GrammarWhen many people think about grammar, they feel either negative or positive associations. As teachers, many of us embrace it and make it a large component of our instruction. However, how do you present grammar lessons? Do you present the information and the students are the passive receptacles of that information? Have you ever wondered why some students do not seem to retain the information and apply it to various contexts?
Explicit grammar instruction where a teacher is the "sage on the stage" is not the ideal method to help ELLs with grammar skills. Teachers should strive to facilitate students' exploration of grammar so that they are able to co-construct the meaning for themselves. This will make them more active participants and subsequently the lesson will be more memorable. |
Unfair Standards |
Grammar Rants |
When providing grammar instruction it is important to understand a child's background in grammar. What teachers look for when grading for grammar can vary greatly. Modeling grammar expectations, providing timely feedback for corrections, and giving clear and comprehensible expectations are critical factors. Many of us have experienced the arbitrary nature of when a teacher has covered a paper with the dreaded red pen.
Perhaps focusing on just a few elements of grammar on an assignment, or only subtracting points for certain aspects of grammar outlined on a rubric. These are just some ideas on how to approach grammar assessment. |
Grammar Rants are an interesting and engaging activity to use with mostly middle and high school learners. These "rant" involve students actively in writing, which also helps to improve language skills. With this activity students will read one or more excerpts from a writer who complains about some aspect of grammar in the English language. They are able to read the argument by the writer, and later discuss it, whether they agree, disagree, or are undecided. Many of these topics are controversial, which may interest many students, so they will have much to say on the subject. This will also cause them to notice and explore that particular aspect of grammar. This is a less conventional way of teaching grammar, but it is a great way to engage learners!
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Grammar/Structure Trees
Knowing Your Grammar
Last but not least, teachers must know their grammar. It is important to know the material you are trying to teach your students. There are many resources online to help refresh some topics where you may feel a little rusty. Dave's ESL Cafe is a good resource to use for you or your students, with explanations on a variety of grammar topics, and geared for the ESL classroom.
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