Consolidation time!

Please don’t forget what you’ve learned so far

Chains and slots

Syntax (chains)

The system of rules that cover the order of

words in a sentence

Morphology (slots)

The system of rules that cover the formation of

words

The case for grammarSentence-machine: Grammar is a description of the regularities in a language, and

knowledge of these regularities provides the learner with the means to generate a

potentially enormous number of original sentences

Fine-tuning argument: Teaching grammar serves as a corrective to ambiguity in

spoken and written language

Fossilization: The more instruction, the slower the fossilization of linguistic

competence

Advance-organizer: Studying grammar primes learners for noticing and acquiring

language in natural communication

Discrete item: Language is made digestible by tidying/packaging it up and organizing

it into neat categories

Rule-of-law: Grammar is a system of learnable rules; transmission of a body of

knowledge from those who have the knowledge to those who don’t)

Learner expectations: Learners have fairly fixed expectations as to what they will do

in class

A good ruleTruth: (Is the rule true?)

Limitation (Is it clear what the rule covers and what it

doesn’t?)

Clarity (Is it clearly expressed; free of ambiguity?)

Simplicity (Is it uncluttered with sub-rules and

exceptions?)

Familiarity (Does it use familiar concepts?

Relevance (Is it a rule that reflects students’ specific

needs and problems?)

Grammar from examples

Induction

Working rules out from examples

Generative situation

A situation that a teacher sets up in a lesson in

order to generate several example sentences

of a structure

Grammar from examples

Accuracy (precision at applying the system)

Fluency (automization of the system)

Restructuring (integrating new knowledge

into old)

Grammar from examples Wrong words (x3)

Wrong spelling (x2)

Wrong word order (x1)

Wrong verb form (x4)

Overuse of article (x5)

Non-use of possessive forms (x2)

Use of of where possessive ‘s would be better (x1)

Use of passive form instead of active ones (x2)

Use of the definite article when no article would be

better (x2)

Grammar from examples1. Negative feedback (e.g. “No.” “Wrong.”)

2. Teacher repairs the utterance

3. Pinpoint the kind of error the student made (self-correction)

4. Feedback signal plus invitation for peer-correction

5. Lead up to the error and pause right before it

6. Echo the mistake with a quizzical intonation

7. Clarification request (e.g. “I’m sorry, I didn’t understand.”)

8. Literal interpretation to show unintended effect of the error

9. Reactive teaching (impromptu teaching point)

10. Reformulation (covert feedback)

11. “Good” (focus on meaning over form)

12. Teacher says nothing but writes down error for future reference

PPP vs Task-based learningPresentation: Present target language

Practice: Practice target language through controlled activities

Production: Practice target language in freer activities

Pre-task: Introduce topic and task and activate schema

Task cycle: Learners engage in task, then summarize and

share results. Teacher follows by sharing or modeling with a

student.

Language focus: Teacher draws students’ attention to the

target language, then give them a chance to practice again

with the clarified forms

Six rules of grammar teaching The Rule of Context (teach grammar in context)

The Rule of Use (teach grammar in order to facilitate the learners’

comprehension and production of real language)

The Rule of Economy (minimize presentation time, maximize practice

time)

The Rule of Relevance (Only teach grammar that students have problems

with)

The Rule of Nurture (provide the right conditions for grammar learning

The Rule of Appropriacy (interpret all of the above rules according to the

level, needs, interests, expectations, and learning styles of the students)