| On the Efficiency of English Grammar Teaching |
||||
| 中学英语教学资源网 → 英语论文 → 教学论文 手机版 | ||||
Abstract: This paper attempts to explore ways in which a grammar lesson can be given more efficiently and impressively. It arises from my careful observation, personal experience and deep reflection. While presenting my own ideal ways of giving a grammar lesson, I hold that more efforts are needed to achieve an even better results. Key words: Grammar Interesting Mechanical Communicative Several years ago the English textbook for senior middle school of China had been renewed, yet up till now many teachers still employ the traditional ways in teaching grammatical rules in this more open and learner-centered version. So it is pressing to adopt new methods for teaching grammar and set the teachers free completely from the old educational mode in order that the true spirit of the new textbook is realized. 1. Introduction In English language teaching, at whatever lever, teachers feel it necessary to teach grammar. Grammar is the means by which linguistic creativity is ultimately achieved and inadequate knowledge of grammar would lead to serious limitation on the capacity for communication. As Ur puts it, “You cannot use words unless you know how they should be put together”(Ur, 1998: 4). Many Chinese teachers lay great emphasis on grammar teaching. However, one common phenomenon exists in grammar lessons is that teachers teach learners grammar in a mechanical way. They just list the language points one after another on the blackboard and explain them without any contexts. They require the learners to memorize those items mechanically and are satisfied at the level. Nevertheless, grammar teaching should focus on developing the learners’ communicative ability more than presenting and explaining grammatical rules. In other words, grammar should be taught as a “way of talking” rather than “a description of rules”(Niu Qiang, 2000: 33). In a view of present state, it is high time teachers adopted a new mode in teaching grammar. 2 .The Differences Between Grammar knowledge and Language Competence In teaching grammar, it is essential for teachers to first of all distinguish between grammar knowledge and language competence. Grammar knowledge means the grammatical rules in a learners’ mind whereas language competence means the parts of grammar knowledge that has become the learners’ unconscious competence through practice and can be used to comprehend and produce sentences or to monitor automatically his production (Niu Qiang, 2000: 36). 3. One Prerequisite and Three Steps in Giving an Efficient and Impressive Grammar Lesson 3.1 One Prerequisite: Using English to conduct English lessons An English class ought to be conducted mainly in English because it is important for English teachers to create an English environment for English learners. By giving lessons in English, the teacher will not only create a language atmosphere for learning English, but which will effectively prompt the learners to think and express themselves in English, but also improve their listening comprehension. On the condition that a complicated idea or a point defies explanation in simple and plain English, the native language can be employed. However, body language such as gestures and facial expressions can also be resorted to. 3.2 Step One: Presenting the grammar points to be learned in an interesting way How the teachers present the grammar points that is to be learned in class will affect the outcome greatly. The cannot give a successful lesson unless they arouse the learners’ curiosity and interest in learning Only when the learners are eager to learn can they assimilate the newly learned knowledge as part of their own. So teachers need to understand the many different ways in which their words and actions can arouse interest in grammar learning. One way to present the structures of the language effectively is to tell an interesting story. The story should contain the new words and expressions that the teacher is going to teach and it should not be too complicated so that everyone can get a general idea of it. It would be better if the story is related to the text to be learned in some way. While listening to the story attentively, the learners will encounter these new words and expressions and they will be eager to know the meanings and usages of them so that they can understand the story better. By doing so, learning grammar is no longer a boring practice but a need of the learners. Another way to achieve the same goal is to elicit by asking questions. The teacher may design some questions beforehand that are close to the learners’ real life which must be answered by using the new grammatical knowledge. For example, in order to teach direct speech and indirect speech, the teacher may first ask one of the learners, “Do you like playing basketball?” The learner may answer, “Yes, I like playing basketball.” Then the teacher can ask the whole class, “What did he say?” After leaving a few seconds for them to think and try answering, the teacher may answer by himself, “He said he liked playing basketball.” Not only is this kind of cooperation between the teacher and the learners natural and effective, but also it provides the learners with a context of using the language in real life. As every teacher is unique, he may employ whatever methods he considers effective to present the grammar points. 3.3 Step Two: Mechanical training Different from teaching many other subjects, the teaching of English is not chiefly aimed at imparting knowledge to learners but at training them to acquire language skills----skills of understanding others and expressing themselves by means of language (Huang Jialing, 2000: 42). However there is a considerably long distance between “knowing English” and “using English”, which can only be covered by means of practice. There are two stages in practicing English. The first one is mechanical training and the second one is communicating ideas in English. Here we will firstly focus on the first stage. 3.4 Step Three: Encouraging communicative ideas in English The ultimate goal of language learning is to communicate. So teachers should encourage learners to talk with one another in English and consciously use the newly learned phrases and expressions in their speeches. Adequate production practice of the new grammar points is very importing because if learners make a conscious effort to use it, at first applying the rules consciously, then at a latter time, they will be able to produce it automatically. Teachers can use three means to encourage learners to communicate. The first means is to hold discussions. The teacher may set a certain topic for the learners and the learners can express their views and values freely, or they may come up with their own topics concerning their interests, friends, families, the broader society and current issues. Of course, they should be required to use the newly learned grammar points as much as possible in their speeches. The second means is to have debates. As has been manifested, to engage learners in a heated debate by dividing them into two competing groups can create a lively atmosphere for speaking English in class, because the learners’ thought will be activated and their eagerness to speak will be prompted in such atmosphere when they try to win the debate for their own group. A lively atmosphere as such is most beneficial to the learning of English in class (Huang Jialing, 2000: 44). The third means is to have role-playing. This may be more demanding, because the learners will have to use their imagination and make up the plots according to the phrases and expressions set by the teacher. But during this process, certain “creative” elements are brought into play. So when the learners put into use their new grammar knowledge in a nearly real context, they also utilized to the full their creativity. The result is outstanding. 4. Conclusion To sum up, in answer to the teaching reform, this paper has mainly provided three steps in giving an effective and impressive grammar lesson, namely presenting the grammar knowledge to be learned in an interesting way, having mechanical training and encouraging communicative ideas in English. However, these three steps are surely not the only means for us to utilize in teaching grammar. Any creative and effective methods could be resorted to and employed. Reference: 1． Ur, P. Grammar Practice Activities, Cambridge University Press. 1998 2． Qing, N. “Reflections on Grammar Teaching.” Teaching English in China, Vol.23 No., Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press. 2000 3． Jialing, H. “A Discussion on English Teaching Methodology.” Teaching English in China, Vol.23, No.2, Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.2000 作者简介： 姓名：毛峰平 工作单位：瓯海郭溪中学 相关链接：教学论文
|
·语文课件下载
| |||
『 点此察看与本文相关的其它文章』『 搜索相关课件』
| ||||
| 【上一篇】【下一篇】 【教师投稿】 | ||||
本站管理员：尹瑞文 微信：13958889955