How to Teach Grammar

How to Teach...

by Scott Thornbury

A guide for teachers on how to develop or enhance their grammar-teaching skills. The early part of the book considers such issues as the nature of grammar and the reasons for teaching it. Subsequent chapters explore both inductive and deductive approaches to grammar. The book also explores ways of practising a variety of grammar topics, methods of dealing with grammatical errors in students' work, and ways of integrating grammar instruction into different general methodologies, such as communicative language learning and task-based learning.

Genres: Teaching, Nonfiction, Language, Education, Reference, Linguistics, School

155 pages, Paperback

First published October 12, 2000

About the author

My name is Scott Thornbury. I'm a teacher and teacher educator, with over 30 years' experience in English language teaching, and an MA from the University of Reading. I am currently Associate Professor of English Language Studies at the New School in New York, where I teach on an on-line MA TESOL program. My previous experience includes teaching and teacher training in Egypt, UK, Spain (where I live), and in my native New Zealand. My writing credits include several award-winning books for teachers on language and methodology. I am series editor for the Cambridge Handbooks for Teachers (CUP). I was also the co-founder of the dogme ELT group.

Reviews

[Olga · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book contains some useful insights and recommendations concerning teaching of grammar, a somewhat controversial issue in ELT.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is short but covers a lot of material. A practical guide to pedagogy, it doesn't teach grammar itself, assuming instead that the reader already knows it. Instead, it discusses the theories of grammar instruction, then offers practical ideas, examples, and discussion about the strengths and weaknesses of different techniques. The book also has review activities so the reader can practice and reflect on their own learning. I won't know how useful the ideas are until I am taking my teacher training next week, but so far this seems like the most useful guide I have found for teaching grammar in the ESL classroom.

[Csabi Berger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one is a really useful handbook of all that is important for teaching English grammar properly in foreign language classes. I especially like the variety of examples Scott Thornbury is working with in his book, throughout the chapters, all the examples are relevant and after a short evaluation and discussion section, everything is clearly explained and justified.
The examples and the theory of proper grammar teaching helped me a lot in my classes. I started to use the methodology described in several examples of the volume, and intend to do so with other examples as well, just because they seem to be so effective in practice, too. In fact, the quality of the book convinced me to continue reading the "How To Teach ..." series as it gives me so much for my professional life.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another insightful DELTA read, with lots of great example lessons that are easily adaptable to cover a variety of lesson aims.

[Hanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Theoretical and practical book for teachers of grammar. To be applied in a classroom setting.

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my second time through the book, the first at least 10 years ago. Having had a dismal semester, I thought it'd be motivating to get back to some basics. Sometimes it's useful to reflect on whether or not you're a crap teacher, you were just dealt bad hand, or you're suffering the ill effects of burnout.

Actually, this is a useful series in that it's so practical. For practicing teachers, it is conducive to reflection. You just can't avoid seeing yourself or one of your past lessons somewhere in the book. Each unit's got at least four+ sample lessons illustrating a method/approach. All in all, it's a concise, step-by-step introduction but unfortunately only scratches the surface.

To get the most bang for your buck, it's better suited for group study/discussion or while on a training course.

One minor irritation: the constant cautions, e.g. This activity is great for students who ... (and then in the next breath) but it's not a good idea for others who (fill in the blank).

Glad I reread it.

[Ken · Rating 5 out of 5]

theory! practice! and everything in between! dig the chapter on articals, too.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

An acceptable grammar book, but still did not meet all my needs for teaching.

I wanted to be able to answer all questions regarding grammar.

[Inna Beskishko · Rating 5 out of 5]

good

[Ulvi · Rating 3 out of 5]

its very useful

[Ponytaorponyboy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very easy to read book with a very interesting professor!! I very much enjoyed it and for sure will be keeping this book on my shelves so I can refer to it often throughout my career (if I continue down this path anyway)

[Jackie Bolen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice guide for how to teach grammar to language learners. Hits the theory well, but would have appreciated some more of the super practical, nitty-gritty details of what to actually do in the classroom.

[Ahmed]

Where is the book?

[Md. Jahangir · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to read content of the book.

[Hương Đỗ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sách có bố cục logic, gợi ý cho người đọc những hoạt động khá hay để dạy grammar. Mình sẽ giữ lại trong máy để sau này cần đến sẽ mở ra xem lại😉

Một số sample lesson cực hay mà mình thíc trong sách:
- Teaching articles using grammar worksheets (Chap 3) - tuy đây là cách Present truyền thống nhưng vẫn hay và sáng tạo, hs phải teamwork rồi dạy lẫn nhau để khám phá kiến thức thay vì chỉ ngồi nghe GV giảng
- Teaching Present simple using realia (Chap 4): cách này siu hay lun, HS đc làm thám tử😎Mạn phép đoán là ở VN chưa có GV nào dạy như này
- Teaching "should have done" using a generative situation (Chap 4): đặt tình huống để HS cảm thấy cấp thiết phải dùng đến cấu trúc thay vì GV cho cấu trúc rồi HS áp dụng làm 1 đống bài tập😅
- Practising the passive using a grammar interpretation activity (Chap 5): HS nhìn 2 bức tranh trái ngược nhau sẽ hiểu rõ hơn về câu chủ động - bị động. Giờ có nhìu AI hỗ trợ GV có thể tạo đc cả đống tranh vui nhộn cho HS luyện tập

Tuy nhiên, mình còn hơi cấn ở chỗ các phương pháp mà sách gợi ý thường hơi khó áp dụng ở VN do các hoạt động này đều yêu cầu HS có khả năng TA khá tốt - để nghe/đọc hiểu và để trao đổi vs nhau bằng TA thì mới đạt hiệu quả tốt nhất (vì học theo ngữ cảnh). Trong khi đó năng lực TA của đa số HS còn hạn chế/ nếu lớp đông thì rất khó quản khi cho HS hoạt động. Thêm nữa là, nhiều hoạt động ngữ pháp thiết kế để dạy HS level Pre-Inter hoặc Inter nhưng ở VN thì HS cấp 2 thôi đã đc học hết sạch ngữ pháp roài🤣🤣

[Ariel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brief theories. Fluent language. Cute typeface. But the sample classes are quite simple (involving teaching past tense or third condition sentences). So if you teach something difficult or advanced, you need to catch the theory and adapt it into your own course.

[Highlyeccentric · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't actually finish - but interesting / reassuring what I did read.

[Cánh Buồm]

nothing

[Tchatcha Fita]

amazing

[Recofe26 · Rating 5 out of 5]

it is very usefull for teacher

[E · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very useful.

[M. Azhaari Shah Sulaiman · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's a saying that's been spread among TESLians, "sleep with Nunan or Thornbury or cry in the final."

[Jenna (Falling Letters) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who would have thought I'd enjoy reading a grammar textbook?? Packed with great ideas and practical techniques for teaching grammar to ESL learners.

[Yemima Yulia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some useful insights to think when designing the least subject of learniing language, GRAMMAR.

[Rainer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an amazing one for english teacher