TEACHING GRAMMAR

SHOULD WE TEACH GRAMMAR?

• Languages have structural features that are complicated and hard to learn.
• Grammar effects are uncertain and hard to assess.
• Teachers are unsure of how much importance they should give to grammar.
• What grammar to teach and how they should teach it.
• Rules should be accurate and simple.

PRIORITIZING

If we teach the point successfully, learners will understand better

COMPREHENSIBILITY

Speakers of a foreign language want native speakers to accept them on equal terms.

ACCEPTABILITY

The rules that define the structure and use of a particular tense

SCOPE OF A RULE

The rate of occurrence of a structure in a language

FREQUENCY

An Italian teacher knows very well what aspects of English are difficult for Italian learners.

RELEVANCE

HOW SHOULD WE TEACH IT?

• It will depend on the point being taught, the learner and the context
• Explanations: build bridges from present to future knowledge.
• Examples: realistics examples for pedagogic purposes.
• Exercises: get used to build a structure to use it freely.