Teaching Grammar in Second Language Classrooms

ESL & Applied Linguistics Professional

by Sandra S. Fotos, Sandra S. Fotos

Recent SLA research recognizes the necessity of attention to grammar and demonstrates that form-focused instruction is especially effective when it is incorporated into a meaningful communicative context. Designed specifically for second-language teachers, this text identifies and explores the various options for integrating a focus on grammar and a focus on communication in classroom contexts and offers concrete examples of teaching activities for each option. Each chapter includes a description of the option, its theoretical and empirical background, examples of activities illustrating in a non-technical manner how it can be implemented in the classroom, questions for reflection, and a list of useful resources that teachers can consult for further information.

Genres: Education

182 pages, Paperback

First published November 8, 2010

Reviews

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The authors clearly state that this book is meant to synthesize current scholarship on grammar teaching for teachers in a way that they can apply in their work. Thus the reviews that complain that it is like a review of graduate school are both right in that it isn’t meant to introduce new concepts and wrong in that it is not meant for someone who has a PhD in second language acquisition. That said, this is a solid overview for readers with some background on the subject but perhaps not the latest in theories. Each chapter also introduces some general activities for teaching that can be adapted depending on the learners and the lesson topic.

[سمر طلبة · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book for revising your knowledge if you are an old teacher, and to know much about grammar in the English language syllabus in a well-organised way if you are new to the field. It would sound rather revolutionary for teachers where grammar-translation is still the norm. It is good that it gives lots of activities as examples of the approaches and strategies it discusses, to balance the highly academic tone manifest in the use of metalanguage, so I think it is suitable for researchers and teachers who don't have much information about pedagogy as a discipline .

[Bob · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reads like a grad student’s state of the field essay. Some good basic information and decent starting point for future readings.

My biggest complaint is the quality of the example lessons which are rife with typos, grammatical errors and non-native English.