I believe that teaching grammar is incredibly important – the English language, as well as language in general, is an important tool for communication, but you cannot simply know the words. You have to know how to use them, and I believe that is where grammar comes in handy, showing the speaker or reader exactly what you need to do to convey your exact message through the language.
Realia techniques are my preferred method of teaching grammar to my students. I will bring in objects to the classroom in order to be used as a teaching aid. I will use things such as sandpaper, apples, tea bags – anything that has a texture or a way to describe it, so I can get my students used to learning adjectives. Also, it will get the students loosened up and in a spirit of fun, which will allow them to learn even more, as it makes them more receptive to the lesson.
I also plan on using practicing and presenting methods of grammar presentation in my teaching. This allows the learners to implement proper grammar in their real lives. They also get a clear explanation as to how grammar works and in what ways it should be used. The learner would start with the use of grammar, and follow that up with learning the form. Students could even have a good time dealing with the questions they are presented with. I find that this is an extraordinarily effective means of showing students exactly what to do with the grammar techniques that are available, and they do not have to do a lot of guesswork. (Heard 2007) They can practice predetermined grammar rules and present them to the class or me. This way, the students will gain substantial ground in discovering the ins and outs of grammar.
References
Heard, Georgia. The revision toolbox: teaching techniques that work. Portsmouth, NH:
Heinemann, 2002. Print.
