Posts
Mr.Kalpesh V. Patel
Amity B.Ed. College, Bharuch.
Advanced techniques in English language classroom to teach grammar
Abstract
[This paper focuses on
the resources which can assist our teaching of grammar while providing a
relaxed atmosphere and motivated students. Such activities involve students’
participation and we let our students use their long-term memory and learn
effectively during such activities. So there is an undeniable fact that if our
concern is to provide a successful and beneficial teaching, we must not
hesitate to use songs, poems, games, and problem solving activities, which bring
the structural, pragmatic, prosodic and communicative aspects of language
together, in our language classrooms.]
Introduction
India is a vast country with many regional languages. Yet the
people in India give much importance to learn, read and write English -a
language which is accepted universally and forms the means of effective
communication worldwide. Hence the Indian learners yearn to learn it
effectively to gain command over language skills by acquiring perfection in
terms of grammar, pronunciation, vocabulary, etc. of the language.
Grammar teaching is focused much in this paper as it is a structure based
formal activity that helps the learner to develop language skills further.
Therefore a teacher must be trained to use well developed and advanced
techniques in a language classroom to teach grammar. Grammar is the branch of
linguistics that deals with the form and structure of words (morphology) and
their interrelation in sentences, called syntax (meaning). The study of grammar
is important as it reveals how language works and forms an important aspect in
both English acquisition and learning.
Previously grammar was taught in such a way where the learners
learnt the grammar rules but failed to apply them in the real life situations.
This explicit grammar study and the grammar-focused lessons were often not
communicatively based. This became boring, cumbersome and difficult for
learners to assimilate. In the early 20th century grammarians like the
German-American anthropologist Franz Boas and the Danish linguist Otto
Jespersen began to describe languages and these studies led to the current
approaches to linguistic theory such as Noam Chomsky's Transformational
Generative Grammar. He viewed grammar as a theory of language structure rather
than a description of actual sentences. According to him grammar is a device
for producing the structure, not of a particular language, but of the ability
to produce and understand sentences in any and all the languages. Henceforth a
definitive study of language grammar is essential to language study that would
result in effective communication.
It is essential to teach elements of language and develop
communicative abilities in our students. For this a teacher should think of
different ways of introducing the sounds, structure and vocabulary of English,
including colloquial forms of conversation and the four basic communication
skills. Grammar teaching should be implicit, or explicit, as teaching /
learning conditions may dictate. The various learning styles and intelligence
strengths of the learners should also be considered while adopting methods and
techniques in teaching grammar because there is no one best way to introduce
and provide practice in them. All these innovative techniques which are based
on communicative activities can be used effectively for all phases of a grammar
lesson; thus the present day teaching of grammar will gain a new insight. Some
of these techniques are clarified and the relevant examples will be focused in
this paper.
Songs and Poems Make the Language Class more
Effective and Communicative
Through songs the learners' listening, speaking, reading and
writing skills can be developed. As we all know today’s generation is much
interested to sing and dance for their favorite numbers. It has been observed
that students were seen with their earphones listening to music or sometimes
texting on their mobiles. They try to hum the most difficult numbers with an
ease and they try to remember the same. It was also found that they like to
learn while singing. Taking this as an advantage the teacher can use them as
precious resources in teaching a variety of language elements like rhythm, intonation, pronunciation,
vocabulary, adjectives, etc. The learner will understand and will
also be exposed to that particular culture and the on going changes in it, if any.
Moreover this technique will help the poor and shy learners of a regular class
to participate and learn the language actively and remember the learnt for a
longer period. This in fact, is a good technique in motivating the students to
learn the language interestingly. The selection of songs should be done
carefully from a traditional to a folk or a modern song. The selection of songs
should also be in terms of short stories, good tunes, etc. which not only focus
on grammar points but also reflect cultural aspects.
Application
of Song-Technique in a Language Class
Any method or technique that is to be applied in a class requires
the creative skills of a teacher. The teacher is independent in adopting the
method and can implement the same according to his or her own convenience. But
s/he should remember the level and age of the learners while selecting the
songs. Asking students to select a song will further motivate and encourage
them to learn grammar more effectively. This method helps the student to relax
and learn the grammar naturally. By now the teacher should show much interest
in what to teach rather than how to teach. At this point the teacher should set
the objectives for the classroom. Accordingly s/he should decide the grammar
point to be studied and then the relevant song is selected. Now the teacher
should prepare an effective lesson plan.
This
could be divided into four phases. In the first phase the students are asked to
read about the title, theme and history of the song to get exposed to the
culture and time specified in a song. Secondly they are asked to recite the
song so that the rhythmic aspect of the language i.e. accent, intonation,
pronunciation is emphasized. The third phase helps the learner to focus on the
grammar point to be studied.
Secondly they are asked to recite the song so that the rhythmic
aspect of the language i.e. accent, intonation, pronunciation is emphasized.
The third phase helps the learner to focus on the grammar point to be studied.
For example to study present tense read a verse from the song and
ask the students when the action took place. Then ask them to write the correct
form of the sentence if the action occurred long back or will happen later.
This can be assessed by providing students the focus questions, true or false
statements, gap filling, etc. Similarly to study synonyms and antonyms or voice
or any other grammar point we can use the above techniques. In the last phase
the teacher can select another song and assess the students on the same ground
and ask the students to read about the grammar point focused in the song
besides giving examples.
It should be taken care that the selected songs provide authentic
and meaningful material. For present tense 'Let It Be' by the Beatles, for past
tense 'Yesterday' by the Beatles, for present progressive 'Sailing' by Rod
Stewart, for present perfect 'Nothing Compares to You' by Sinead Occonor, for
past perfect 'Last Night I Had...' by Simon and Garfunkel, for modals 'Blowing
in the Wind' by Bob Dylan, and for conditionals 'El Condor Pasa' by Simon and
Garfunkel can be used.
Apart from teaching grammar this technique can also be used to
enhance the listening skills. As a first step in a listening activity even
before they listen to the song the learners are informed about the grammar
point they are going to learn from it. After listening they have to answer the
questions given. Here pictures too can be provided to reflect the theme. These
songs also improve the learners’ writing skills. After reading the theme, title
and the history of the target song the teacher can set opinion questions which
demand effective answers from the learners. Finally the teacher can discuss the
theme and based on which s/he can conduct group discussions, debates or even a
role-play. This can be proved a good technique in enhancing the learners’ LSRW
skills along with other language elements like vocabulary, pronunciation,
accent and intonation in a language class.
Games and Problem Solving Activities to Enhance
Communication Skills
The need of the hour is to enable the learners to communicate
effectively and accurately. The learners also attempt to enhance their
communicative competence. The teachers are trying to find all those possible
means and ways which are task- based and those which lead the students to use
language creatively. Language games and problem solving activities are
task-based and they highlight not only the competence but also the performance
of the learner. Games are enjoyable and learners tend to play the game only to win.
In this process they get totally involved in the game and try to solve the
problems in a game logically. Unconsciously they try to learn the language in
the process of facing the challenges put forth in a game. For example select a
game where the students have to use only the synonyms of a given word in the
game to reach the target. Here they can be provided with gap filling questions
to draw their attention. Thus they can learn vocabulary. Similarly games on
tenses, accent, etc. can be selected to teach grammar.
But it is the responsibility of the teachers to select and apply
the appropriate games and activities based on the learners’ proficiency levels,
age and experience. They also should design clear and easy directions for the
selected activities and games. The students will be more attentive towards the
entailed details and the meaning in problem solving activities. In the given
activity the student should generate a specific grammar point as a solution
part of the problem. For example if a teacher wants his or her students to
learn future tense s/he can provide example sentences which may represent both
present and future tense. If a sentence say’s ‘I’m in the class but I shall see
my friend in the canteen as soon as I get his call’. The student can be asked
to write that part of the sentence which talks about present tense on the left
and other part on right and inform the tense in which it is used. Similarly we
can provide some pictures, charts etc. in teaching grammar.
These activities are designed to be inquiry-based and they allow
the students for self-exploration of problems and solutions. Some of them
encourage work in a self-paced mode, and other promotes group competitions,
thinking and discussions. Students are encouraged to find multiple,
imaginative, intuitive and common sense solutions and as many solutions to a
problem.
Conclusion
In
this whole process of teaching a teacher should be only a facilitator. Through
these activities an innovative teacher can find a way to integrate all the four
skills along with various language elements. It is also observed that such
activities provide entertaining opportunities for the students to practice
thinking clearly while focusing on the form unconsciously. They also provide
favorable usages for extended communicative practice of grammar. They are both
motivating and challenging. They encourage students to interact and
communicate. Through such activities students match the discourse with the
context of the game or the problem solving activity. So these activities create
a meaningful context for language use. The use of such activities both
increases the cooperation and competition in the classroom. Thus, potential
classroom ideas come into being, and a successful, joyful and enthusiastic
learning is provided.
Reference
1. Brumfit
and Johnson (1979) The Communicative
Approach to Language Teaching, Oxford
University Press.
2. Krishnaswmy
N. (1995). Teaching English Grammar.
Chennai, T.R.Publications PVT.
LTD.
3. Natraj
S. (1989). Group Method Techniques for
English Language Instruction.Vallabh
Vidyanagar,
S.P.University Press, V.V.Nagar.