Teaching Grammar

in Context
Dr Leo Francis Hoye
[email protected]
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CWP004 PDP-Sat mode (Semester 1)

 Teaching Grammar
Through
Text-based Strategies

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BASIC PRINCIPLES
A REVIEW of SEMINAR 1

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Basic Principle #0: All of our activities focus on
how we can make this bridge firmer, wider and
more explicit to ourselves and our students.

Human experience

Form, meaning, use

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Language that describes
that experience
Basic Principle #1: Grammar
and lexis cannot be separated
• Grammar involves structures and patterns that
are made up of words.
• Words are the starting point.
• Words
• Phrases
• Lexical constructions
• Lexical chunks
• Pre-fabricated units

• These combine with grammatical function words to create 5

meaning.
Basic Principle #2:
Grammaring is the 5th Language
Skill
• The ability to put words together
appropriately to form meanings is the 5th
language skill:
1. Reading
2. Writing
3. Listening
4. Speaking
5. Grammaring
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Basic Principle #3: Grammar
has three dimensions: FORM,
MEANING and USE

• FORM Are equally important.

• MEANING Require different
• USE teaching/learning methods.

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A 3D grammar framework:
Questions every teacher should
ask before teaching a grammar
item

FORM MEANING
How is it What does it
formed? mean?

USE
When and
Why is it
used?
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Larsen-Freeman, D. (2003 & 2013)

Basic Principle #3½ : Grammar
makes meaning in a context for
a purpose
MEANING
USE?

• Not solely rules.

Input: Rules

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Basic Principle #4: Grammar
teaching should be meaning-
focused and text-based
• A focus on meaning and use causes learners to
THINK about language
What grammatical
choices should I make to
fit the context and my
purpose appropriately?

• Thinking learning 10
Basic Principle #5: Unless
internalised, grammar knowledge
is not useful
• Grammar knowledge becomes
internalized through:
• Comprehensible input
• Noticing which incidentally involves THINKING
• Stretched output which we can also call ‘practice’
but not practice of de-
contextualised and therefore
meaningless examples!!!
(Obviously!) (I hope!) 11

Practice (USE) automatization/ internalization

Basic Principle #6: Vocabulary
knowledge is complex
• Knowing a word includes:

Sound, Spelling , Meaning, Use,

Grammar function, Connotations,
Collocation, Related Words, Chinese

• Knowing a word internalisation using a word

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 Seminar Two

Teaching Grammar
through
Text-based Strategies

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KEY/CORE STRATEGY
• Present grammar in context
• a text-based approach

• Help students to:

• Notice how the grammar is used in particular contexts
• Explore how grammatical choices are meaningful
choices
• Practise using these resources to make meaning
Jones & Lock, 2011

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BUILDING UP TEXTS
and
EXPLORING GRAMMAR
THROUGH THEM
The Reconstruction Strategy

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 Reconstructing

Involves:
NOTICING and PRACTISING

Helping students to NOTICE how grammar is

used in a specific context by jointly:

1st deconstructing a text and then

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2nd reconstructing the text
Reconstructing Page 1
Procedure:
1.Select or write a short text containing the target
grammatical feature(s).
2.Prepare an enlarged version of the text for display.
3.Cover up the target structure, and then cover the text
sentence by sentence.
4.Read the text aloud to students several times until
they have memorised some of it.
5.Ask them to tell the story back to you, gradually
uncovering the sentences they can recall accurately
(but leaving the target structure covered).
6.Give students cards with the target structure on them,
for posting on the board.
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Reconstructing
Chalk and Talk version:
1.Read the text aloud to students several times,
and ask them to dictate it back to you as you
write it up on the board.
2.Leave spaces where the target structure
would go.
3.Practise it, gradually erasing parts of the text
until students can recite it from memory.
4.Ask them to dictate to you the target
structure examples and write them on the
board for noticing and exploring.
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 Example
• Target structure: ‘Gerund’ vs. ‘Infinitive’

• Finite Verb + non-finite verb constructions

Verbs taking infinitives:
begin, choose, continue, dare, expect, fail, forget, hate, hope,
intend, like, long, love, manage, prefer, proceed, promise,
refuse, regret, remember, start, stop, tend, try, want, vow

Verbs taking gerund-ing:

admit, appreciate, avoid, begin, continue, defend, deny,
dislike, don’t mind, enjoy, finish, forget, hate, like, love, 19
prefer, quit, recall, regret, remember, resume, risk, start,
stop, try
Learning challenge #1
• Remembering whether I should use infinitive
or gerund:

• *I finished to do my homework
• *I want playing now

• Is there a rule I can learn?

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Learning challenge #2
• Overlap:
• What’s the difference between
‘love to do’ and ‘love doing’?

Verbs taking infinitives:

begin, choose, continue, dare, expect, fail, forget, hate, hope,
intend, like, long, love, manage, prefer, proceed, promise,
refuse, regret, remember, start, stop, tend, try, want, vow

Verbs taking gerund-ing:

admit, appreciate, avoid, begin, continue, defend, deny,
dislike, don’t mind, enjoy, finish, forget, hate, like, love, 21
prefer, quit, recall, regret, remember, resume, risk, start,
stop, try
 patterns
Some possible rules or tendencies
Some verbs taking gerund-ing:
e.g. enjoy, risk, deny, avoid, appreciate, defend, quit, stop
involve ‘actions that are vivid, real, ongoing in the present, or completed in the past. They
represent the success of the main verb, or the gerund, in accomplishing some outcome…’

e.g. Bob enjoys going to the movies.

Sue avoided talking to Barry.

Some verbs taking infinitives:

e.g. begin, choose, expect, forget, intend, prefer, promise, refuse, start, try, want
involve ‘future or unfulfilled projections, rather than past or present accomplishments’
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e.g. Mary wanted to see the play.
Roy tried to get elected.
 Some possible rules or tendencies
• Patterns with:
i. ‘feeling’
ii. ‘wanting’
iii. ‘starting’ and ‘stopping’ (“PHASE VERBS”)

• Some verbs expressing “feeling” and some “phase

verbs” are followed by the –ing non-finite verb form.
• Some verbs expressing “wanting” are followed by the
infinitive form.
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 FEELING WANTING STARTING & STOPPING
followed by the -ing form followed by the infinitive followed by the -ing form
of the verb of the verb

I enjoy being I long to do *start

lazy something thinking about
exciting it now

I don’t mind I hope to see *stop doing

waiting you later that
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 Teaching Idea #1
• Target structure:
• non-finite verbs (Verb + ing vs. Infinitive) for
‘feeling’, ‘wanting’; ‘starting & stopping’
• (feeling)
• like/adore/don’t mind/enjoy/prefer doing
• (wanting)
• long/‘d love/hope/want to do
• (starting & stopping)
• started/went on/finished/stopped doing 25
Materials:
• 3 sets of cards
• ‘WANTING’ want long hope I’d love

like adore prefer

• ‘FEELING’
don’t mind enjoy

• ‘STOPPING/STARTING’
stop start
• Recorded dialogue

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A: I’m so excited about this vacation. I haven’t had a
vacation in ages. I just long to get away from the noise
and the air pollution.
B: Yeah. Let’s do something really different this time.
A: Hey, this looks good. I’d love to go scuba diving, maybe in
Thailand, or somewhere.
B: I don’t know. I don’t really like scuba diving.
A: Really? I adore scuba diving.
B: It sounds dangerous. I don’t mind swimming at the
swimming pool, but actually I’ve never enjoyed swimming
in the sea. I prefer lying on the beach with a cold drink. I
hope to get a good tan this year.
A: Stop being so lazy. Don’t you want to try something new
and exciting? Believe me, once you start scuba diving, you 27
won’t be able to stop.
A: I’m so excited about this vacation. I haven’t had a
vacation in ages. I just long to get away from the noise
and the air pollution.
B: Yeah. Let’s do something really different this time.
A: Hey, this looks good. I’d love to go scuba diving, maybe in
Thailand, or somewhere.
B: I don’t know. I don’t really like scuba diving.
A: Really? I adore scuba diving.
B: It sounds dangerous. I don’t mind swimming at the
swimming pool, but actually I’ve never enjoyed swimming
in the sea. I prefer lying on the beach with a cold drink. I
hope to get a good tan this year.
A: Stop being so lazy. Don’t you want to try something new
and exciting? Believe me, once you start scuba diving, you 28
won’t be able to stop.
Worksheet
Verb + ing to + Verb

like ‘d love
adore want
don’t mind hope
enjoy long
prefer like
stop prefer
start start

a) Some verbs (e.g. ‘like’, ‘adore’) are about feelings, they can
always take -ing; some can take either -ing or to + verb.
b) Some verbs (e.g. ‘would love’, ‘want) are about wanting
things. They can only take to + verb. 29
c) Some verbs (e.g. ‘stop’, ‘start’) are about beginning and
finishing things. They can always take -ing some can take
either -ing or to + verb.
An alternative approach (or a
follow up)
For higher ability students

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#Teaching Idea #2–verbs that
take both infinitive and gerund Page 2

(Pushed Output Phase)

a) Tell the difference in meaning between the sentences in each
pair.
b) Create a story for each sentence to show the difference in
meaning.

1a. I stopped to think about it.

1b. I stopped thinking about it.

2a. I tried to take French lessons.

2b. I tried taking French lessons.

3a. I would like to go bungee jumping.

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3b. I like going bungee jumping.
 Page 3

Primary Level
Example
The Reconstruction Strategy

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New words
• Beach volleyball

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New Words
• Shore

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New Words
• Splashing

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WORDS
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SUBJECT Sticky Note

1 VERB
OTHER PARTS
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2 SUBJECT
VERB
3 OTHER 42

PARTS
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 Subject VERB Other Parts
Some teenagers are playing beach volleyball
The sun is shining
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The water is so blue
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Let’s say the
story
together.

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 VERBS
DOING? BEING?

FEELING? Page2
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 VERBS
Doing verbs Being verbs Feeling verbs
am standing is feels
is shining love
are playing
is
are sitting
are chatting
is splashing
• In present continuous • In simple present • In simple present
tense tense tense
• To describe what • To describe • To describe
you are doing things as you feel
how
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they are
 Pair work

I am standing on a beach. It feels warm. The sun is shining. The

sky is so blue. The sand is so soft. Some teenagers are playing

beach volleyball. Three old ladies are sitting on their beach chairs.

They are chatting happily. The water is splashing against the

shore. I really love this place.

CHANGE all to present continuous. What happens to the meaning?

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Page3
CHANGE all to present continuous. What happens to the meaning?

is feeling
I am standing on a beach. It feels warm. The sun is shining. The
being/looking being/feeling
sky is ↑so blue. The sand is ↑ so soft. Some teenagers are

playing beach volleyball. Three old ladies are sitting on their beach

chairs. They are chatting happily. The water is splashing against

am loving
the shore. I really love this place.

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Page3
 A different day at the beach

Standing
Warm
Blue
Sand
Soft
Teenagers
Playing
Happily
Love
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 A different day at the beach
• Swim
• Beach
• Feel
• Cold
• Rain
• Sky
• Grey
• Sand
• Muddy
• People
• Run away
• Hate
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 Pages 4-5
Write your story
“A Day at the Beach”
It is not a
very good
day…

Swim, beach, feel, cold, rain, sky, grey, sand,

muddy, people, run away, hate

Write. Be sure 53

Pushed output to underline all

the verbs
Alternative Follow up
idea: Focus on forms
Listen carefully to my story.
What are the differences?
Mark them when you hear them. 54
 Page 5
Alternative follow up idea:
Focus on forms
Students have this version
I am standing on a beach. It feels warm. The
sun is shining. The sky is so blue. The sand is
so soft. Some teenagers are playing beach
volleyball. Three old ladies are sitting on their
Teacher reads aloud this version
beach chairs. They are chatting happily. The
I am stand on a beach. It feels warm. The
water is splashing against the shore. I really
sun shining. The sky is so blue. The sand is
love this place.
so soft. Some teenagers are play beach
volleyball. Three old ladies are sit on their
beach chair. They chatting happily. The
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water splashing against the shore. I really
love this place.
Break Time!!! 10 minutes

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Thinking back… (p.6)
Identify the grammar teaching principle demonstrated in the
previous activities:
1) Students wrote their own story, “A different day at the beach”.
a. noticing
b. pushed output
c. focus on tenses
2) Students underlined the verbs in the text.
a. comprehensible output
b. pushed output
c. noticing
3) Students changed all verbs to present continuous.
a. focus on meaning
b. scaffolding
c. noticing
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Part 2: Adapting Local Textbooks

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59
 One day a
lion
caught a
mouse “Dear lion,Please don’t eat
me.”

someday”
“Little mouse,
The lion laughed.
how can you help me?”

“I can help you

“Thank you lion”

“You can go” 60
Said the mouse

The mouse ran away

Continue with the strategy
• Repeat the story together.
• Begin taking away language.
• Repeat the entire story using visuals only.
• Ask the students to put the words into
columns in a worksheet.
Page 8

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 Worksheet
What the lion did What the lion What the mouse What the mouse
said said did

One day a “Little mouse “Dear lion, said the mouse.

lion caught a how can you please don’t eat
mouse. help me?” me,”
The mouse ran
the lion laughed. “You can “I can help you away.
someday.”
go”
“Thank you lion”

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Adapting Local Textbooks

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Joe and the Magic Fish

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• Picture walk
 Page 9

In a little hut With his wife

to everyone in the village
An old fisherman
All
Helpful, too He lived
Joe was
His wife was
He was
Joe was kind The villagers liked him
Lazy and greedy

In a small village 65
villagers liked her
no
Worksheet
Joe Joe’s Wife Where Joe Lived
Joe was an old His wife was lazy He lived with his
fisherman. and greedy. wife in a little hut
in a small village.
Joe was kind.
He was helpful,
too.

All the villagers No villagers liked

liked him. her.

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Villagers

All Some Most No

Thought Joe was Liked Joe’s wife Thought Joe was
silly kind
Liked Joe 67
Open English Secondary 2

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 Page 11

Over to you

How could you

apply the
Reconstruction
Strategy to
‘Sara’s journey to
the East’?

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Longman Elect: NSS

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The Present Tense
Some verbs have a different meaning when they are used in the simple
present and the present continuous. When they are used in the simple
present, the verbs describe a state. When they are used in the present
continuous, they describe an action.

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 Listen…. Add to the list
Relational/ Nouns/ Action/doing Nouns
connecting to a adjectives
description
Present Past Photo of a Present Past Ocean
happy time Park
Is was Am went
tasting

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 Page 12

Relational/ Action/doing
connecting to a Nouns
description Nouns/adjectives
Present Past Present Past
Is was Photo of a happy time Am tasting Went Ocean Park
Look Were Happy think were looking $500
Look Smelled Happy Are looking Ordered The photo
is tasted Really good See Spit A great time
Really odd Tasted The Panda
Excited Saw Café
Really fun day Were having The menu
great Visited Hot dog
had It
The hot dog
Some children
Fish in the
tank
Ocean Park
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The Point
• Students are required to pay close attention to
verbs in terms of meaning and form.

• Students also practise the verb form in context

and from memory (with visual prompts).

• This allows the teacher time to listen and correct

or provide feedback on form/ pronunciation etc.
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3-2-1 Reflection
• 3 ideas from today that you will/may use in the future
________________________________________________________
_
________________________________________________________
_
________________________________________________________
_
• 2 things that you will do as a result of what was learned today
________________________________________________________
_
________________________________________________________
_
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• 1 question that you still have
_______________________________________________________
What we did….
Our focus was on….
• Ways of using texts to focus students’
attention on how verbs make meaning in
texts.
• The same verb may make different meaning such
as connecting the subject to an adjective or
showing an action (e.g. look).

• Ways of adapting local textbooks using this

strategy.
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References
Jones, R. & Lock, G. (2011) Functional Grammar in the ESL Classroom.
Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Larsen-Freeman, D. (2003) Teaching Language: From Grammar to
Grammaring. Boston, MA: Heinle & Heinle.
Larsen-Freeman, D. (2013) ‘Teaching Grammar’ In Marianne Celce-
Murcia, Donna M. Brinton, D. M. & Snow, M. A. (eds.) Teaching
English as a Second or Foreign Language (4th ed.) Boston, MA:
Heinle & Heinle, 256-270.
Larsen-Freeman, D. & Celce-Murcia, M. (2016) The Grammar Book:
Form, meaning and use for English Language Teachers. (3rd ed.)
Boston, MA: National Geographic Learning with Heinle Cenage
Learning.
Thornbury, S. (2005) Uncovering grammar: How to help grammar
emerge. London, Macmillan Education.
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See you
next
time!!

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