How to teach grammar for a beginners ESL class

[Darateachesall08]

Hello,

I teach a low beginners and intermediate classes for a non-profit Chinese organization. All of my students are Chinese adults and part of my curriculum is to teach grammar. One of the difficulties I have is explaining grammar in a way that's simple and fun. I am not sure how to use the grammar in an interactive manner where students can practice it effectively. Can anyone suggest how I can make grammar fun and interactive? My low level students are eager to speak and any work we do, I try to make it where students talk to each other. Do you know of any books I can use to assist me in conversation practice with students using grammar, especially for intermediate level students?

I am happy to be apart of this forum and look forward to meeting other ESL teachers Thank you, Dara

[Heads Up English]

At beginning levels, except for the basics (subject, verb, present tense, etc.), the technical terms aren't really important. Students need to see the pattern of a particular language point, and drill the pattern until it becomes somewhat automatic. At that level, long grammar explanations don't benefit the students. Practice (and more practice) gets them using the language correctly.

This applies to intermediate students, too. However, if you've been introducing basic terms, then this greatly aids comprehension of more difficult terms with intermediate and advanced students.

Chris Cotter
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[oregeezer]

Well, Dara 'grammar' and 'fun' ??? Maybe in Brooklyn, certainly was NOT that way in upstate where I grew up. (Lewiston near Niagara Falls) I am NOT a grammarian but I too have been looking for a way to make grammar of use to my Thai students who are False Beginners. Haven't tried it yet but I am begining to explore the posibilities of teaching sentence diagramming. As a visual method of showing the sentence strucure I think it may be appealing to students artisitic sense.

[fernandorafael]

[quote=Darateachesall08;255312]Hello,
Hi there

I am new in town but your question is really interesting since everybody looks for a good and fun way to teach grammar.
there is a good book "grammar games" you know it? it is cambridge university press - mario rinvolucri.
check it it'll help you
tell me later bye.

[Dally]

yes
I need also to know the basic thing in learning grammar

[sukanya]

i hv started writing material in english for students who hv absolutely no knowledge of d language. hw do i start nd frm where do i start. pl guide. do i need to introduce alphabets first or start with d sounds. pl. guide me.

[Tdol]

Originally Posted by Darateachesall08

All of my students are Chinese adults and part of my curriculum is to teach grammar. One of the difficulties I have is explaining grammar in a way that's simple and fun. I am not sure how to use the grammar in an interactive manner where students can practice it effectively.

Are they going to be tested on their knowledge of grammar or their ability to use it?

[ICAL_Pete]

I personally don't think that you can teach "grammar" as such. I only ever teach it within the context of the class learning useful English. In other words, suppose they're learning how to tell a story - then I teach the past simple and past continuous, for example.

Approaching grammar on a "need to know" basis means that I can take any "fun" activity and the grammar comes along with it.

Let's suppose I have to have the class practice the passive voice. I won't go in there and say, "Today we're practicing the Passive Voice". Instead I'll tell them that today we're going to be doing a general knowledge quiz and I'd do this activity with them (which practices the Passive).

For me, the grammar just comes along for the ride!