Teaching Grammar
Irene Ofteringer
SoSe 2007
Student questionnaire
This questionnaire I would like all students to fill in before the first session. I would like to point out that
most questions require answers in a few sentences – they cannot be covered by just giving one or two
words.
The questionnaires will be the basis for class discussion in the first session and are to be handed in at
the beginning of the first session.
Name: ___________________________________________________________
Subjects and Semester: __________________________________________________________
1. What is your native language?
2. How many foreign languages have you learnt, and which ones?
3. In your own language learning experience, what have been the fields you as a learner saw as
separate parts of language learning? Has this changed over time?
4. Grammar – if you were asked to explain to someone what grammar is to language, which of these
would you choose?
a) foundation
b) skeleton
c) scaffolding
d) law
Please explain your choice – this is about the function of grammar!
5. What do you like about grammar? What don’t you like about grammar?
6. „Grammar is about knowing the rules“ – to what extent would you agree? Try to look at the
question from the point of view of a language learner and from the point of view of a language
teacher. What changes as you shift your perspective?
7. „Grammar is about knowing the rules“ – to what extent would you agree? What if you look at the
question from the point of view of someone who speaks a foreign language, but is no longer a
learner in a formal context?
8. On the basis of your answers to the above questions, how important to you feel is grammar?
9. What would you consider the primary aim of language learning/ language teaching? Are they the
same?
10. Consider these examples. Decide whether there are grammar/ language problems in these
sentences.
If you find any, spot and correct them. Find an explanation for your correction.
If there aren’t any mistakes, consider whether the structure at hand may require further
explanation, and what this could be.
 I live in Cologne since two years.

Have you visited the Twin Towers (World Trade Center)? (Does this question make sense?
What’s the difference between someone asking this before 9/11 and after?)

If he would attend school regularly, his mother’s life would be a lot easier.

Bill Clinton I know is a pacifist. / The Bill Clinton I know is a pacifist.

Mike drive always to school by bike.

After having graduated from College, I went to University.

I’m sorry about the mess. I‘ve baked a cake/ I’ve been baking.

(In an essay) The author means obviously that it’s not just to kill.