Pedagogical Grammar

Singapore University of Social Sciences

Pedagogical Grammar (TSL561)

Applications Open: 01 October 2024

Applications Close: 15 November 2024

Next Available Intake: January 2025

Course Types: Modular Graduate Course

Language: English

Duration: 6 months

Fees: $2200 View More Details on Fees

Area of Interest: Linguistics and Languages

Schemes: Alumni Continuing Education (ACE), Postgraduate Alumni Continuing Education (PACE)

Funding: To be confirmed

School/Department: School of Humanities & Behavioural Sciences

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Synopsis

TSL 561 Pedagogical Grammar provides students with an overview of past approaches to teaching grammar in second language classrooms, and the relative strengths and weaknesses of different approaches. More recent conceptualisations of the focus-on-form approach argue that grammar teaching must be part of a broader conception of second language learning that includes both form-focused instruction and opportunities for interaction/practice and output. Several focus-on-form methods are then examined critically for their applicability to the TESOL classroom.

Level: 5
Credit Units: 5
Presentation Pattern: EVERY 2 YEARS
E-Learning: BLENDED - Learning is done MAINLY online using interactive study materials in Canvas. Students receive guidance and support from online instructors via discussion forums and emails. This is supplemented with SOME face-to-face sessions. If the course has an exam component, this will be administered on-campus.

Topics

Overview of past approaches: Grammar-based; Grammar Translation; Presentation-Practice-Production
Communicative-based and Task-based approaches
Explicit and implicit focus on form
Deductive and inductive noticing; consciousness-raising of form
Planned and unplanned focus on form
Teaching grammar: The role of instruction, interaction, practice and output
Method 1: Focus on Grammar through Processing Instruction
Method 2: Focus on Grammar through Textual Enhancement
Method 3: Focus on Grammar through Discourse
Method 4: Focus on Grammar through Interactional Feedback
Method 5: Focus on Grammar through Structured Grammar-Focused Tasks
Method 6: Focus on Grammar through Collaborative Output Tasks

Learning Outcome

Discuss past approaches to teaching grammar
Critique the Communicative-based and Task-based approaches
Distinguish between the notions in each of the following dichotomies: explicit versus implicit focus on form; deductive versus inductive noticing; planned versus unplanned focus on form
Appraise the focus-on-form methods
Evaluate grammar teaching materials in terms of their underlying approach, efficacy and contextual appropriateness
Design grammar teaching materials that are theoretically sound, effective and contextually appropriate