Experiential Skills for Future Grammar Teachers: Feedback from the ESL Classroom
The idea for this page came from the suggestion of a Pedagogical Grammar (PG) teacher, in the MATESOL program at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, that people actively involved in teaching ESL Grammar in the CESL (Center for English as a Second Language) program give feedback concerning their classes, in order to make the training of MATESOL students more effective. As a veteran teacher in the CESL and other programs, I, along with Lynne Davis, the Grammar Coordinator here, offered some feedback. Later, we found other takers in the ESL community, both here and elsewhere. In fact, when I posed a query to the TESLIE branch of the TESL-L electronic network (discussion for Intensive English practitioners worldwide), I got an avalanche of responses, many of which are now listed on these pages. It evolved into two conference proposals, including one to the Southeast Regional TESOL in Louisville KY, which was ultimately accepted and given on Oct. 1, 1998, by Lynne and myself. It is a national project; we originally intended to have many presenters (since many have offered their insight). Also, we have found that both the skills we have identified and the gap between PG training and the classroom are universal, and that our programs here at S.I.U. are not vastly different from those elsewhere. It should be mentioned that our comments are not primarily directed toward MATESOL programs that train elementary ed. teachers, though they may be useful to them.
It was agreed by the original group that, rather than simply criticize the PG classes in the world of MATESOL programs (and these are quite varied; it would be impossible to make accurate generalizations), we would set out as a goal simply to categorize some of the skills that teachers need upon entering the ESL field, in order to share with PG teachers, and possibly new teachers, the benefit of our experience. Our purpose is to give a readable account of the classroom and its daily problems to those who can best use it, those who are training teachers to manage the classroom and its daily problems.
The most obvious skills of the grammar/writing classroom involve the awareness of the rules of the grammar, skills in classroom management (such as handling groups, using the blackboard, managing time, etc.), and affective skills which encourage rather than discourage students, and guide them into productive habits. These, however, are well covered in other literature. This project attempts to define skills that are specific to grammar/writing teaching; skills that make people better teachers; skills that, in a perfect world, an MA program would be able to provide its graduates with, before they set foot in the classroom. For example, empathy, which is a universal trait of good teachers, takes on a new meaning in the grammar classroom, since a teacher has to be aware of a student's perspective, specific to grammar terms and grammatical situations, in order to speak to that student successfully about grammar. We have identified a number of similar skills, and would still appreciate contributions from anyone. Credit will be given where credit is due, or, not given, in the case of those who wish to remain anonymous. For more information about being a contributor, click here.
Finally, it should be mentioned that the place of grammar in curricula is in itself a controversial issue, which we cannot cover completely here. We can only say that we feel that all future teachers will need to know grammar, need to be able to talk about it, and need the skills we have identified, regardless of the kinds of programs or situations they ultimately teach in. We hope that these pages will be of use to you.
Thomas Leverett, Lecturer
CESL, SIU-Carbondale
Carbondale IL USA
Jan. 12, 1999
Comments of new teachers and employers
The following is our working list of skills. Click on the number and go to the writings that have been collected related to that skill.
Classroom Skills for Future Grammar teachers
1. Future Grammar Teachers (FGTs) must be able to work from real data, making accurate guesses about what S's intended to say and why they may have used the forms that they did, and determine what could be done to affect students' systems
2. FGTs must be aware of the relationships among the three dimensions of grammar use: form, meaning, and function.
3. FGTs must have a variety of communication skills that are unique to the grammar classroom:
a. FGTs must be able to explain grammar points using vocabulary and language that students can understand4. FGTs need tools to work with the complex problems of ESL students, such as fossilization, randomization, and learning disabilities.
b. FGTs should be able to conjure up examples extemporaneously to explain grammar problems.
c. FGTs should be skillful in contextualizing grammar points; that is, finding contexts in which students would encounter or need grammatical structures.
5. FGTs need skills to teach at various levels of grammar ability, and to balance deductive and inductive styles of learners.
6. FGTs should have mastered their own grammar anxiety, and should have the skills and resources to find and give appropriate answers to difficult questions.
7. FGTs need to understand and carefully represent the forms of the language in its complexity; for example, the dialects, the registers, and the evolution of the language through time.
8. FGTs should be aware of the opportunities to integrate CALL and computer technologies (i.e. concordance technology) into their classrooms.
9. FGTs should be aware of, and have tools to deal with, the problems of getting students to incorporate grammar knowledge into their working systems.
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The above page is part of a continuing project. Contributions are welcome (see above).
Thomas Leverett, CESL, SIU-Carbondale, Carbondale IL 62901-4518 USA.
Last updated 1-15-99
River Li, by Jim Leverett
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