Module 3 - Teaching and Assessing Grammar
Module 3 - Teaching and Assessing Grammar
LESSON 1
DISCOURSE FUNCTION NEGATION,
COORDINATION AND SUBORDINATION
What Will You Learn From this Module?
Kudos! You have accomplished the TAG lessons in Module 1 and 2. In module 3, be ready
to learn about the following:
Lesson 1: Discourse Function, Negation, Coordination, and Subordination;
Lesson 2: Spoken vs. Written Grammar; Grammar in the DepEd Curriculum;
Lesson 3: Methods of Teaching Grammar; Error Correction; and the Anti-Grammar
Movement; and
Lesson 4: Theoretical Views on Second Language Grammar Acquisition: The Noticing
Hypothesis, Its Application in Computer Assisted Language Learning, and Its
Opponents.
Let’s Read
Negation
In English grammar, negation is a grammatical construction that contradicts (or negates)
all or part of the meaning of a sentence. Also known as a negative construction or standard
negation. In standard English, negative clauses and sentences commonly include the negative
particle not or the contracted negative n't. Other negative words include no, none, nothing, nobody,
nowhere, and never.
In many cases, a negative word can be formed by adding the prefix un- to the positive form
of a word (as in unhappy and undecided). Other negative affixes (called negators) include a-, de-,
dis-, in-, -less, and mis-.
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Changing positive sentence into its negative
Positive sentence Negative sentence
It was singing, it was crying, coming up the It was not singing and it was not crying,
stairs. coming up the stairs.
I have some rope up here. I do not (don’t) have some rope here.
The people of the State of New York allow The people of the State of New York cannot
allowed every individual to be properly fed, allow any individuals within her borders to go
clothed and sheltered. unfed, unclothed, or unsheltered.
There was a zinc tub, there was a buckets of No zinc tub, no buckets of stove-heated water,
stove-heated water, there was flaky, stiff, no flaky, stiff, grayish towels washed in a
grayish towels washed in the kitchen sink, dried kitchen sink, dried in a dusty backyard, no
in a dusty backyard, there was a tangled tangled black puffs of rough wool to comb."
black puffs of rough wool to comb.
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What About 'Ain't'?
Ain't is a negative form of unclear historical origin and of very wide usage—both
grammatically and geographically. Probably due to a historical coincidence, ain't functions as the
negative form of both present tense BE and present tense HAVE in non-standard English today."
(Anderwald, Lieselotte. Negation in Non-Standard British English: Gaps, Regularizations, and
Asymmetries, Routledge, 2002.)
Examples:
I ain’t seen her take a whip to you once.
Life ain’t always’s what it seems to be.
Let’s Try
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B. Write sentences with the following description:
1. PP+PP -
2. Adv+adv -
3. VP+VP -
4. NP+NP -
5. AdvP+AdvP -
LESSON 2
SPOKEN VS. WRITTEN GRAMMAR;
GRAMMAR IN THE DEPED CURRICULUM
Let’s Read
Grammar is the sound, structure and meaning system of language. All language have
grammar, and each language has its own grammar. People who speak the same language are able
to communicate because they intuitively know the grammar system of that language- that is, the
rules of making meaning.
The following are the two (2) types of grammar; namely:
1. Spoken Grammar- is usually spontaneous and unplanned and produced in real time with no
opportunity for editing. This spontaneity produces some distinct features, as speakers deal with
and adapt to the pressures of “real-time processing”, resulting in a “step-by-step assembly” of
speech. Spoken grammar fulfil the interpersonal and interactive functions of spoken language in
real time. It can impede student’s ability to speak English fluently and appropriately.
2. Written Grammar- is typically associated with language of books and explanatory prose such
as is found in schools. Written grammar/language is formal, academic and planned; it hinges on
the past and is reconstructed in such a way that in the future it can be processed by varied
readerships. It tends to be more complex and intricate than speech with longer sentences and many
subordinate clauses. The punctuation and layout of written grammar also have no spoken
equivalent. However, some forms of written language, such as instant messages and email, are
closer to spoken language.
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• A written text can communicate across time and space for as long as the particular language
and writing system is still understood.
Speech is usually used for immediate interactions.
• Writers can make use of punctuation, headings, layout, colours and other graphical effects
in their written texts. Such things are not available in speech.
Speech can use timing, tone, volume and timbre to add emotional context.
• Written material can be read repeatedly and closely analysed, and notes can be made on
the writing surface. Only recorded speech can be used in this way.
• Some grammatical constructions are only used in writing, as are some kinds of vocabulary,
such as some complex chemical and legal terms. Some types of vocabulary are used only
or mainly in speech.
Let’s Try
A. Give the difference between Spoken and Written Grammar by giving concrete examples.
Write your answer below.
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LESSON 3
METHODS OF TEACHING GRAMMAR; ERROR CORRECTION;
AND THE ANTI-GRAMMAR MOVEMENT
Let’s Read
Grammar is an important part of language learning. In order for students to have a
functional knowledge of a language (in other words, that they can spontaneously produce
language) they must have at least some knowledge about the grammatical constructs of the
language in question. There are several ways in which the teacher can go about presenting grammar
to students. With this lesson, we will look at why grammar is often seen in a negative light, how
grammar can be taught and whether or not students need to learn grammar at all.
Grammar as one of the language components has an important role to play to support the
students to be able to learn and use productive skills (speaking and writing), and receptive skills
(listening, and reading). Therefore, there is a great necessity for educators to understand each of
these methods so they may choose what to apply and when to apply it into their lessons.
The following are some of the most well-known and tested approaches/methods in the
teaching of grammar:
1. The deductive approach – rule driven learning
A deductive approach starts with the presentation of a rule and is followed by examples
in which the rule is applied.
2. The inductive approach – the rule-discovery path
This is the exact opposite in principle of the deductive approach.
3. Functional-notional Approach
This method of language teaching is categorized along with others under the rubric of a
communicative approach. The method stresses a means of organizing a language syllabus
Functional Categories of Language
Mary Finocchiaro: The Functional-notional Approach: From Theory to Practice (1983, p.
65-66) has placed the functional categories under five headings as noted below: personal,
interpersonal, directive, referential, and imaginative.
4. Teaching Grammar in Situational Contexts - Using a generative situation
With this, a situational context permits presentation of a wide range of language items. The
situation serves as a means of contextualizing the language and this helps clarify its meaning.
5. Teaching Grammar through texts
If learners are to achieve a functional command of a second language, they will need to
be able to understand and produce not just isolated sentences, but whole texts in language.
Language is context-sensitive; which is to say that an utterance becomes fully intelligible only
when it is placed in its context.
Error Correction
At all proficiency levels, learners produce language that is not exactly the language used
by native speakers. Some of the differences are grammatical, while others involve vocabulary
selection and mistakes in the selection of language appropriate for different contexts.
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Anti-grammar Movement
The anti-grammar movement certainly promotes grammar - the investigation of rules of
form and corresponding meanings in the language system. However, it sets out to avoid giving
students rules. Instead It casts the students in the role of 'thinker', providing them cognitive,
problem-solving tasks to discover grammatical rules and meanings for themselves.
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Let’s Try
Answer the questions that follow:
A. After knowing about the distinguishing characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of
the different methods of grammar teaching, write your thoughts about each method and a
generalization for that matter.
Generalization:
C. Do you agree with what anti-grammar movement speaks about? Why or why not?
D. As an output to the things you have learned from this module, create a lesson plan on a
subject matter following a chosen grammar teaching method and applying the principles
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on error correction. Use separate sheets of paper for your lesson plan.
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LESSON 4
THEORETICAL VIEWS ON SECOND LANGUAGE GRAMMAR
ACQUISITION: THE NOTICING HYPOTHESIS, ITS APPICATION IN
COMPUTER-ASSISTED LANGUAGE LEARNING AND ITS OPPONENTS
Let’s Read
Language acquisition does not require extensive use of conscious grammatical rules, and
does not require tedious drill.
Acquisition requires meaningful interaction in the target language - natural communication
- in which speakers are concerned not with the form of their utterances but with the messages they
are conveying and understanding.
Krashen's theory of second language acquisition consists of five main hypotheses:
1. the Acquisition-Learning hypothesis;
2. the Monitor hypothesis;
3. the Input hypothesis;
4. and the Affective Filter hypothesis;
5. the Natural Order hypothesis.
The Acquisition-Learning distinction is the most fundamental of the five hypotheses in
Krashen's theory and the most widely known among linguists and language teachers. According
to Krashen there are two independent systems of foreign language performance: 'the acquired
system' and 'the learned system'. The 'acquired system' or 'acquisition' is the product of a
subconscious process very similar to the process children undergo when they acquire their first
language. It requires meaningful interaction in the target language - natural communication - in
which speakers are concentrated not in the form of their utterances, but in the communicative act.
The Monitor hypothesis explains the relationship between acquisition and learning and defines
the influence of the latter on the former. The monitoring function is the practical result of the
learned grammar. According to Krashen, the acquisition system is the utterance initiator, while the
learning system performs the role of the 'monitor' or the 'editor'. The 'monitor' acts in a planning,
editing and correcting function when three specific conditions are met:
• The second language learner has sufficient time at their disposal.
• They focus on form or think about correctness.
• They know the rule.
The Input hypothesis is Krashen's attempt to explain how the learner acquires a second
language – how second language acquisition takes place. The Input hypothesis is only concerned
with 'acquisition', not 'learning'. According to this hypothesis, the learner improves and progresses
along the 'natural order' when he/she receives second language 'input' that is one step beyond
his/her current stage of linguistic competence.
The Affective Filter hypothesis embodies Krashen's view that a number of 'affective variables'
play a facilitative, but non-causal, role in second language acquisition. These variables include:
motivation, self-confidence, anxiety and personality traits. Krashen claims that learners with high
motivation, self-confidence, a good self-image, a low level of anxiety and extroversion are better
equipped for success in second language acquisition. Low motivation, low self-esteem,anxiety,
introversion and inhibition can raise the affective filter and form a 'mental block' that
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prevents comprehensible input from being used for acquisition. In other words, when the filter is
'up' it impedes language acquisition. On the other hand, positive affect is necessary, but not
sufficient on its own, for acquisition to take place.
Finally, the less important Natural Order hypothesis is based on research findings (Dulay &
Burt, 1974; Fathman, 1975; Makino, 1980 cited in Krashen, 1987) which suggested that the
acquisition of grammatical structures follows a 'natural order' which is predictable. For a given
language, some grammatical structures tend to be acquired early while others late. This order
seemed to be independent of the learners' age, L1 background, conditions of exposure, and
although the agreement between individual acquirers was not always 100% in the studies, there
were statistically significant similarities that reinforced the existence of a Natural Order of
language acquisition. Krashen however points out that the implication of the natural order
hypothesis is not that a language program syllabus should be based on the order found in the
studies. In fact, he rejects grammatical sequencing when the goal is language acquisition.
B. Research some videos that evidently shows: shared storytelling, think aloud and language
date and post it to your Facebook wall with a single word caption that depicts the gist of
the video/s.
C. Restricted Essay: Write what you have learned from this Module 3.
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Remember
1. In English grammar, negation is a grammatical construction that contradicts (or negates) all
or part of the meaning of a sentence. Also known as a negative construction or standard
negation.
2. Grammar is the sound, structure and meaning system of language. All language have
grammar, and each language has its own grammar. People who speak the same language
are able to communicate because they intuitively know the grammar system of that
language- that is, the rules of making meaning.
REFERENCES
https://sites.educ.ualberta.ca/staff/olenka.bilash/Best%20of%20Bilash/krashen.html
https://www.brighthubeducation.com/language-learning-tips/86067-language-acquisition-
principles-for-ell/
Crystal, David The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language. Cambridge University Press, 1997.
Krashen, Stephen D. Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition. Prentice-Hall
International, 1987.
Krashen, Stephen D. Second Language Acquisition and Second Language Learning. Prentice-
Hall International, 1988.
https://www.thoughtco.com/negation-in-grammar-1691424
https://www.scribd.com/document/213371233/Coordination-Linguistics-Wikipedia-The-Free-
Encyclopedia-html
https://www.thoughtco.com/subordination-grammar-1692155
http://journalpro.ru/articles/the-role-of-grammar-in-learning-english-language/
https://omniglot.com/writing/writingvspeech.htm#:~:text=Written%20language%20tends%20to
%20be,are%20closer%20to%20spoken%20language
http://speechcrafts.blospot.com/2013/03/bad-girl.html?m=1
https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-concept-map-for-teaching-spoken-english/
http://worldteacher-andrea.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-difference-between-written-
grammar.html?m=1
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