Effective Grammar Teaching: Lessons from Confident Grammar Teachers

Learning the grammar of a language is an integral part of learning a second or foreign language. Studies on teacher beliefs, teacher language awareness (TLA) and grammar teaching have reported that the majority of English language teachers recognise the importance of teaching grammar (Borg, 2001; Bo...

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Published inTESOL in context Vol. 21; no. 2; pp. 34 - 51
Main Authors Petraki, Eleni, Hill, Deborah
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Australian Council of TESOL Associations 01.12.2011
Subjects
Beginning Teachers
English (Second Language)
Grammar
Knowledge Base for Teaching
Language Teachers
Metalinguistics
Second Language Instruction
Second Language Learning
Self Efficacy
Teacher Attitudes
Teacher Education
Teaching Skills
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Summary:Learning the grammar of a language is an integral part of learning a second or foreign language. Studies on teacher beliefs, teacher language awareness (TLA) and grammar teaching have reported that the majority of English language teachers recognise the importance of teaching grammar (Borg, 2001; Borg & Burns, 2008). At the same time, many teachers lack sufficient grammatical awareness, or appropriate skills, to successfully impart grammatical knowledge in a way that facilitates effective language learning (Brinton & Holten, 2001; Gordon & Harshbarger 2003). This article presents findings from a study that investigated teachers' attitudes to, and opinions about, grammar teaching in ESL and EFL contexts (Petraki & Hill, 2010). It reports on teachers' beliefs about the keys to successful grammar teaching, and their understanding of the skills and knowledge needed by beginning English language teachers. The findings have implications for language teacher education and suggest that raising awareness of what is needed to be an effective grammar teacher may contribute to the development of confidence in those who are beginning, or struggling with, grammar teaching.
ISSN:1030-8385