Pedagogical grammar

obligatory courses

The course is intended for speakers of English who already know and use the whole grammar of the English language. It focuses on increasing the students’ awareness and understanding of grammar and their knowledge of metalanguage, in order to enable them to discuss grammar issues at all levels of expertise. The course provides an overview of the English grammar which is usually covered by syllabi, but also sheds light on the problem areas which are important in learning and communication but are not usually explicitly taught, such as word grammar, word order changing the meaning, etc.

The teaching skills practised in the course will be divided into two parts. The skills involved in overt grammar teaching, such as explanation, analysis, giving examples, correcting mistakes and identifying the problems, structuring the practice or explaining differences between structures, will be practised along with the grammar overview, which will take about 2/3 of the course; this part finishes with an assignment which the students must pass at 90%. The subsequent part of the course will focus on the skills involved in covert grammar teaching, such as gauging comprehensible input to the level of the learners, finding multiple ways to express the same meaning, or analysing the difficulty of authentic materials and adapting them to the level of the learners.

The aims of the course:

• to focus the students’ attention on the grammar of English as a means to carry meaning

• to enhance the students’ conscious knowledge of English grammar aiming at increasing the quality of their language output and their understanding of the grammar of English

• to build or expand the students’ knowledge of metalanguage and the skill to use it in discussing grammar issues

• to create and/or exchange ideas how to teach, practise and test the new grammar structures

• to build the skill of making clear, correct, contextualised, probable, self-explanatory, memorable examples of grammatical structures illustrating their meanings, also in contrast to other structures, likely to be confused by learners

• to build and enhance the skill of explaining grammar rules with or without using metalanguage

• to build the skill of explaining the differences between grammar structures

• to build the skill of identifying grammatical mistakes in pieces of writing or speech, explain them to the learner and suggest remedial action

• to create opportunities for students to get acquainted with resources, such as reference books, books with activities, practice tests, helpful in preparing explanation and practice for learners

• to practise the skill of preparing the situational presentation of a grammar structure using inspiration from available sources

• to build the skill of using various language means to impart the same meanings, i.e. concept checking, paraphrasing, gauging the level of difficulty in the comprehensible input etc.

• to build the awareness of the levels of challenge presented by certain grammar structures and the skill of adapting the text to the level desired in the situation (i.e. lowering or increasing the challenge)

References

• Swan, M. 1980 and later editions, The Practical Usage of English, CUP

• any high-level grammar of English, e.g. Gethin, H., 1992 Grammar in Context, Nelson

• Close, R.A., 1992, The Teacher’s Grammar, LTP

• Asslop, J. 1989, Making Sense of English Grammar, Cassel Publishers Ltd.

• the Grammar in Use series from CUP: Murphy, R. English Grammar in Use and Essential Grammar in Use

• Swan, M., 1997 How English works, CUP

• Hall, N. & Shepheard, J. 1991 The Anti-Grammar Grammar Book, Longman

The student knows

• the metalanguage connected with grammar and teaching grammar

• the meanings and forms of the most common grammar structures taught in ELT

• the importance of word grammar

• the basic structure of a grammar lesson and its varieties

• the goals of the particular stages of teaching a grammar point

• the techniques and activities involved in the particular stages of teaching a grammar point

• the role of the teacher in each stage of teaching a grammar point

• the teacher’s resources for learning and teaching grammar

The student is able to

• discuss grammar points using appropriate metalanguage

• provide examples of the grammar structures taught in ELT

• explain the meaning of a structure by providing a paraphrase

• explain differences between structures without using metalanguage

• identify and correct learners’ mistakes in the use of the most common grammar structures

• plan a grammar sequence covering all the stages of teaching a grammar point

• select materials and activities which help to teach effectively

• efficiently conduct each stage of the grammar sequence

• adapt his/her language for the purposes of conducting covert teaching of grammar

The student is ready to

• conduct the teaching of grammar in English

• conduct overt and covert teaching of grammar

• explore the resources to find the most appropriate ways to teach grammar in his/her teaching contexts

Students will be assessed on the basis of the following criteria:

• attendance in class over 80% and active participation

• successful completion of written and oral assignments:

 2 portfolio tasks

 2 grammar worksheets

Portfolio taks:

• Select, prepare and conduct a communicative grammar activity. Analyze its aims and reflect on the way it worked in the class.

• Prepare a grammar lesson sequence comprising a situational presentation of a new structure, ideas for controlled practice and a production stage consisting of at least one communicative activity practising this structure.