The importance of grammar in learning a FL
Grammar is a reality. A command of the structure of the language of the pupil ensures listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. In order to understand a language and to express oneself correctly one must assimilate the grammar mechanism of the language studies.
The chief difficulty in learning a new language is that of changing from the grammatical mechanism of the native language to that of the new language.
For example, Russian pupils often violate the word order which results in bad mistakes in expressing their thoughts. The English tense system also presents a lot of trouble t Russian-speaking pupils because of the difference which exists in these languages with regard to time and tense relations. The sequence of tenses is another difficult point in English grammar for Russian-speaking pupils. There can be given some other examples. The most difficult point of English grammar is the article.
The grammar material may be classified into the following 3 groups:
1. The grammar phenomena which do not require any explanation since there are similar phenomena in the mother tongue of the pupil.
2. The grammar phenomena which require corrections (money – is).
3. The grammar phenomena which are strange for Russian-speaking pupils (article, tense, modal verbs).
In teaching grammar, therefore, the teacher should approach to the material differently depending on the difficulties pupils encounter in the assimilating of grammar phenomenon.
The content of teaching grammar since school-leavers are expected to acquire language proficiency in aural comprehension, speaking and reading grammar material should be selected for the purpose. There exist principles of selecting grammar material both for teaching speaking knowledge (active minimum) and for teaching reading knowledge (passive minimum), the main one is the principle of frequency, i.e. how frequently this or that grammar item occurs.
The syllabus and the textbooks present grammar differently. The syllabus emphasizes what to teach and gives it in terms of traditional grammar. The textbook emphasize how to teach and present grammar in sentence patterns, structures.
The amount of grammar material pupils should assimilate in school, and the way it is distributed throughout the course of study, may be found in the syllabus. In teaching grammar the teacher follows the recommendations given in Teacher’s Books.
How to teach grammar
Teaching grammar should be based upon the following principles:
1. Conscious approach to the teaching of grammar. It implies some rules for the teacher:
- Realize the difficulties the sentence pattern presents for your pupils. Comparative analysis of the grammar item in English and in Russian or within the English language may be helpful.
- Think of the shortest and simplest way for presentation of the new grammar item. Remember the more you speak about the language, the less time is left for practice.
2. Practical approach to the assimilation of grammar. It means that pupils learn those grammar items which they need for immediate use either in oral or written language. The learner masters grammar through performing various exercises in using a given grammar item. Rule for the teacher:
- Teach pupils correct grammar usage and not grammar knowledge.
3. Structural approach. Grammar items are introduced and drilled in structures or sentence patterns. Structural approach allows the pupil to make up sentences by analogy, to use the same pattern for various situations. Pupils learn sentence patterns and how to use them in oral and written speech. Rule for the teacher:
- Furnish pupils with words to change the lexical meaning of the sentence pattern so that pupils will be able to use it in different situations.
4. Situational approach. Pupils learn a grammar item used in situations. Rule for the teacher:
- Select the situations for the particular grammar item you are going to present. Look through the textbook and other teaching materials and find those situations which can ensure comprehension and provide the usage of the item.
5. Different approach to the teaching of active grammar (for conversation) and passive grammar (for reading). Rule for the teacher:
- If the grammar item belongs to those pupils need for conversation, select the oral approach method for teaching. If pupils need the grammar item for reading, start with reading and writing sentences in which the grammar item occurs.