Teaching grammar is an important part of language teaching. There are different ways of apporoaching it - but which ways do you find most effective for you and your students? We received this question:.
Belinda, China
"I'm a TEFL teacher in a senior high school. The biggest problem for me right now is grammar teaching. Traditionally, we use deductive approach to teach grammar, for it is easy to control and efficient, but it is quite boring both to teachers and students. Inductive approach, on the other hand, is rather demanding and rewarding, but it is too time-consuming. Could you tell me how to solve this contradiction?"
A deductive approach is one where the teacher directly presents the rule to the students.
An inductive approach is where the teacher encourages the students to work out the rule for themselves through relevant examples.
How do you approach grammar teaching?
This topic is now closed, thank you for all your contributions.
Comments
admin
Teaching grammar means teaching how to piece together the units of language. But how to peice these units together in order to make it meaningful requires more thought. Whether to appraoch grammar inductively or deductively depends on the learners' mental orientation. Moreover, it also depends on the proficiency level as well as the age level of the learners. Adult learners are capable of understanding formal rules while younger learners leaner better if formal rules are avoided and more input is provided instead.
Elineth Suarez, Philippines
In the Philippine Normal University, we have started teaching grammar through text types. This is deductive inasmuch as it is the text type that dictates what grammar points ahould be taught and the grammar points come from a specific context. The rules are arrived at after the students have seen and realized how grammar works in the text.
Jamshid Nojavan, Iran
I have a slogan; teach a little, practise a lot.
Javad Motamedshariati, Iran
This is a common problem in in my classes. But a mixture of both can save time and involve students in the process of teaching as a result of which they won't get that bored.
Alain, France
A deductive approach is probably more efficient in most cases ; however, for kids, it is sometimes better to use an inductive approach. With experience, you realize there is no way around grammar anyway...
Costas Gabrielatos, UK
I think the 'deductive vs. inductive' distinction is (at least in practical terms) artificial. Combining the two is not a matter of choice, but an inevitability.
Anon, New Zealand
I have found that my students become extremely confused and agitated when I attempt to teach grammar, even in a simple way. So I no longer present them with this. They always wish to SPEAK English first, then learn about the language. Insisitng on grammar slows this process and upsets my students. Only when they can converse fairly well now, do I introduce any grammar rules at all, explaining as I go why it is better to know them. I often meet the question, 'Do all English people have to learn grammar?' and of course the answer is 'Hardly ANY English people know it in any depth.' But of course we all speak it successfully!
Tim, France
I think students actually like grammar more than we give them credit for. Grammar is one aspect of language that can be tied down and learned, and in English it is relatively simple. Making it fun is up to the creativity and originality of the teacher and inductive and deductive processes can both be useful.
Shakeel Amjad, Pakistan
I never use any one approach at one time; rather I keep on shifting from one to another. In my opinion a teacher who can best read feedback from the faces of the students can deal with grammar better.
Roger, Canada
These two terms, deductive and inductive, hardly count as 'approaches'. The main problem to address in the teaching of grammar is how to avoid mass ennui. What ideas or 'approaches'for that? Some ans: --hire stand-up comedians and have them teach grammar. --deploy creative writing and have students write stories of epic battles between prepositions, adverbs,conjunctions. --informal drama with parts of speech, syntax, loose & periodic personified. --pugilism or wrestling matches between deductive and inductive. --artistic representation through drawing, painting, collage etc.
Entisar, Libya
I usually start by writing some sentences to discuss them together, then give them the rules. finally we practise these rules together. I noticed that grammar is hated by the students so when you give them the time to understand they will memorise how to write correct sentences more than the rules.
Gabriela Sanchez, Mexico
In my experience, it is more challenging for learners to go through a mental process and find out the rule themselves. It's more satisfactory, more memorable and challenging for learners.
Jeehan Abu Awad, Jordan
I believe students need a variety of techniques when learning grammar so a mixture of both is highly efefctive.
Diana, China
It's easy and fast for senior middle school students to understand and use English through deductive grammar teaching, yet it's important for teachers to give the students authentic materials to practise. They also need interesting teaching.
Dr Deepti Gupta, India
I usually combine the two. For example, I would give them a few sentences for voice and try to bring out the rules through induction and then use deduction to sort them out. The approach has to be varied item-wise and situation-wise.
Lyle French, Sao Paulo, Brazil
I find that the more authentic, and at times, freer the practice, the faster the sts learn the grammar. Secondly I am a huge fan of the inductive approach to focus/finalise the grammar teaching/point. Get them to think and absorb the grammar concept. Finally, don't be afraid of using or comparing to L1!
Vani Defendi, Brazil
I am used to explaining grammar in a general context, giving examples that help my students understand it better.
G Studziñska, Poland
I always use grammar in context. Presenting "real language" makes students more aware of its usage in needed situations.
Liora Tamir, Israel
First I make pupils familiar with some phenomenon through dialogues, texts, songs etc and then it is easy to teach and not boring. The pupils can easily come to conclusions. What is more important, they understand that grammar is something "alive" and not a collection of exercises.