BSEd II – English

Teaching and Assessment of Grammar Module 2

SCOTT THORNBURY’S 6 RULES OF GRAMMAR TEACHING

1. THE RULE OF CONTEXT

Teach grammar in context. If you must take an item out of context to focus on it, recontextualize it as soon as
possible. Always associate grammar form with the meaning of the speaker or author.
WHAT?

 Grammar teaching should consider all three: form, meaning, and use
 Grammar instruction should integrate aspects of both language and literature and not as distinct field of
English
 Teaching grammar in context involves making connections between grammatical patterns and the meaning
of texts; wider contextual aspects such as genre, audience, subject and purpose;a reader’s feelings and
responses to the text; potential authorial motivations for making decisions about language choices (Aarts et
al, 2018)
WHY?

 Language knowledge does not necessarily guarantee language skills

 Context provides avenue not just to learn grammar rules but for meaning-making
 Every individual is creative and has rich experiences, thus should be given opportunity to utilize these
through real-world type situations in which context is a major consideration.
 Thinking of grammar in terms of concepts, that is, what is the purpose of using a specific form, what is the
meaning expressed through that form, will broaden learner’s understanding and use of the target language
(ACTFL Language Connects)

HOW?

 Real world scenarios

 Interaction
 Use of authentic materials
 Scaffolding strategies
 Literary pieces
 Inductive method

2. THE RULE OF USE

Teach grammar with the objective of improving the learners’ understanding and production of real language – never
as an end in itself. Always provide opportunities for students to put the grammar to some communicative use:
practice, practice, practice!
WHY?
BSEd II – English
Teaching and Assessment of Grammar Module 2

 The primary goal of teaching English is to help Filipino studnets acquire the necessary skills for listening,
speaking, reading and writing, which enable them use the language for effective communication.
 Language knowledge is not equal to language production
 Students are able to appreciate what they are learning if they see how language works and is used in real
context.
 Students should be able to see the relationship of grammar points to how the target language is actually
used.
WHAT?

 Teach grammar in order to facilitate the learner’s comprehension and production of real language, rather
than as an end in itself. Always provide opportunities for learners to put the grammar to some
communicative use . (Thornbury, 2004)
 Students understand the concepts (grammar rules) better if they are able to use and apply it I real
communicative tasks.
 Learning English is more than just learning vocabulary and grammar rules, students need to actually use the
language and listen to how others use it as well
 Grammar teaching should incorporate spoken interactions or communicative production tasks.
 A key component of grammar teaching is the integration of communicative work
 To teach grammar effectively, teacher should enable students to control grammar to express increasingly
complex ideas.
HOW?

 Authentic samples of language

 Identify usage patterns
 Audio samples
 Share insights and ideas in class
 Communicative Approaches

3. THE RULE OF ECONOMY

In order to obey Rule 2 (The Rule of Use), be economical. Minimize presentation and direct explanation time in order
to provide maximum practice time. By practicing, students think, communicate, experience learning and remember
language.
WHAT?

 Economize on presentation time in order to provide maximum practice time. With grammar, a little can go a
long way (Thornbury, 2004)
 The English Curriculum should be decongested, focusing on relevant grammar concepts
 Comprehensible input is language input that can be understood by listeners despite them not understanding
all the words and structures in it. It is described as one level above that of the learners if it can only just be
understood (Krashen, 2003)
 Providing comprehensible input and more time for language practice help students acquire language
naturally, rather than learn it consciously.
BSEd II – English
Teaching and Assessment of Grammar Module 2

 As language learners’ usage of the target language increases, so does their level of comprehension.
 Teachers should be able to strategize how to present grammar rules efficiently and effectively, then provide
more time for students to apply these rules in communicative tasks.

WHY?

 Language is primarily a skill, thus, should be practiced and used.

 Just studying grammar will not in itself enable you to use it. Students’ language success may be limited if
what they have learned will merely stay as rules to understand.
 Providing for more and more input may still not be sufficient, for input should be “comprehensible”. Thus, a
content-jampacked syllabus does not necessarily guarantee language acquisition.
 Students who are at intermediate level and beyond may need more opportunities for practice rather than
presentation of rules.
HOW?

 Plan your grammar lessons well

 Be clear with your goal
 Provide instructional scaffolding

4. THE RULE OF RELEVANCE

Do not waste time on grammar items or rules that students already know or will soon forget (e.g., every kind of
question tag in one lesson or more than one or two contrastive examples). Allow Chinese to facilitate learning
objectives, not to simplify or replace English.
WHAT?

 The rule of relevance prompts the language teachers to make learning become more personal to the
students.
 Teach only the grammar that students have problems with. This means, start off by finding out what they
already know. And don’t assume that the grammar of English is a wholly different system from the learner’s
mother tongue. Exploit the common ground. (Thornbury, 2004)
 The Glossary Of Education Reform (2013) points out two kinds of relevance: Personal Relevance and Life
Relevance. Personal Relevance occurs when learning is connected to an individual student’s interests,
aspirations, and life experiences. Meanwhile, Life Relevance occurs when learning is connected in some
way to real-world issues, problems, and contexts outside of school.
 This rule puts students at the center of English Language teaching and learning.
 Depending on the target language, teachers should teach grammar concepts in relation to the students’
mother tongue.
 Communicative tasks should cater to cultural differences. Teachers should make sure that examples are
accurate and appropriate for certain groups.
WHY?
BSEd II – English
Teaching and Assessment of Grammar Module 2

 Relevant, meaningful activities that both engage students emotionally and connect with what they already
know are what help build neutral connections and long-term memory storage (Briggs, 2014)
 Students may disregard important concepts if they do not find relevance to them
 Students become more interested to learn if they see the importance and connection of the concepts taught
in the classroom to their real-life encounters.
 Students may become disinterested in the things they already know; thus teachers should start where they
are.
 If students acknowledge that the concepts are worth knowing, it will hold their attention and engage them.

HOW?

 Provide examples that are grounded on how concepts learned are used in the real world
 Let students experience authentic use of the language
 Create activities to showcase students’ communicative abilities
 Watch movies
 Anchor your lessons on real world problems
 Let students publish their poems, stories, narratives etc.
 Encourage students to build and create connections to what has been taught and to what is happening in
the real world

5. THE RULE OF NURTURE

The most difficult rule: teaching does not cause learning. The right environment, conditions and opportunity for
learning do. Language learning is not an “ah ha! Eureka!” kind of learning. It is orienteering: finding one’s way
through a jungle step by step, accumulating knowledge and skills through a long, slow, deliberate process.
WHY?

 A nurturing environment is a learning-rich environment

 Students need to feel that the classroom is a place for trial and error and learning from mistakes. They need
to feel safe, supported, cared for in your classroom.
 Teachers should be able to provide a conducive learning environment free from fear and humiliation
 Students tend to withdraw and lose interest in learning if the classroom does not reinforce self-esteem.
Reinforcing self-esteem in the classroom is associated with increased motivation and learning.
HOW?

 Get to know your students and allow them to know you as well.
 Create a sense of order through clear behavioral and academic expectations
 Provide constructive feedback and allow students to learn from their mistakes
 Celebrate success and class achievements
 Choose appropriate teaching methods to cultivate students motivation and creativity
 Teachers may use the teaching method Suggestopedia

6. THE RULE OF APPROPRIACY

BSEd II – English
Teaching and Assessment of Grammar Module 2

Consider all these rules according to the level, needs, interests, expectations and learning styles of the students.
These same rules may lead one teacher to focus on explicit grammar teaching more and another to explicitly focus
on grammar…not at all.
WHAT?

 Teachers should design classroom activities not just according to efficiency but also appropriacy.
 Grammar practice and communicative tasks should suit to the context of each learner
 This rule prompts teachers to consider their students I the context of being language learners – What do
they already know? What do they need to know immediately? What do they need to know in the future?
 These questions can help teachers evaluate if what they are doing in the classroom is somehow appropriate
to their students.
 Teachers should consider the individual differences of students and use this to plan an effective and
productive teaching-learning process.
WHY?

 People are more different than they are alike. Teachers have to respond to the diversity of learners.
 These individual differences in a language classroom can make for success or failure in attaining the goal of
acquiring the target language.
 Regardless of how diverse the classroom is, students should be given equal opportunity to learn and
achieve their goals.
 Teachers need to evaluate what students really need and design classroom activities suited to their needs.
 The teaching-learning process should be student-centered.
HOW?

 Teachers may conduct needs assessment analysis or diagnostic tests to gain necessary data on students’
proficiency level and needs
 Talk to your students and let them share their language learning challenges and how they want o be
supported.
 Determine your students’ learning styles, previous learning experiences and present expectations
 Take into consideration all other rules of teaching grammar
 Start where your students are
 Student-centered learning