Teaching Grammar: TESL 641 Fall Course Introduction. Objectives: By the end of this course, you will be able to: Textbooks.

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1 Teaching Grammar: TESL 641 Fall 2015 Instructor: Dr. Jisook Paik Class time: Tuesday 5:30-8:00 pm Classroom: WATK 114 Office: MGC 326 Office hours: Tuesday 3:00-5:00 and Wednesday 1:30-3:30 or by appointment Contact information: Course Introduction This course examines key ESL/EFL grammar that is known to be foundational in learning English language with an pedagogical emphasis on how to teach grammar in communicative context. Readings, in-class discussions, and hands-on practice will help you prepared to help design a lesson and teach English grammar more effectively. To make the most of the class, come to class regularly, participate in class discussions and activities, and complete weekly readings and assignments on time while developing your own techniques and competence in how to teach grammar. Objectives: By the end of this course, you will be able to: 1. Establish practical knowledge on ESL/EFL grammar and grammar instruction methods in communicative teaching 2. Search and critique elements of good grammar resources/activities and create your own grammar teaching materials. 3. Demonstrate your ability to design a lesson and teach and manage classroom instruction in a formfocused, communicative lesson. 4. Conduct an observation and write a reflection that shows your understanding on the principles and methods of effective grammar instruction. Textbooks Required: [NF] Nassaji, H., & Fotos, S. (2011). Teaching Grammar in Second Language Classrooms: Integrating Form-Focused Instruction in Communicative Context (1 st Ed.) Routledge. Ebook also available at AU library. [F] Folse, K. (2009). Keys to Teaching Grammar to English Language Learners. University of Michigan Press. [U] Ur, P. (2009). Grammar Practice Activities: A Practical Guide for Teachers. (2 nd Ed.). Cambridge University Press. Additional required readings will be available on Blackboard. Recommended English Grammar Resources: Celce-Murcia, M. and D. Larsen-Freeman. (1999). The Grammar Book: An ESL/EFL Teacher s Course (2nd ed.). Heinle and Heinle. Yule, G. (1998). Explaining English Grammar. Oxford University Press.

2 Azar, B (2002). Understanding and Using English Grammar (3 rd ed.). Longman. Assignments and Evaluation Attendance and participation 10% Discussion leader 10% Video-based classroom observation 5% Grammar resource search & critique 10% Grammar activity presentation 10% Grammar unit portfolio 20% Lesson plan 10% Demo teaching 15% Reflection paper on teaching grammar 10% Total 100% Assignments Description (Also available on Blackboard) Attendance and participation: Regular attendance is critical to benefit most from the course. In case you miss the class, please let me know in advance or as early as possible. Up to 2 absences with the approval of the instructor will be accepted. Missing more than 2 classes without valid excuses will result in F in the course. Another feature of this class is small group discussion and activities. Engage in group work actively to share your ideas and also learn from one another. Discussion Leader: You will have a chance to lead a class discussion about a book chapter or article assigned in the week of your choice (sign up required). For effective discussion, the leader is expected to prepare a summary containing key points of the reading and 2-3 discussion questions that will connect the reading into teaching practice. Prepare PPT slides and one-page handout for your classmates in advance and send them to me at least 1-2 days before your presentation for feedback. The time for discussion is 30 minutes. Use about 7-10 minutes for the chapter review and use the rest of the time for small group or whole class discussion. Video-based Classroom Observation: You will watch an ESL classroom video (focusing on teaching grammar in communicative context) and write an observation report based on the template given. (3-4 pages, double spaced, Times New Roman, font 12). Submit the assignment to the Assignment section on Blackboard. Grammar Resource Search and Critique: You will search for useful ESL/EFL grammar books or grammar teaching resources (online or offline, not a single activity!) for teachers and choose one you like the most and then present your search to your classmates. This is a great opportunity for you to collect, share, and evaluate useful grammar resources for teaching! For search and selection, use the Evaluation Form. To organize the content, use the Content Organization Template. For presentation, use the PPP presentation (10-15 slides, 5-7 minute presentation). The presentation will take place in class (2 presentations/class) and the PPT file will be submitted to Discussion Board on Bb to share with other classmates. For the review of your classmates resources, the Peer Feedback Form will be used.

3 Grammar Activity Presentation (20 mins.): You will lead one communicative activity in class to practice a specific grammar point we ll cover in the class. You can prepare the activity by using or modifying existing grammar activities (e.g., P. Ur s book) or create your own. You can also choose the level and context where this activity will be used. You need to prepare all the necessary materials/equipment for demonstration and also for your classmates to participate in the activity (e.g., songs, cardboards, tapes, color pens, etc.) Prepare and send me the activity plan at least 1-2 day before class presentation. Grammar Unit Portfolio: You will choose a grammar unit (e.g., passive voice, tense, modals, etc.) and make a portfolio about the unit including the following items: Section 1: Grammar Unit Review (5%): This goes beyond the teaching points that will be used in class. This is teacher s resource about a particular grammar unit with useful meta linguistic explanations. This section will give you a chance to go in-depth to explore and understand a specific area of English grammar or structure(s) of English. Review several grammar-related resources about the topic first and then write a descriptive report about the grammar unit with a few key points and brief explanation and examples with pedagogical perspective. (i.e., what would be useful for teaching grammar). Length: 3-5 pages double-spaced, 12 font size. Section 2: Pedagogical Grammar Points (3%): Based on your review, present 2-3 teaching points of the grammar unit you reviewed in the first phase of the portfolio which are relevant to the target students of your choice (age, group, purpose of class). In this section, present the points with form, meaning, function (or use) respectively. Provide examples. Length: ½ to 1 ½ page per teaching point. Section 3: Activities and Tasks (10%) o Create 2 controlled practice activities (using speaking, listening, reading, or writing skills separate or integrative. No drills!)-2% o Create 2 semi-controlled practice activities (using speaking, listening, reading, or writing skills)-2% o Create 2 communicative activity with instruction/guideline (cf. P. Ur s book) -6% Section 4: Create one assessment or assessment plan (2%): Describe a test, quiz, oral report or an activity that you will use to evaluate SS progress with this grammar point. If one of the activities or tasks is used for assessment, describe how T will measure SS performance for assessment. # Once you decide a grammar unit, start doing research asap, looking for resources and ideas. # For activities and assessment plan, you may revise/expand/combine the existing activities (with the citation of the original resources). DO NOT COPY existing activities exactly. Lesson Plan: Design a CLT-based lesson plan that you can use in your teaching context now or in the future. The lesson should have clear learning objectives about a specific topic, content, or skill development including a target grammar point of your choice. In the LP, identify class information (age, level, purpose/type of the class). The LP should show evidence of grammar presentation or instruction, whether explicitly or implicitly, and practice and use of the form through various activities and

4 communicative tasks that focus on meaning. A type of assessment (informal or formal) needs to be implemented in the lesson, as well. The length of LP should be at least for 40 minutes. Demo-teaching (40 mins): This is a great chance to practice form-focused instruction by integrating teaching methods, resources, and tips you ve explored and developed throughout the course. You can use the LP you designed. (If your LP is designed for longer than 40 minutes, revise it for demo teaching so that your demo teaching will show a complete lesson/session.) In planning your demo teaching, consider how and when you ll introduce the target structure in context (Don t say as we already talked about this structure ) and how you ll let students practice and produce the target form(s) in class activities with appropriate scaffolding while focusing on meaning and communication. Also, think in advance how you ll evaluate students progress in the particular form acquisition in class. Finally, think of providing relevant feedback and error correction throughout the class and also pay attention to teacher talk and time management. All the materials and equipment should be prepared and ready before you do the demo teaching. Your peers will be your students (whatever age or level you may assign) and later they will provide feedback on your demo teaching. Your demo-teaching will be video-taped for your own reflection. Reflection/Philosophy of Teaching Grammar: Based on readings, discussions, activities, as well as teaching and observation experiences throughout the course, write a reflection paper on your beliefs in effective grammar instruction: principles and techniques. (4-5 pages, double spaced 12 (font size) Times New Roman, provide 3-5 references) Grading Scale A = % A- = B+ = B = B- = C += C = C- = below 74

5 Weekly Schedule DT: discussion topic TS: target structure(s) Date Topic Readings Activities and Assignments 9/1 Course Introduction: Changing view of grammar instruction Readings: (Bb) Rodriguez [NF] CH. 1 Syllabus Survey Sign-ups 9/8 DT: Focus on grammar through processing instruction TS: Copular to be and present verb tense [NF] CH. 2 Folse: Keys 1,2, Ur: #17 DL1 Activity presentation (demo) 9/15 Grammar Resource Search and Critique Week! (No F2F class) Online discussion will be done via Blackboard based on this week s readings (See Discussion section on Bb) Readings: Ur (pp. 3-26) and Larson-freeman (1997) 9/22 DT: Focus on grammar through textual enhancement [NF] CH. 3 DL 2 Activity Presentation 1 TS: Past tense and perfect aspect 9/29 DT: Focus on grammar through discourse TS: Future tense 10/6 DT: Focus on grammar through interactional feedback TS: Nouns, articles and determiners 10/13 DT: Focus on grammar through structured grammar-focused task TS: Relative clauses Folse: key 3 Ur #14 [NF] CH. 4 Folse: key 4 Ur: #4 [NF] CH. 5 Folse: keys 5, 7 Ur: #11 [NF] CH. 6 Folse: key 9 Ur: #19 Due: Video-based classroom observation DL 3 Activity presentation 2 Due: Grammar Resource Search and Critique DL 4 Activity presentation 3 GR presentation 1 DL 5 Activity presentation 4 GR presentation 2 Due: Grammar Unit Portfolio Sections 1 and 2

6 10/20 DT: Focus on grammar through collaborative output task TS: Infinitives and gerunds 10/27 DT: The role of context in grammar TS: Phrasal verbs and prepositions 11/3 DT: Corrective Feedback and Teacher Development TS: Modals 11/10 DT: Focus on grammar in L2 classroom TS: Passive voice and Conditionals 11/17 Micro teaching 1 ( cohort 1) [NF] CH. 7 Folse: key 10 Ur: #21 [NF] CH. 8 Folse: Keys 6, 11 Ur: #16 Ellis (2009) Folse: key 12 Ur: #9 [NF] CH. 9 Folse: key 14, 15 Ur: #3, 13 DL 6 Activity presentation 5 GR presentation 3 DL 7 Activity presentation 6 GR presentation 4 Due: LP (MT cohort 1) DL 8 Activity presentation 7 Activity presentation 8 Due: LP (MT cohort 2) Due: LP (MT cohort 3) 11/24 No Class! Thanksgiving Break 12/1 Micro teaching 2 (cohort 2) 12/8 Micro teaching 3 Due: Grammar Unit Portfolio (Sections 1 4) Due: Reflection Paper (cohort 3) All work must be handed in by the due dates established; late work may receive a grade reduction (A A-) per day. Please discuss with me ahead of time if you would like to request additional time to complete the assignments.

7 ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: You are subject to the Academic Integrity Code of American University. Please see this website for more information: All work you submit must be your own or must be properly documented. In addition, collaborative work and work already submitted in other classes must be approved in advance by the instructor. Course assistance: For academic assistance with this course (e.g. blackboard use, class assignments, etc.), please do not hesitate to contact our TESOL Program office at Library support: For assistance with conducting searches in the library databases, doing a researchbased study, or getting familiar with APA citations, students are encouraged to contact or make an appointment with Alex Hodges, the AU's TESOL librarian faculty at ext / hodges@american.edu. Also, AU library offers a variety of on-line tutorials designed to help you with your course projects. For more information on how to get research help, refer to this site: Academic Support Center: This Center offers study skills workshops, individual instruction, tutor referrals, and services for students with learning disabilities. For more information concerning these services, please contact the ASC at ext (Mary Graydon Center Room 201) Disability Support Services: AU offers technical and practical support and assistance with accommodations for students with physical, psychological, and learning disabilities. If you require accommodations in this course, please contact DSS at ext (Mary Graydon Center Room 120). Please also speak to me directly so that we can make the appropriate classroom arrangements to address your needs. Counseling Center: College life is sometimes stressful and demanding. If at any time you wish to speak to a mental health professional in a private and respectful setting, please contact the Counseling Center at ext. 3500, or visit them at the Mary Graydon Center, room 214. The Counseling Center offers counseling and consultations regarding personal concerns, self-help information, and makes referrals to off-campus mental health resources.

8 TESL 641 Useful Templates/Forms Grammar Resource Search and Critique Evaluation Form Items Organization and Explanation The spread of grammar is achievable. The grammar is contextualized.[meaning/use] Grammar is introduced explicitly. [Form] Examples are interesting. The language is natural and real. The material is up-to-date. Exercises/Activities Activities are learner friendly and have clear instructions. Activities help students who are under/over-achievers. Activities raise students awareness on usage [focus on form]. Activities contain interesting elements. Cultural sensitivities have been considered in activities. Activities move from simple to complex. Activities integrate different skills (S/L/R/W) effectively. Activities encourage interaction and authentic use of the form. Activities are compatible to background knowledge and level of students. Physical and Practical Attributes Its layout is attractive. It indicates efficient use of text and visuals. It is cost-effective. Book size is appropriate. : not at all : very much Additional Comments

9 The printing quality is high. The resource includes supplementary materials. (e.g. audio-materials, handouts, etc.) There is a teacher s guide to aid the teacher. (adapted from Grammar Search and Critique Content Organization Template I. Information about the resource: title, (an) author(s), publisher, year, web address if applicable, and a brief introduction about the resource II. III. Content Organization: Organization of the resource: How is the resource organized? (e.g., number of units, theme-based, skill-integrated, recurring activities or tasks) What are some unique features of the resource? Provide example (e.g., concise grammar charts, emphasis on language use, teacher-friendly guidelines, authentic reading materials, etc.) Content Critique Write 3 strengths and 2 weaknesses of the resource. Why do you want to recommend this resource? In what context would the resource be used most effectively? (age, level, purpose, etc.) Grammar Search and Critique Peer Feedback Form Key Information about the Resource (Include the title.) As a teacher, Do you find the resource useful and interesting? (Briefly describe why) Do you have any questions about the resource? (teaching-related, practical questions) Do you have any suggestions or comment about the resource? (To the publisher or teachers)

10 Overall rate: how much would you like to keep/use this resource for your teaching? Video-based Classroom Observation Report Template General description about the classroom: student information (age, proficiency level, L1, number of SS, etc.) and setting (size, equipment, desk arrangements, etc.) Write topic/content and objectives of the lesson including the target structure. Based on the observation, write two lesson objectives you think the teacher planned for this class. Interesting observation points about the instructor/instruction (teacher talk, questions, gestures, pace of speech, interaction, feedback, etc.) Interesting observation point about the learners (attitudes, responses, interaction with the teacher and other peers, self-correction, level of participation, etc.) Interesting observation point about tasks/activities (controlled, semi-controlled, free/communicative activities). Feedback, error correction, or clarification questions, degree of repetition (too little? too much?) Reflection/analysis/suggestions about the lesson (Overall effectiveness as a formfocused grammar teaching in communicative context, time management, instructional clarity, interaction pattern, enough opportunities to use/produce language meaningfully? what went well? What needs improvement?)