Principles of teaching grammar Grammar language material is taught according to the definite methodical principles. Teaching foreign language grammar is conducted basing on the following principles.
Principle of developing grammar mechanisms. Teaching foreign language grammar is associated with developing grammar mechanisms. The grammar mechanism of the foreign language consists of three parts, as it was mentioned above skills, material and generalization.
Grammar skills have a special place among the automatized components of speech activity in acquisition of grammar mechanisms. Grammar skills are developed as reproductive and receptive skills of oral/written speech.
The acts of grammar skills are composed of generalizations appropriate to rules, i.e., they contain grammar abstractions.
Methods of developing grammar skill of foreign language is connected with peculiarities of speech activity and difficulties on interrelations of grammar structures of the native language, second language and foreign language are taken into consideration.
Teaching grammar mechanisms of speech must be fulfilled by taking into account the mother tongue of students from the one side and secondly by overcoming negative influence of mother tongue to the foreign language speech process: a) a rule is explained in mother tongue, where the meaning of grammar cases and their usage are expressed; b) development of reproductive skills are achieved by changing grammar acts and thinking operations that appear due to the mother tongue, changing systems and using methods of choosing to avoid negative influence of mother tongue. This is reflected in selecting exercises and content of rules. To avoid negative influence that results in difficulties translating and untranslating exercises are done; d) overcoming the attendance of mother tongue in the speech process of foreign language is achieved by decreasing and avoiding to use thinking operations.
The second content of teaching grammar mechanisms of speech in foreign language involves linking words and inflexions. Its acquisition requires creating exact and steady images. It is achieved along with acquisition of skill acts and also by creating an opportunity to memorize the material.
The third content of acquiring grammar mechanisms of speech includes assimilation of generalizations on the base of materials and acts. Generalizations are learned inductively. Learning notions consists of two stages: a) pupils understand rules in the process of doing exercises; b) they discover grammar acts and materials of speech as generalizations.
Principle of communicative orientation: a) grammar skills are acquired in the content of kinds of speech activity; b) special grammar exercise is planned only in the initial stage of creating the skill.
Principle of practical learning of grammar. It reveals learning grammar cases that are important and enough for oral and written speech.
Principle of teaching grammar in structure. Structural approach in teaching grammar is well-grounded measure. A new vocabulary unit is presented in the known speech pattern, and the unknown pattern is presented on the base of acquired vocabulary material.
Principle of teaching grammar in speech situation. In teaching foreign language it is referred as situational approach (in American methodology role playing).
Principle of conscious acquisition of grammar. Consciousness is aimed at directing attention of the pupil to definite language elements in the learned speech pattern (sentence).
Principle of differentiated teaching grammar. Based on the assimilation of active and passive units they are sorted into reproductive and receptive speech. There are different acts for reproduction and reception.
Besides the above mentioned general principles there are also private principles of teaching foreign grammar (worked out by V.S.Setlin).
The system of teaching foreign grammar (according to the doctrine of V.S.Setlin) consists of forming grammar skills, acquiring grammar material and learning generalization. In its turn it requires doing exercises aimed at forming skills and acquiring the material. In short exercises are means of overcoming difficulties in material, acts and generalizations. There are some samples of exercises aimed at teaching EL grammar:
To discover the studied grammar case in the perceived text.
To differ new grammar from other known cases.
Naming the heard/read grammar case.
To analyze the sentence grammatically.
To continue teacher’s story using relevant grammar case.
To use grammar case uttered by pupil (teacher) in sentence.
To systemize grammar material (e.g., making up sentences in present, past and future tenses).
To use freely grammar case in speech situation.
To describe the picture in the present (past, future) tense in foreign language.
To make up conversation using the proper grammar case.
To use didactic handouts for grammar exercises (individual approach).
To translate the sentence (paragraph) that contains difficult grammar case, etc.
AIM of Teaching Grammar - is developing learner’ grammatical competence. Grammatical competence may be defined as knowledge of, and ability to use, the grammatical resources of a language. (CEFR p. 112)
Grammar is the total mechanism which a language possesses and through which its users are able to communicate with each other. Grammar refers to the formal analysis and description of the rules of the language. This is known as ‘Descriptive grammar’. Grammar also refers to the rules for the correct use of a language which may be prescribed for its users.
