Penny Ur
ETAI miniconference
Rehovot, February 2010
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Some questions: grammar within a communicative methodology
 Is learner mastery of correct grammar a major aim in (communicative) language teaching?
 If it is, then how should it be taught?
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Would you agree or disagree with the following statement?
It ’s not important for students to use correct grammar when they are talking, as long as they are getting their message across.
It ’s not important for students to use correct grammar when they are writing, as long as they are getting their message across.
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…
… From the point of view of the hearer/reader, inaccuracy, even if it doesn ’t affect meaning, is


 distracting, ‘jarring’
‘discourteous’ may lower respect for the speaker/writer
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…
… from the point of view of the speaker/writer, inaccuracy may

 lower self-confidence lower self-respect as a language user
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…
… from the point of view of the teacher, professionalism means teaching the language as best we can.
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


 implicit and explicit teaching
‘noticing’ the teachability hypothesis
‘exemplar-based’ learning
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The goal is implicit knowledge of correct grammar (i.e. getting it right without thinking about it)
BUT
Does this imply ‘implicit’ teaching (no explanations)?
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


Krashen (1981): ‘input hypothesis’



You learn by getting lots of comprehensible input
The Natural Approach
The Interaction Hypothesis (Long, 1985)
You learn by interacting
Task-based learning
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BUT:
Explicit grammar teaching appears to be helpful
Spada (1997)
Norris and Ortega (2001)
But: only explicit teaching doesn ’t produce people who can communicate …
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The relationship between explicit and implicit knowledge
The non-interface position
The weak interface position
The strong interface position
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‘
’
Schmidt:
There is no such thing as unconscious acquisition of a second language
Noticing is necessary for learning
Intake is that part of the input which has been noticed
Incidental learning is possible, provided that noticing takes place
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There is a natural developmental sequence of acquisition of morpho-syntactical structures, impervious to teaching.
Teaching of a grammatical feature will be effective only if the learner is developmentally read to acquire it.
Teaching of a feature when a learner is not ready may have a detrimental effect.
(Pienemann, 1984)
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‘
’
You learn grammar by accumulating lots of memorized ‘exemplars’
Through extensive exposure + ‘noticing’
Importance of learning grammatical ‘chunks’


Ellis (N.) (2002): frequency
Nattinger and DeCarrico (1992), Wray (2000): formulaic sequences
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


 communication + some explicit teaching of grammar you need to ‘notice’ you may not learn new grammar because you ’re not ‘ready’ for it you need lots of exposure to grammatical chunks ( ‘exemplars’)
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•
Task-based + Focus on form
•
Task-based + Consciousness-raising
•
Practice-based instruction
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A communicative task, with incidental focus on form
‘... focus on form... overtly draws students' attention to linguistic elements as they arise incidentally in lessons whose overriding focus is on meaning or communication ’
(Long, 1991: 45-46)
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May be based on:


 error correction noticing of salient forms in texts teacher- or student-initiated attention to a lanaguage feature
Originally: unplanned, brief (Long, 1991)
But later: largely planned, extended (Ellis, 2001,
Shak & Gardner, 2008)
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Task based + consciousness-raising
 Practice is not helpful (some research, experience, the teachability hypothesis).
 But awareness of grammatical rules, forms and meanings may facilitate later acquisition
So:
Occasional lessons where learners ’ attention is drawn to forms, often in the shape of an explicit rule
Discussion of examples, and some intellectual effort
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The transformation of declarative into procedural knowledge by a process of automatization through practice (Dekeyser,
2007)
Underpinning in cognitive psychology: skill theory
Research evidence that it helps (Van Patten and Cadierno, 1993; Muranoi, 2007)
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PPP
Input-based
The communicative approach
Task-based
Focus on form
Consciousness
-raising
Skill-theory, practice-based
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Implications for classroom teaching
Problems with implementing research-based theory in practice:
1.
Varied, sometimes incompatible, conclusions
2.
Insufficient attention paid to purely pedagogical factors
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Teaching is informed, but not determined, by research-based theory (Widdowson).
Methodological decisions are taken by the teacher within particular situations, determined by pedagogical constraints + professional judgement.
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A suggestion: five basic components of grammar teaching
1.
Task-based + focus on form
2.
Presentation- and practice-based
3.
Communication only
4.
Focus on form only
5.
Exemplar-based teaching
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The basis of the lesson is a communicative task.
We may teach bits of grammar / vocabulary / spelling before, during or after: but the focus is always on the communicative task.
Example: an ‘agree/disagree’ discussion:
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A communicative task
Discuss how far you agree with the following statements
1.
The teacher should correct me when I make a mistake.
Agree …………………………………………….Disagree
2.
The teacher should ask other students to correct me when I make a mistake.
3.
Agree …………………………………………….Disagree
The teacher should get me to correct myself.
Agree …………………………………………….Disagree
4.
The teacher should make me rewrite essays after she ’s corrected them.
Agree …………………………………………….Disagree
5.
The teacher should not only correct me, but also explain why what I said was wrong.
Agree …………………………………………….Disagree
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Meaning-focused:
Pair/group work
Full-class summary and discussion
Form-focused : modal should object / reflexive pronouns ( correct me/myself )
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A grammatical rule, presented inductively or deductively
Then: practice activities, progressing from mainly form to mainly meaning focus.
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Example:
The Present Perfect
Conventional form-focus
Nina is looking everywhere but she can ’t find her keys. She ………………… (lose them)
Peter weighs only 50 kilos. Last month, he weighed 60. He …………… (be on a diet)
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Example:
The Present Perfect
1. Focus on meaning, but controlled form
Find someone who...
...has slept in a cave.____________ ____________
... has eaten caviar ____________ _____________
... has visited India ___________ ____________
... has been in a car accident ________ _________
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2. Focus on meaning, semi-controlled form (sentence completion):
Since this time last year, I have ….
3. Focus on meaning, free sentence-making
Think of a situation (using the present perfect) that would produce the reaction …
1. Oh dear!
2. Wonderful!
3. What a surprise!
4. Congratulations! 5. Help! 6. What a relief!
7. What a pity 8. Thank you! 9. What a pity!
10. I ’m sorry! 11. Oh no! 12. (sigh)
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4.
Focus on meaning, full paragraph writing:
Today is picture B.
What has happened since yesterday
(picture A)?
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5. Focus on communication
Group discussion:
You are a committee of experts who have to interview candidates for a specific course or profession.
Your candidate is requesting:
 to become a marriage counsellor
 to become a kindergarten teacher
 to join the police force
 to work on a summer camp for teenagers
 to become an ambulance driver
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Receptive:


 listening to recorded or improvised speech extensive reading watching movies, TV …
Productive:


 talking, communication games exchanging information, creative or transactional writing …
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Examples:

‘Tip of the day’ – isolated language points

Grammar rule explanations

Analysis of formulaic sequences

Comparison with L1
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Familiarization or learning by heart of:
 Chants
 Poems
 Proverbs
 Dialogues
 Songs
 Performances: sketches or plays
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Variable selection and emphasis:
Two examples
Grammar teaching procedures in the following situations:
A.
‘ELF’ at elementary level in a state school
B.
A university EAP course
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A. ‘ ELF ’ at elementary level in a state school
Predominantly:


Presentation and practice
Exemplar-based learning

Focus on communication
Occasionally:


Form-focus only
Task-based group work
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B. Young adults in a university EAP course
Predominantly:



Task-based + reactive form-focus
Form-focus only
Communication only
Occasionally:

Presentation + practice
Very occasionally:

Exemplar-based
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Research and theory have not produced a consensus on the best way to teach grammar.
They have produced many interesting and suggestive insights.
The practical five-component model proposed here is one possible basis for decisions about the treatment of grammar in materials for specific contexts.
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pennyur@gmail.com
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