaningful practice?Does it have any possible disadvantages?A task for youSuppose you have just presente
16、d the simple past tense to a group of Junior 2 students.Design a meaningful practice activity.There is no clear-cut distinction between mechanical practice and meaningful practice.e.g.Chain of eventsTeacher:Now lets play a game.The first student starts a sentence with a second conditional clause.The
17、 next student takes the result of the sentence,reforms it into another condition and suggests a further result.For example,the first student says“If I had a million dollars,I would buy a yacht”.The second students says“If I bought a yacht,I would go for a sail”.The students may come up with:If I wen
18、t for a sail,there might be a storm.If there were a storm,my yacht would sink.If my yacht sank,I would die.If I died,my parents would cry.Using prompts for practicePractice based on prompts is usually meaningful practice.Using picture prompts.Using mime or gestures as prompts.Using information sheet
19、 as prompts.Using key phrase or key words as prompts.Using chained phrases for story telling.Using created situations.Using information sheet as promptsTeacher:What about you?Tell your neighbour.NamesFavourite subjectsFavourite sportsFavourite foodHobbiesLilyMathsbasketballporkmusicSusanChinesePing-
20、pongeggsreadingDavidEnglishfootballice-creamcollecting stampsUsing created situations:for simulative communication Your are a stranger in this town.You want to buy some fruit,you want to post a letter,and you also want to see a movie at night.Ask about the places.There was a robbery yesterday in the
21、 neighbourhood.A policeman is asking some questions to three of the neighbours,A,B,and C.A:at work;came back at 6:30 p.m.;did not see anybody.B:a student;came back at 4:30 p.m.;saw a young man going upstairsC:an old man;stayed at home;heard some strange noise at 5:00 p.m.;came out to find a tall you
22、ng man Summary of Unit 6 Perhaps there will never be a solution to the debate on the value of teaching grammar,because language teaching and learning contexts vary so greatly.It should be noted that learning itself is not the ultimate goal of learning English.The understanding of how to teach gramma
23、r is as controversial as that of the value of teaching grammar.We believe that both mechanical practice and meaningful practice are necessary.Some suggestions about teaching grammar1.Teach only those rules that are simple and typical.2.Teach useful and important grammar points.3.Teach grammar in context.4.Use visible instruments such as charts,tables,diagrams,maps,drawings,and realia(pl.of realis)to aid understanding;5.Avoid difficult grammatical terminologies as much as possible.6.Allow enough opportunities for practice.7.Live with the students mistakes and errors.End of Unit 6Thank you!