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APPROACHES AND METHODS OF TEACHING THE ENGLISH
GRAMMAR
Tojiboyeva Madina Ulug'bek qizi
Graduate student of Webster university
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14227437
Annotation:
One of the central topics in language education that has been
extensively debated over the years is the grammar of foreign languages. The
perspective on grammar has shaped the characteristics of various teaching
methods, influencing the principles and techniques employed in instruction.
This paper explores the primary approaches to teaching English grammar,
identifies the leading methodologies in contemporary English language
instruction, and discusses the key methods they implement.
Keywords:
English grammar instruction, modern verb forms, tense
categories, types and voice, teaching principles and methods.
The training of future English teachers in our country is being aligned with
international qualification standards, drawing on advanced foreign practices to
cultivate specialists capable of fluent communication in foreign languages. This
has established a foundational framework for enhancing the contributions of
global civilization.
The "Action Strategy for the Further Development of the Republic of Uzbekistan"
emphasizes the need to enhance the quality and effectiveness of higher
education institutions by adopting international educational standards and
evaluating educational quality. Consequently, this has broadened the scope for
integrating language instruction into various disciplines within higher
education. Additionally, the Presidential Resolution of Uzbekistan dated May 19,
2021 (PQ-5117) highlights the necessity for proficiency at the B1-B2 levels, as
outlined in this directive [1, 2].
One of the most significant challenges in teaching English grammar lies in
mastering verb tenses. Students often struggle with grammatical verb forms due
to a lack of clarity regarding time, type, and associated categories. Therefore, it is
essential to examine the methods and approaches used in teaching English
grammar, identify common difficulties students encounter with verb tenses,
analyze typical errors they make, and explore modern techniques and exercises
that can address these issues.
Introducing the temporal system of English verbs and utilizing foundational
concepts during instruction can enhance students' mastery of English,
encourage communication in foreign language classes, focus attention on new
material, and promote critical thinking skills.
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The relevance of this article stems from the insufficient development of
instructional materials aimed at effectively addressing challenges related to the
application of English verb tenses in spoken communication.
The approaches and methods for teaching English, like those for any foreign
language, are continually evolving as our understanding of language nature and
study methods progresses. This adaptation will fulfill the global demand for
more effective educational programs in institutions worldwide.
English is widely used across geographical boundaries, facilitating its use both
domestically and internationally. The number of individuals who speak English
as a foreign language is steadily increasing, with non-native speakers now
outnumbering native speakers in many contexts.
A foreign language is one that is infrequently utilized in a learner's immediate
social environment. It may be relevant for future travel or other intercultural
exchanges. It is typically taught as either a mandatory subject or an optional
course but is not immediately applied in practice [6].
When discussing methods, it is crucial to distinguish between the theoretical
philosophy of language teaching and the practical procedures derived from it.
Precision is essential in grammar instruction, and errors should be avoided at all
costs.
Situational language learning activities are integral to a set of standardized
procedures endorsed by many contemporary educators. Textbooks that
incorporate situational language learning remain prevalent globally. This
method continues to be favored because its principles resonate with the
instincts of many practice-oriented teachers, emphasizing oral practice,
grammar, and sentence structures.
Given the importance of structure in language, initial instruction should
prioritize mastering grammatical frameworks. Verbal literacy encompasses
accuracy in pronunciation, grammar, and the ability to respond swiftly and
clearly in spoken situations. Teaching listening, pronunciation, grammar, and
vocabulary focuses on developing fluent speech. While reading and writing skills
can also be taught, they largely depend on already established oral
competencies. Language fundamentally revolves around speech, and the ability
to communicate effectively relies on correctly understanding and reproducing
the essential phonological features of the target language, fluently using basic
grammatical structures in conversation, and possessing sufficient vocabulary to
facilitate speech.
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The role of English grammar has sparked intense debate over the years. In the
modern era, the significance of grammar in foreign language instruction has
fluctuated frequently, sometimes increasing or decreasing in prominence.
Recently, there has been a trend toward diminishing the role of grammar,
resulting in a notable rise in errors within student speech.
On one hand, efforts to eliminate grammar entirely or to overemphasize its
importance can adversely affect practical language proficiency. The question of
grammar's role and extent within an English course is not isolated; it varies
across languages. In contrast to Russian courses, where grammar holds a
primary status as both a theoretical and practical discipline fostering mental
development, the English grammar framework should not merely aim at
mastering grammatical rules but also support broader educational objectives.
Analysis of various English grammars leads to a clear conclusion: English
grammar exhibits a distinctly descriptive linguistic (and non-communicative)
orientation, as evidenced by its theoretical presentations, tasks, and types of
exercises. For instance, “There are various types of predicates in English that
differ in structure (simple versus compound) and composition (compound
nominal versus compound verb). A compound nominal predicate consists of an
aspectual verb alongside a full-value verb.” Additionally, "The main verbs in
English include: to begin, to continue, to finish," among others. Often, foreign
language grammars do not effectively serve practical learning goals. Information
regarding spontaneous parts of speech or types of predicates—similar to tasks
focused on identifying, memorizing, and reproducing grammatical constructs—
fails to cultivate speech skills related to specific linguistic mechanisms and
concepts.
Vitlin J.L. outlines certain conditions he deems essential for successfully
achieving practical language proficiency:
1) It is crucial to enhance differentiation in selecting materials for active versus
passive grammatical minimums while employing diverse teaching methods to
master these minimums (considering the unique characteristics of the students'
native language). The formation of active grammatical minimum rules should
particularly highlight common ways of expressing ideas in the mother tongue
using the lexical and grammatical resources of the foreign language. Conversely,
students must be guided on how to comprehend grammatical forms they
encounter in foreign texts but may not utilize in their own speech.
1) It is essential to reevaluate the use of grammatical terminology in foreign
language instruction. To enhance grammar teaching, it is recommended to
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develop new textbooks for higher education that reduce the reliance on
grammatical terms. These textbooks should include a concise glossary with
explanatory examples.
2) Addressing the selection of grammatical topics in foreign language textbooks
and curricula for various educational institutions is also necessary.
3) There should be a significant shift in the traditional presentation of
grammatical content and the language used in teaching students who lack a
background in linguistics. Grammar, including its theoretical aspects, can be
delivered in an engaging and dynamic manner; it should be emotionally
stimulating, student-centered, entertaining, and complemented by visuals.A
considerable amount of research has focused on approaches and methods for
teaching grammar. Traditionally, educators have identified two primary
approaches: explicit and implicit. The explicit approach involves teaching
grammatical rules and explaining grammatical concepts. In contrast, the implicit
approach relies on repetition and memorization of grammatically correct
structures without direct instruction of the underlying rules.
The explicit method can be implemented in two main ways: inductively, where
students analyze language examples to discover grammatical patterns and
formulate rules; and deductively, where the teacher presents the grammatical
rule first, followed by opportunities for students to practice new structures
communicatively.
The inductive method is particularly beneficial for cognitive development and
fostering self-directed learning strategies among students. Material that is
discovered through exploration tends to be retained more effectively. However,
despite its advantages, the inductive method demands significantly more time
and effort from educators, making it impractical as the sole approach in current
foreign language teaching contexts at secondary schools and universities.
Grammar teaching methods are guided by several well-established principles.
One key principle is sequential learning, where grammatical concepts are
introduced in a specific order. For example, the continuous tense is typically
taught after the present tense, followed by the perfect continuous tense.
Similarly, tenses are introduced before passive voice and indirect speech. It is
clear that variations in this sequence exist.
When considering grammatical competence as an intuitive understanding
developed through complex social and cognitive activities, grammar instruction
aligns with a communicative approach. This perspective posits that grammar
acquisition occurs through solving communicative challenges, emphasizing the
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practical use of forms in speech. This approach is regarded as more effective
than traditional methods, which focus on imparting a fixed set of knowledge to
specific student groups within defined learning environments. The traditional
approach often aims at memorizing numerous rules, exceptions, categories, and
paradigms without fostering independent adaptation of these rules to real-life
speech situations.
Conversely, the second approach to teaching English grammar emphasizes the
semantic aspects of language use. Relying solely on form-focused learning can
hinder the development of communicative competence.
Skills and competencies in language learning are often developed through the
repetition and memorization of forms used in various speech contexts. The
formation of grammatical expressions, however, occurs when learners adapt
these forms to specific speech situations. Consequently, both approaches rely on
just one of the potential mechanisms for developing grammatical competence:
the first approach emphasizes passive conscious assimilation, while the second
focuses on unconscious assimilation.
In contemporary foreign language education, the communicative and cognitive
approaches are considered paramount. The communicative approach entails a
comprehensive systematization of the relationships among various components
of the learning content. These components include: a general operating system;
systems for speech activity and communication; the structure of the English
language; deliberate comparative analysis between students' native languages
and English; mechanisms of speech (such as production, perception, and
interaction); systems of textual speech products; structural speech forms
(including dialogues, monologues, and various message types); and the overall
learning system for the
English language. This holistic approach results in the development of a
systemic understanding of English as a means of communication in its broadest
context.
The cognitive approach to grammar instruction encourages teachers to activate
students' cognitive processes and to facilitate independent reflective activities.
This leads to comparative analysis, comprehension, memorization, mastery, and
appropriate use of grammatical structures in communication. However,
traditional grammar exercises are not suitable for this method. Key aspects of
the cognitive approach include:
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• A heightened expectation for textual materials that provide students with
ample opportunities to observe how the targeted language phenomena operate
and to discern their governing principles.
• Teachers should leverage a wide array of cognitive strategies in the classroom
to stimulate students' reflective engagement.
• A structured set of exercises should be developed to enhance students'
conceptual understanding of language facts and to cultivate strategies for
grasping grammatical concepts, taking into account the stages of human
knowledge acquisition.
In conclusion, English grammar has long been a focal point of discussion within
language education. Various methods exist for teaching foreign languages, with
educators traditionally differentiating between explicit and implicit approaches.
In today's context, the communicative and cognitive approaches stand out as
effective means of engaging students' cognitive processes, fostering independent
reflective activities, and enabling successful mastery and application of foreign
grammatical structures. Understanding the nuances of grammatical categories
such as time, aspect, and voice is essential for clearly explaining how these forms
function. The cognitive perspective views grammatical structures as a means for
expressing and storing knowledge within the language system.
References:
1.
Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan No. PF-4947 of
February 7, 2017 "On the Strategy for further development of the Republic of
Uzbekistan"
2.
Resolution of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated May 19,
2021 PQ-5117 "On measures to bring the promotion of foreign language
learning in the Republic of Uzbekistan to a qualitatively new level."
3.
. Vitlin J.L. Modern problems of teaching grammar in foreign languages //
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4.
Galskova N.D., Gez N.I. Theory of teaching foreign languages:
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universities and faculties of foreign languages of higher pedagogical educational
institutions. - M .: Publishing Center "Academy", 2004. - 336 p.
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Ogandzhanyan N.L. Elements of communicative methods of teaching
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their construction in the study of a foreign language (based on materials from
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foreign research) // Foreign languages at school. - 2008. - No. 6.- S. 73-77. 8.
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