Janice Lozano
Teaching grammar to university students can be a challenging task, and educators have been debating the best approach for over a century. The traditional method of teaching grammar in isolation has been criticised, with many arguing that grammar should be taught in the context of reading and writing to make it more engaging and effective. This involves showing students how grammar skills can be applied in their own writing and providing examples of grammar rules in action through mentor texts or sentences. To make grammar lessons more fun and memorable, teachers can employ creative techniques such as gamification, role-playing, songs, and deductive teaching methods. Ultimately, the goal is to strengthen students' writing and communication skills by helping them understand the usefulness of grammar concepts.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Teaching style | Should be fun, creative, and engaging |
| Teaching method | Grammar should be taught in context, in relation to reading and writing |
| Student engagement | Use mentor sentences, songs, storytelling, games, and visuals |
| Student practice | Students should use grammar rules in speech and writing |
| Lesson structure | Scaffolding is important |
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What You'll Learn
Teaching grammar in context
When teaching grammar in context, it is important to demonstrate the value and application of grammar rules in real-world scenarios. For example, students should understand the difference between formal and informal spaces and how grammar skills can be adapted to their writing. This can be achieved through discussions and the examination of mentor texts or sentences that effectively utilise grammar. By understanding the context in which grammar rules are applied, students can strengthen their writing and communication skills.
To teach grammar in context, educators can employ various strategies such as gamification, role-playing, call-and-response, and detective games. These interactive methods allow students to practice grammar in a fun and engaging way. Additionally, teachers can use creative teaching methods such as storytelling, music, and movement to make grammar lessons more dynamic and memorable.
Another approach is to use scaffolding, a technique that gradually builds students' understanding of grammar while respecting their individual writing processes. This method ensures that students not only learn grammar rules but also grasp their importance and application. By taking the time to scaffold lessons, teachers can improve students' retention and help them transfer their knowledge to their writing.
Furthermore, when teaching grammar in context, it is essential to provide students with opportunities to actively use the grammar rules they are learning. This can be done through speaking exercises, writing assignments, or a combination of both. For example, after introducing a grammar topic, students can be prompted to create a story together, incorporating the grammar rule in their speech. This active approach ensures that students not only learn the rules but also know how to apply them in their communication.
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Gamification and role-playing
To begin gamifying your grammar lessons, decide on a theme or context that will engage your students. For example, you could transform your classroom into outer space, with students becoming astronauts, or create a different dimension where students are spies or superheroes. Students can actively participate in this process by decorating the classroom, designing costumes, and creating their characters. Ensure that you link these themes to your learning goals.
Within this context, you can incorporate various activities that promote grammar learning. For instance, initiate a group storytelling game where each student speaks for 10 seconds, building on the previous speaker's narrative. This approach helps students learn and practice grammar in a natural, conversational setting.
You can also adapt popular games for grammar learning. For example, create a series of sample sentences that illustrate the grammar concept you're teaching, such as subject-verb agreement. Display these sentences together, with one sentence intentionally containing an error. Students then identify the incorrect sentence and discuss or explain why it is wrong.
Additionally, consider using digital tools like Kahoot! to integrate gamification into your lessons. These platforms often include features such as points, leaderboards, and badges, inherently fostering competition and motivation among students.
Remember, gamification should be thoughtfully integrated into your course, ensuring that the game elements support the learning objectives. By combining creative contexts, interactive activities, and digital tools, you can effectively teach grammar to university students through gamification and role-playing.
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Using mentor sentences
Teaching grammar to university students can be challenging, especially when it comes to keeping students engaged. One effective way to teach grammar is by using mentor sentences. Mentor sentences are sentences taken from published works that highlight the use of language. They are a powerful tool for teaching grammar and writing, and can be adapted to suit different objectives and student abilities.
To begin using mentor sentences, first select a sentence from a text that is being read as a class, or from a published work. It is beneficial to use a sentence that employs grammar well and uses language richly. The sentence should then be typed in large writing and printed out to be displayed in the classroom. It can also be added to a worksheet for students to work with.
Once the mentor sentence has been chosen and prepared, it can be used in a variety of ways. One approach is to have students observe and analyse the sentence, considering the parts of speech and writing techniques used. They can then discuss their observations with their peers before coming together as a whole group to share their thoughts. This process helps students to understand the functions of words and how sentences are constructed. It also allows them to review grammar skills and parts of speech, reinforcing their understanding.
Another way to use mentor sentences is to have students imitate the structure and style of the sentence. They can practice writing complex sentences of their own by emulating the mentor sentence. This helps students to improve their writing skills and gain confidence in their ability to write effectively.
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Scaffolding
When teaching grammar to university students, scaffolding can be a useful strategy to help students improve their written communication skills and develop higher-order thinking skills. It can be combined with other techniques such as collaborative learning to enhance the learning experience.
To implement scaffolding when teaching grammar, teachers can start by providing a basic understanding of grammar concepts and their importance. This can be done through lectures, videos, or readings that introduce key grammar topics and their relevance. For example, teachers can explain the difference between formal and informal language use and provide examples of each.
As students build their foundational knowledge, teachers can introduce more complex grammar concepts and rules. This can be done through mentor texts, which are examples of well-written texts that demonstrate the effective use of grammar. Teachers can guide students in analyzing these mentor texts to identify the grammar techniques employed and the impact they have on the overall communication of ideas.
In addition to mentor texts, teachers can use a variety of engaging activities to reinforce grammar concepts. For example, students can work in pairs or small groups to analyze sentences for correct grammar usage. Teachers can also incorporate movement and interaction by creating physical responses to different punctuation marks or words. For instance, students could jump for an exclamation mark or shrug their shoulders for a question mark.
As students become more proficient in grammar, teachers can gradually reduce the scaffolding by encouraging independent practice and application. This might involve providing open-ended writing prompts or complex texts for students to analyze and edit on their own. The goal is to empower students to apply their grammar knowledge in their own writing and communication contexts.
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Making it fun
Teaching grammar to university students need not be a dull and monotonous experience. There are several ways to make it fun and interactive, enhancing student engagement and promoting deeper understanding and retention of grammar concepts.
One way to make it fun is to create a series of sample sentences that display the grammar concept being taught. For instance, if teaching about subject-verb agreement, all sentences should follow this rule, except one. Display them together and ask students to identify the incorrect sentence. Alternatively, provide students with fragments of sentences, such as dependent and independent clauses, and have them mix and match to create complete sentences.
Another strategy is to use games and competitions. Students enjoy showing off their skills in a game, especially one that involves movement. For example, a simple "Would You Rather..." game can be used as a warm-up, incorporating the grammar concepts they will be learning. Grammar bingo, jeopardy, and other board games are also great ways to make learning grammar playful.
Using multimedia resources, such as videos, can also make grammar fun. For instance, show a clip of a fun movie from their childhood or a recent NBA player's acceptance speech, and then ask students to write a sentence with two independent clauses based on what they watched. Using songs with grammar themes can also help students remember rules through catchy tunes.
In addition, incorporating creative writing tasks can make grammar fun. For example, if teaching the past simple, provide students with a newspaper article to write or ask them to write a letter if practising asking questions. Giving students choices, such as writing from the perspective of an old curmudgeon or a teenager writing to their celebrity crush, can make grammar lessons more engaging.
Lastly, using humour can make grammar lessons fun. For instance, telling jokes that help students remember grammar rules, such as remembering the comma in "Let's eat, kids!".
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Frequently asked questions
Teaching grammar doesn't have to be boring. Here are some fun ways to teach grammar to university students:
- Gamification, role-playing, call-and-response, and detective games.
- Group storytelling games.
- Using songs, such as "The Tenses Song (Past, Present, and Future)".
- Using visuals, such as simple charts or funny pictures.
- Using creative teaching methods to enhance students' writing and communication skills.
It is recommended to teach grammar in context with reading and writing. This means showing students when and where a grammar rule is used, such as in a video, audio fragment, or text.
It is important to teach grammar in a way that is engaging for both the instructor and the students. This can be done through the use of creative teaching methods, such as:
- Using video clips and funny pictures.
- Creating bizarre and ridiculous examples.
- Using songs and jingles.
- Incorporating movement, such as bear-crawling or skipping.
There are a variety of activities that can be used to teach grammar, such as:
- Mentor sentences: Using sentences that showcase grammar concepts and give students a clear picture of what they are required to do.
- Scaffolding: Building students up to understanding the importance of grammar while respecting their writing spaces.
- Concept attainment: Placing examples under "Yes" and "No" categories and having students work in pairs to identify the "rule".
- Displaying a series of sample sentences that follow a grammar concept, except for one, and asking students to identify the incorrect sentence.
It is important to show students how grammar is applied in different contexts. This can be done by discussing the difference between formal and informal spaces and showing how grammar skills can be applied in their own writing.
