A good grammar book to help with teaching kids/adults?

[superstevieg]

Hi,

Would anyone know of a decent grammar book or website that provides advice on teaching grammar to foreign students. Obviously there are plenty of grammar books out there, but most of them appear to be aimed at helping the reader understand grammar. Being a novice teacher, my concern is that even with a good grasp of grammar I may encounter some difficulty teaching students the rights and wrongs of grammar given its complexity, for example, past continuous tense, etc. So I was wondering if anyone could recommend a book or website that advises how teachers can explain grammar in very simplistic easy-to-understand terms and grammar-specific games that help drive the message across.

Many thanks for any advice given,
Steve

[eraseroflove]

Dear Steve,

After submitting a good number of applications to schools in Japan, I was told that, if I were truly serious about pursuing an English teaching position, I should acquire a TEFL certification.

So far I've completed half of the certification and have found it largely helpful on a conceptual level; the exercises at the end of each unit don't just focus on the grammar and language functions (in those covering grammar and language functions, at least) but also give teaching examples and ask you to use them to create your own ideas. I'm currently working on the 100-hour certification with The International TEFL Corporation (www.teflcorp.com) with tutor included; the course cost around $290 with the tutor, but this approach breaks it down into manageable chunks with a worksheet attached to each unit as opposed to the giant test at the end which you'd have to face if you didn't pay for a tutor course (only $190, I believe). If you have the money, I'd definitely recommend it as not only is it a great review exercise regarding language and its structure, but it provides one with a solid approach to teaching and, from what I can tell, is fairly recognized by most schools in Japan. It is, as far as I know, interchangeable with TESOL and CELTA as far as job requirements/preferred attributes go.

If you have the extra money, give it a go. I'd surely suggest it.

-T

[KansaiBen]

If you have the extra money, give it a go. I'd surely suggest it.

-T

Take your spam somewhere else.

[KansaiBen]

Hi,

Would anyone know of a decent grammar book or website that provides advice on teaching grammar to foreign students. Obviously there are plenty of grammar books out there, but most of them appear to be aimed at helping the reader understand grammar. Being a novice teacher, my concern is that even with a good grasp of grammar I may encounter some difficulty teaching students the rights and wrongs of grammar given its complexity, for example, past continuous tense, etc. So I was wondering if anyone could recommend a book or website that advises how teachers can explain grammar in very simplistic easy-to-understand terms and grammar-specific games that help drive the message across.

Many thanks for any advice given,
Steve

Personally I dont spend a lot of time explaining grammar to students as 1. most have studied it in high school. What they seek is conversational fluency and how to speak what they know, at a level they are comfortable with.

Most language teaching tasks will have a particular goal, and language will be embedded in the lesson. e.g present continuous you ask students about what they are doing. Their current activities. Past continuous it might be in asking students for an alibi. 'What were you doing at 6 o'clock yesterday? 'I was watching TV'. Were you reading a book? No I wasn't.

Get students involved in a speaking task and invariably they will 'notice the grammar or make connections with their first language. It doesnt have to be spelt out for them.

[KansaiBen]

No surprise here, given the struggles you yourself seem to have with English grammar.

Is that the best you can come up with? Come on, you can do better than that.

[KansaiBen]

Face it, you teach a subject you're no good at.

Those that can't do, teach.

and those that do, go to prison, banking or finance.

[superstevieg]

thanks for your opinion KansaiBen, I get the impression the kids know grammar fairly well, but they don't have the confidence to speak comfortably ... thanks,

[KansaiBen]

thanks for your opinion KansaiBen, I get the impression the kids know grammar fairly well, but they don't have the confidence to speak comfortably ... thanks,

Trying to explain grammar in English you will likely be using language/jargon greater than their level of ability or ability to process it. Kids only need simple language, plenty of exposure and repetiton. Use lots of TPR e.g. demonstrate teaching prepositions, IN the house ON the table, NEAR the book.

High school kids. they are not learning they are MEMORISING and simply learn words taught by their teacher in order to pass a written multi-choice test. At high school I memorised the Periodic Table in Chemistry without any understanding of how it works. At school they are taught 'English' IN Japanese and maybe understand what a preposition (zenchishi) or an adverb (fukushi) is in Japanese but dont know what these words are in English and taught about word order etc but are not taught about USAGE in a realistic context. Nor are they taught correct pronunciation, intonation.