Integrating Grammar Teaching with Communicative Work in High School EFL Classes

Integrating Grammar Teaching with Communicative Work

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Paul Underwood

Toyo Eiwa University

[email protected]

Overview

→ Grammar and CLT

→ MEXT’s Course of Study 2009

→ Student-Centred Grammar Teaching (Video)

→ Example Communicative Activities

Grammar in the EFL Curriculum

Prior to the 1970s Form and error correction

1970s and 80s, research developments Reassessment of the role of grammar and the

emergence of CLT approaches

Post 1990s Strong conviction among researchers that attention to

grammar is needed and necessary

CLT

Regarded as an approach rather

method

Diversity of procedures and

contexts

The main purpose is

communication

Student-centred/ face-

to-face

Reading, writing, and translation not excluded

The focus on grammar varies

Specific Options for Teaching Grammar

1. Isolation: Manipulation of one structure at a time

2. Conscious statement: Structural description, functional description, or both

3. Deductive: Explicit, takes place before or during practice

4. Inductive: Implicit, takes place following practice

(Adapted from Eisenstein, 1987)

5. Mode of Explanation: Pedagogic examples, authentic text/discourse, abstract metalinguistic language, or a combination

6. The Explainer: Teacher, student(s), or a combination

7. The Medium: Oral in the L1 or L2, written on board or read from a book, or a combination

MEXT Course of Study for SHS English 文法は基盤として必要であるが，文法をコミュニケーションと切り離して考えたり，この二つを対立的な事項としてとらえたりしないことが大切である…実際の指導においては，文法の用語や用法等に関する説

明は必要最小限としつつ，当該文法を実際に用いて言語活動を行うことついて慣れ親しむことができるよう，当該文法を用いた多様な文を聞いたり読んだりする活動を行ったり，話したり書いたりする活動の中で，新しい文法事項を積極的に用いることを奨励したりして，文法をコミュニケーションに活用することができるようにするための授業を行うことが重要である。

Grammar should be taught in a way to support communication and in a way that it is integrated into language activities … it is important not to separate these two elements. … In teaching grammar, explaining technical terms and usage should be minimized, instead it is important to instruct students in a way that they can utilize their grammatical knowledge in communication.

(MEXT, 2009, pp. 43-44)

Communication English 1 Communication English 2 Communication English 3

English Expression 1 English Expression 2

English Conversation

* Mandatory course

The Course of Study 2009 for SHS English

Language Functions

• Paraphrasing

• Asking for repetition

• Praising

• Summarizing

• Explaining

• Agreeing /Disagreeing

• Advising

(MEXT, 2011, pp. 5-6)

Language-Use Situations

• Shopping • Home life • Having meals • Talking on the phone • Exchange of letters

and e-mails • Activities in the

workplace • Accessing

information

Language Forms

• Pronunciation: phonology, rhythm, intonation, etc.

• Lexis: vocabulary, collocations, and common expressions

• Grammatical structure: use of infinitives; use of relative pronouns; use of relative adverbs; use of auxiliary verbs; verbal tenses, etc.

(MEXT, 2011)

Factors Influencing Decision-Making

Broader educational

system

School context

Teacher beliefs

Teacher abilities

Grade 11 Lesson: Teacher Profile

Grade 11 HRT

BA English Education

Mid-level

‘academic’ school

Heavy English

Curriculum

“Challenging” department

Uplift: 英文法 Lesson 8, p. 25, Step 3

The other day, my English teacher told me that my ability to speak English has much improved.

Part 1/4

Student-centred Grammar Teaching

Grammar and translation, dealing with forms at the clausal level, but…

1. Students listen and repeat → maintaining

focus

2. Uses textual enhancement (with gestures) to draw attention to particles, “ability to speak English” → highlighting normally redundant

grammatical features

Part 2/4


3. Elicits vocabulary from students, nobiru/ improve

4. Students discuss meaning of shite kureta →

instruction in L1

5. Elicits variations and structure, “said to me/ told me + that + SVO(C)”

6. Students orally construct sentence in pairs →

comprehension task requiring deeper cognitive

processing of language; pronunciation

Part 3/4


7. Reactive focus on form, focusing in on the present perfect tense, ‘has improved’ → drawing attention to grammatical form with a functional (not structural) description of the grammar

8. Students orally construct sentence in pairs, then a different pair → encouraging language accuracy, pronunciation, and further confirmation

Part 4/4


9. Checks comprehension by having students write out the three sentences → focus

throughout the activity, accountability to the

teacher, grades, → instruction in L2

10.Students check each others’ work → further

engagement/ learning, immediate feedback,

saves time grading each one

Cooperative Groups

A

B C

D Shoulder

Shoulder

Face Face Cross

Cooperative Groups

Teacher

Extension 1

e.g., Yesterday, my baseball coach told me that my ability to hit the ball harder has much improved.

“The other day, my English teacher told me that my ability to speak English has much improved.”

Extension 2

Integrating Grammar Teaching with Communicative Work

Relax on the weekend.

You must diet.

You must go to bed early. Reliance on one structure

Pragmatically inappropriate?

No target structure

Activity 1: Focus on Form

Adapted from Underwood, P. R., Myskow, G., Hattori, T. (2012)

Activity 1: Key Points

1. Contextualise the language function (i.e., advice to a friend)

2. Have students complete the writing activity

3. Explain grammar structures and functions (after the activity) reactive focus on form

4. Have students reflect on differences between their language use in the activity and the target form consciousness raising and noticing

Yuki

Activity 2: Oral Contextualization

You should relax on the weekend.

Yuri

Artificial, but not hard to introduce more authenticity



1. Teach more indirect ways of giving advice, for example Why don’t you…?, How about ….ing?, or Have you thought about…? → deductively

2. Have students attempt semi-predictable role play, using the language from Activity 1 → thinking about pragmatic use of modals, processing and retention, moving from declarative to procedural knowledge

Activity 3: Written Contextualization

A foreign student, who is visiting Tokyo for the first time, has written to you, asking for your help. Give her/him some advice on the following topics:

• A. Sightseeing

• B. Food

• C. Japanese customs (Dos and Don‘ts‖)

• D. Nightspots

• E. Shopping

Activity 3: Basic Email Template

Hi ___________,

How’s it going? Thanks for your email. I was really glad to hear that you’re coming to Tokyo!

Here’s my advice. First, I think you should __________ __________________. Next, if you like shopping, __________________________________________? As for nightspots, ______________________________ ________________. But, take care, _______________ ________________________ …..

OK, bye for now. Call me when you get here,

Hiroyuki


Yuki

try some Japanese food

why don’t you visit Shibuya or Harajuku you could check out Odaiba or

Shinjuku you had better not go to Kabukicho at night because


1. Contextualises language (advice through email)

2. Provides a simple template for writing emails

3. Could have students attempt the activity for homework (thereby saving class time)

References Eisenstein, M. R. (1987). Grammatical explanations in ESL: teach the

student, not the method. In M.H. Long & J.C. Richards (Eds.), Methodology in TESOL: a book of Readings (pp. 282-292). New York: Newbury House Publishers.

MEXT. (2011). 高等学校学習指導要領「外国語」英訳版(仮訳) [Section 8: Foreign Languages]. Retrieved from http://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/shotou/new-cs/youryou/eiyaku/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2011/04/11/1298353_9.pdf

MEXT. (2009). 高校学校学習指導要領説明：外国語編英語編 [The course of study for senior high schools guidelines explanation: Foreign languages (English)]. Retrieved from http://www.mext.go.jp/component/a_menu/education/micro_detail/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2010/01/29/1282000_9.pdf

Underwood, P. R., Myskow, G., Hattori, T. (2012). EFL Reading in Japan: Theory, Policy, and Practice. Osaka: Mediaisland.

Integrating Grammar Teaching with Communicative Work in High School EFL Classes

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