Grammar Teaching By Hossein Nassaji And Sandra Fotos

980 Words2 Pages

In the article, “Current Developments in Research on the Teaching of Grammar” by Hossein Nassaji and Sandra Fotos two main issues had been discussed. The first one is whether grammar teaching make any differences to language learning where the questions raised are whether grammar should be taught or not. The second issue is what kinds of grammar teaching have been suggested to facilitate second language learning. If grammar should be taught, how much and should it be implicit or explicit grammar teaching? Lastly, the article discussed on the current approaches to grammar teaching in which formal instruction can be integrated with communicative activities which are processing instruction, interactional feedback, textual enhancement, task-based …show more content…

This “focus on FORM” ( FonF) approach is where the grammar is taught in context and different with the “focus on FORMS” (FonFs) where the grammar is taught in isolation. In this part, the reasons why should grammar teaching used FonF approach had been discussed which the first one is because it is learner-centered and tuned to the learner’s internal syllabus. Then, this approach can be achieved in many different ways such as through design, process, reactively and preemptively. This approach also is suggested to be used if the learners of second language aim for communicative purposes since this FonF approach is focusing on communication and meaning. There is a problem had been raised in this part on how to balancing the focus on grammar and meaning and communication. The solution of this problem is discussed in the next part of article where some ways of teaching had been introduced which some grammar instruction and chances for communicative input and output are …show more content…

Sekelj and Rigo (2011) stated that there are three phases of learning the English language. The first phase is the pupils of Year 1 to Year 4, where in this phase, pupils are preferably do a lot of mechanical drilling and practicing some patterns of grammatical features which occur in the context of dialogue that are related to their real-life without any metalinguistic explanation in order to allow them to participate orally and physically as much as possible in dialogues, role playing and dramatizing. It is because, in this stage, it is important to make them conscious of their progress and increasing their motivation to use the language. Teacher should use a variety of activities to teach grammar such as by using songs, riddles, games and stories because it could be very helpful and an efficient ways in teaching grammar as what had suggested by Long (2000) where this FonF approach is effective because it is learner-centered and tune to the learners’ internal syllabus. According to Sekelj and Rigo (2011), Vilke (1977) said that, at the early age, the unconscious acquisition process is superior to the learning one due to the child’s cognitive development. Next, the second phase is Year 5 to Year 6 where in this stage, grammar start to be taught explicitly but with simple and clear explanation and awareness of accuracy of grammar structure should be

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