I like to jump into each grammar lesson using stories or hypothetical questions to get everyone involved. These questions are like these “get the gears turning” in the minds of children. Try to strip down the jargon using as little technical speak as possible and focus on having children turn their attention to "situational English".

Grammar "Blues":
Teaching high level grammar to E.S.L students can be a formidable challenge. As we all know, English grammar is often times viewed as confusing or illogical to even the cleverest of children. I have tried to approach this subject in a way that is less daunting for a class using a very straight forward approach.

Food for Thought:
Here are a few questions for you: "Who has ever gone to Costco with their parents?"   “Which country do you want to visit this summer?"  "What you did you wish you had bought with your red envelope money last year?"  These questions are like these "get the gears turning" in the minds of children. They have a very specific purpose in my approach to teaching mid to high level grammar.

Starting in the Middle:
I like to jump into each grammar lesson using stories or hypothetical questions to get everyone involved. Posing simple "real life" questions allow everyone in the class to come up with an answer quickly. Following this, we brainstorm some of the answers on the board. Children feel less pressured to put together an error free sentence. Now that we have some "dough" to cook with, we can form them into a grammatically correct sentence.

Jargon-free grammar:
I have tried the "traditional way" of going over grammar.
Teacher: "We are going to discuss (specific grammar point). We use (specific grammar point) in (certain situation). Let's look at (several exceptional cases). (BLAH BLAH BLAH). When using excessive grammar jargon, children’s brains get bogged down and have a sensory overload. Try to strip down the jargon using as little technical speak as possible and focus on having children turn their attention to "situational English".

"Ping Pong" style:
Think in terms of sports for a moment. Ping pong is played with two sides hitting the ball back and forth. There is a natural flow and rhythm to the game. Players are alert and engaged while playing. The game is constantly shifting back and forth. Try to get the flow of your class to be the same way. Teaching grammar should not be tedious nor laborious for you, the teacher, or the class. Get your class a "paddle" and let them play!

Opening up:
Most importantly, this is instilling the habit of willingness. Willingness to try something new without being overly fixated on the "fear of failure". As someone who has taught children of all ages, the most important characteristic of an E.S.L. student is confidence. If you try to visualize a "confident" person, one trait that won't come to mind is hesitancy. Making mistakes, whether it is in speaking English or anything else in life, is just part of life.

 

民生 P3a & P5外師  Mackin Joseph Dennis / University of New Hampshire