How to teach grammar?

[fighting spirit]

Hi everybody ;-)

I need your help once again.
I am supposed to attend seminar where I should give a brief presentation on how to teach MUST/MUSTN'T. Other colleagues are going to be my "students" and I was given a couple of exercises to do with them, such as:

Fill in the gaps with must or mustn't
Make a list of 5 things you must/mustn't do when you go to the cinema...

1. Now, I'm not sure whether I should introduce and explain grammar at the very beginnig of the class, or to give them an exercise first, and then precede with grammatical rules.

2. If I decide to do the grammar first, how should I introduce it in a way that's not too boring and conventional. It's not a good idea to say: "Today, we're going to deal with a modal verb MUST..."

3. There are also reading activities. I wonder how to introduce unfamiliar words. Should I put them on the board and explain the meaning before reading? Do you have any interesting ideas?

I would really appreciate your help.
Thank you.

 

[Tdol]

If you want to focus on must/mustn't as a started, going in with explanations about modal verbs might be overload, and may drag in other verbs and complicate things. Also, using examples that are already part of their knowledge and avoid having to teach lots of vocab may make the must/mustn't message clearer. Also,, think about the questions you will ask, as 'Can you smoke in the cinema?' is more natural than Must you, but then you could answer No, you can't/mustn't.

 

[Airone]

I know this might not be the advice you're looking for, but personally I would play "must have been love" by Roxette or almost any other song with the word "must", then find a couple of audio recordings or transcripts with the words "have to" or "supposed to" or "can't" or "aren't supposed to" or "not allowed to" and try to let the students work out that "must" and "mustn't" aren't really that used in modern spoken English to denote obligation and prohibition.

Hi everybody ;-)


I need your help once again.
I am supposed to attend seminar where I should give a brief presentation on how to teach MUST/MUSTN'T. Other colleagues are going to be my "students" and I was given a couple of exercises to do with them, such as:

Fill in the gaps with must or mustn't
Make a list of 5 things you must/mustn't do when you go to the cinema...

1. Now, I'm not sure whether I should introduce and explain grammar at the very beginnig of the class, or to give them an exercise first, and then precede with grammatical rules.

2. If I decide to do the grammar first, how should I introduce it in a way that's not too boring and conventional. It's not a good idea to say: "Today, we're going to deal with a modal verb MUST..."

3. There are also reading activities. I wonder how to introduce unfamiliar words. Should I put them on the board and explain the meaning before reading? Do you have any interesting ideas?

I would really appreciate your help.
Thank you.

 

[BookAddict]

I assume Serbian students may feel confused with "must" because the negative is not equivalent to the English negative.

Solution:
you must do it - you have to, there is no other way
you must not do it - prohibition - do not do it, never do it

both are like commands.

 

[Raymott]

Also, "How to teach grammar?" is not a question, or even a heading. I promised sometime in the past that I'd point this out occasionally.

 

[rithak]

Hi,
You can prepare content which would be easily reachable. Give well known examples. Unfamiliar examples may create confusions in your presentations.

 

[Ivy2937]

Hi everybody ;-)

I need your help once again.
I am supposed to attend seminar where I should give a brief presentation on how to teach MUST/MUSTN'T. Other colleagues are going to be my "students" and I was given a couple of exercises to do with them, such as:

Fill in the gaps with must or mustn't
Make a list of 5 things you must/mustn't do when you go to the cinema...

1. Now, I'm not sure whether I should introduce and explain grammar at the very beginnig of the class, or to give them an exercise first, and then precede with grammatical rules.

2. If I decide to do the grammar first, how should I introduce it in a way that's not too boring and conventional. It's not a good idea to say: "Today, we're going to deal with a modal verb MUST..."

3. There are also reading activities. I wonder how to introduce unfamiliar words. Should I put them on the board and explain the meaning before reading? Do you have any interesting ideas?

I would really appreciate your help.
Thank you.

I have been studying this excellent question for a while. And I have concluded that if the group's native language is for example Spanish you explain them at the start of the class for 15 minutes the usage of the modals in their own language (spanish) and then you practice the theme and its rules. You can interact with the students this amazing subject of the Modals. When you explain clearly the rules then the class will be very profitable and satisfying one.The more senses you use the better.

Ivy2937

 

[jack4321]

just speak and speak English nothing as make sure you can teach grammar..

 

[hannah_chc]

Hi fighting_spirit,

Grammar is a tricky subject to teach, but I think you're on the right track. I'd recommend explaining grammatical rules at the beginning of class. It won't necessarily be boring, because you'll immediately move on to examples. Maybe you could begin the lesson with an anecdote or a humorous cartoon related to grammar? My own teacher does that, and it lightens up the lesson a lot.

Hope this helps! :-D

 

[jeckysmith]

I am grammar teacher in a school but i have no any complete idea to teach grammar. Please update me with useful tips to teach grammar.