Methods of teaching English grammar to university students

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Methods of teaching english grammar to university students

Науковий керівник - доктор пед. наук, професор Задорожна І.П.

Новосад Антоніна

Abstract

The article investigates the theoretical aspects for the formation of university students English grammar competence and the main contradictions and difficulties in the formation of English grammar competence, examines the method of formation of university students English grammar competence, the effectiveness of using the proposed set of exercises.

Key words: grammatical competence, task, higher education institutions, classification.

Formulation of the problem: Knowledge of foreign languages is the key to success in the modern world where communication in foreign languages and the processing of enormous amounts of information are becoming increasingly important. A person who speaks languages, has the best ability to learn new and is more confident in communicating with people. More recently, scientists from the University of London, through extensive statistical and scientific research, have come to the conclusion that people who teach foreign languages have a more flexible and original thinking [2, p. 70].

Many students faced many important tasks when studying a foreign language, and some of them mastering grammatical competence.

Research analysis

The following research methods have been used to solve the problems: studying the requirements of the current program for the formation of English grammar competence, the analysis of scientific literature on the methodology of teaching foreign languages, and the scientific observation of the process of teaching students English grammar.

Main difficulties of students' grammatical competence formation were discovered by scientists (O. Vetokhov, L. S. Panova, Y. Passov). The development of a grammatical approach was practiced by many methodologists. The ideas of the «Reform Movement» in Germany were first formulated in the book by V. Fieter, «Teaching of Foreign Languages has to be radically changed.» The methodical direction of the Reform was not homogeneous, it was attended by linguists, psychologists, methodologists: V. Fieter, P. Passi, G. Suit,

O. Epsersen, S. Swiezer, G. Vendt, B. Eggert, who worked in many European countries - England, France, Germany, Denmark and others.

The purpose of the article is to provide theoretical substantiation and practical elaboration of the methodology of forming grammatical competence of university students.

Presentation. Grammatical competence is the correct use of grammatical forms of a foreign language in accordance with the laws and norms of grammar.

The basic principles that should be taken into account when organizing the process of learning grammatical competence:

Communicative role of grammatical categories. In the first place, their role as carriers of general values must be taken into account.

Speech texts, listening texts and authentic written texts may be graded to a certain degree by grammatical complexity, but should familiarize students with new structures and categories that will facilitate their learning and active use.

The sequence of the formation of the corresponding grammatical skills should also be taken into account when planning the development of language [3, p. 45].

These principles are described in the «Common European Framework Of References For Languages», which cannot replace grammar directories or offer a rigorous teaching system, but provide advice for decision-making by the teachers themselves. grammatical competence university

Students can form their grammatical competence as follows:

Familiarizing themselves with the new grammatical material in the authentic texts where it occurs through the inclusion of new grammatical elements, categories, structures, rules, etc. in texts that are specially designed to demonstrate their form, function and meaning;

through presentation of presentations, tables, forms, etc., followed by explanation and implementation of communicative exercises [1, p. 56].

The formation of grammatical skills and abilities is based on three main stages: the explanation of rules, the processing of speech samples, the use of grammatical phenomena in various communicative situations. But these stages do not always follow one another, some of them can be repeated, that is, there is a repetition in the assimilation of the grammatical phenomenon. When implementing step-by-step, the following main techniques are used: demonstration of the speech sample; imitation; comparing grammatical phenomena with those in their native language; comparing the form of a grammatical structure with a similar and supporting the previously studied material; comprehensive analysis of the grammatical phenomenon. We emphasize that the processing of grammatical phenomena should take place in communicative situations of all types of speech [2, p. 73].

The success of the formation of foreign language grammatical skills essentially depends on the provision of adequate orientation of students in this process, the maximum possible integration of the orientational, executive and control phases of the implementation of actions and gradual complication of student learning activities in the process of mastering grammatical actions.

Let's consider the most common methods of teaching a foreign language, within which the formation of grammatical competence is realized.

Grammar translation method was distributed in all countries of Europe in the 19th century, and its representatives were I. Meydinger (Germany) and G. Ollendorf (England). In grammar translation classes, students learn grammatical rules and then apply those rules by translating sentences between the target language and the native language. Advanced students may be required to translate whole texts word-for-word. Grammar-translation classes are usually conducted in the students' native language. Grammar rules are learned deductively; students learn grammar rules by rote, and then practice the rules by doing grammar drills and translating sentences to and from the target language. More attention is paid to the form of the sentences being translated than to their content. When students reach more advanced levels of achievement, they may translate entire texts from the target language. Tests often consist of the translation of classical texts. There is not usually any listening or speaking practice, and very little attention is placed on pronunciation or any communicative aspects of the language. The skill exercised is reading, and then only in the context of translation [1, p. 56].

A direct method of teaching was developed as a response to Grammar-Translation method. It sought to immerse the learner in the same way as when a first language is learnt. All teaching is done in the target language, grammar is taught inductively, there is a focus on speaking and listening and only useful «everyday» language is taught.

Some characteristics of this method are:

Lessons are in the target language;

There is a focus on everyday vocabulary;

Visual aids are used to teach vocabulary;

Particular attention is placed on the accuracy of pronunciation and grammar;

Grammar is taught inductively.

Oral method, was proposed by Harold Palmer to simulate and learn by heart as the basic principles of teaching a foreign language. Without denying the theory of the use of the native language (as did most orthodox representatives of the direct method), nor a conscious approach to the facts of the language, in practice it reduces the process of language learning to the continuous chain of stimuli used by the teacher and the reciprocal chain of reactions from the students, conditional conversation (questions and answers, orders and answers, sentence completion), natural conversation. Rather, in the Oral Approach, it is the patterns of the sentences that matter such as Subject-Verb-Object. Students learn the structures in order to use and understand the language.

The audio-linguistic method created by Charles Friz and Robert Lado in the United States in the 40-50s of the XX century is a peculiar development of the ideas of Harold Palmer. Some characteristics of this method:

Drills are used to teach structural patterns.

Set phrases are memorised with a focus on intonation.

Grammatical explanations are kept to a minimum.

Vocabulary is taught in context.

Audio-visual aids are used.

Focus is on pronunciation.

Correct responses are positively reinforced immediately.

Pedagogical Grammar, the representatives of this method are C. Photos and T. Odlin, who emphasize the communicative role of a particular grammatical phenomenon, which can serve in the natural use of language. J. Mitchell highlights the following basic principles of teaching grammar:

grammar training should be planned and systematic;

grammar training may include the use of the native language, at least for beginners;

the formation of grammatical competence should occur «in small numbers and often»;

grammar exercises used to solve the problems of a specific text can serve to stimulate the development of active student knowledge.

Conclusion. We consider the main methods of teaching grammar. Many methods have been developed for teaching grammar and have been built upon, abandoned, or combined, all with the same goal in mind--teaching students how to communicate effectively and understand how to use the English language. Because of the grammatical complexity of English, each method has its pros and cons. Some lessons are less likely to be remembered, while others may require more in-depth explanation and practice. Regardless of how grammar is taught, a well-rounded understanding of English grammar is a most important factor in improving the literacy of students.

References

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3. Шерстюк О. М. Сучасні підходи щодо викладання іноземних мов / О. М. Шерстюк. - Іноземні мови. - 2000. - № 1. - С. 65-72.

4. Larsen-Freeman D. Texniques and Principles in Language Teaching / Larsen-Freeman D. - Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press, 1986. - 142 p.

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