Grammar Matters

The goal of this booklet is to help teachers develop and deliver grammar
lessons that are effective and relevant with a range of students: those with as
little grammar background as Chao’s or as much as Sonia’s, as well as all those
students who fall somewhere between these two extremes.
The first three chapters explore the role of grammar in adult ESL and propose an eclectic approach to teaching grammar that encompasses selected elements from a variety of earlier approaches to language teaching. We look at factors that determine the grammar our adult learners need and at characteristics of language that affect the selection of grammar to teach. Chapters 4 to 6 describe three stages of a grammar lesson, with an emphasis on oral communication: presentation, guided practice, and communicative practice. In addition to defining the purpose of each stage and the teacher’s role, these chapters offer a sample of activities appropriate to the respective stages.