The inductive approach in teaching grammar is a discovery learning approach in which teachers let students discover the grammar rules instead of presenting them directly, through learning experiences in terms of using the target language. For instance, the students can discover the rules through games, songs, worksheets or simply engaging in meaningful conversations. The teacher guides the students to notice the grammatical pattern, elicit the form, and then finally does the presentation stage.
1. Using a song
Songs can be an effective to introduce or practise a grammar topic. When choosing the song to be used in the lesson we should take into account the age of the students and the language level of the class. Lower levels react positively to songs that are repetitive and easy to understand, while recent pop and rock songs may appeal more to teenagers.
Steps for the teacher:
1. Find a song which contains examples of the target language
You can teach Modal verbs (to express ability and possibility) with Everything I wanted by Billie Eilish, Past Simple with So Long, London by Taylor Swift, Present Simple, Present Continuous and Prepositions with Lemon Tree by Fool’s Garden, the first conditional with Count on me by Bruno Mars.
2. Play the song for gist (lead-in activity).
3. Do a second listening to focus on the target language (gap-fill). You can either ask the students to fill the gaps with the words they hear, or give them a list of verbs and ask them to fill with the correct verb.
4. Focus on the form and use of the new structure through guided discovery, elicitation techniques or by explaining.
2. Using realia
As identified by Celce-Murcia & Hilles (1988), realia are objects of any origin used to illustrate vocabulary and structure in language teaching. Realia can be both physical and virtual and it is used to make the physical experience of learning more memorable.
Example: Teaching prepositions of place: ON, IN, UNDER
Steps for the teacher:
1. Place some objects (pencil case, eraser, schoolbag, pencils, rulers, books) on a desk in front of the classroom.
2. Show the eraser to the students and put it above, in and under the pencil case repeating the words: on, in and under. Repeat the words with the students.
3. Put the eraser in the pencil case and tell the students:
The eraser is in the pencil case.
4. Put the eraser under the pencil case and tell the students:
The eraser is under the pencil case.
5. Put the eraser on the pencil case and tell the students:
The eraser is on the pencil case.
6. Use the other objects in the same way to practice the prepositions of place.
7. Ask for ‘volunteers’ to take the teacher’s role and ask the students where the objects are.
3. Personalizing
Personalization is a useful technique to show students that their interests, needs, strengths, and motivations are taken into account to give them the best learning experience. Using the communicative approach when teaching grammar, you give students the opportunity to practise giving true information about themselves.
Example: Teaching the superlative of short adjectives
Steps for the teacher:
1. Bring some photos related to yourselves or your friends/family.
2. Show the photo(s) to the students saying who is the tallest, the shortest, the youngest, the oldest, the funniest, etc.
3. Re-elicit the sentences onto the board and elicit and highlight the grammar.
4. For the next lesson ask the students to bring their own photos to the class and prepare sentences to describe the members of their families.
4. Practising and presenting
Practising before presenting a grammar item gives students the opportunity to experiment with the language in a meaningful context that is relevant to their lives. It involves pair/group work, which promotes communication and collaboration, preparing the students to use the language in real-life situations. The exercise can be a substitution table and the students work together to produce questions and answers.
Example: Teaching Present Simple tense (the interrogative form)
Steps for the teacher:
1. Group the students in pairs.
2. Model for the students by asking them to answer the first question of the survey.
3. Give students a survey worksheet to complete about their likes and dislikes.
4. Tell the students to write their own answers to the questions in the first two columns.
5. Tell the students to interview their deskmates writing each other’s answers in the third column.
6. Focus the learners on the structure and elicit the form onto the board.
Survey
Yes, I do. No, I don’t. Your partner
(✔️) (x) (✔️) / (x)
Do you like swimming?
enjoy playing video games
going to the park?
travelling by train?
taking photos?
playing basketball?
The benefits of adopting an inductive approach to teaching grammar are multiple. Firstly, you engage the students in the learning process involving them mentally in the class activities. Secondly, it enhances student engagement, sparking their curiosity and interest. In addition, students gain a deep understanding of the language as they broaden their scope of knowledge based on their own experience.
Bibliography
British Council Romania and the Romanian-American Foundation: English for the Community, Teaching for Success, A course for Romanian teachers of English, 2017
www.englishclub.com/efl/tefl/tips/inductive/
www.eslsongs.com/
grade-university.com/blog/controlled-vs-freer-practice-activities-the-power-of-freer-practice-in-grammar-instruction
www.ijser.org/researchpaper/EXPLORING-REALIA-USAGE-IN-TEACHING-ENGLISH-GRAMMAR-TO-YOUNG-LEARNERS.pdf
www.teachingenglish.org.uk/teaching-resources/teaching-secondary/activities/pre-intermediate-a2/class-survey
teachingutopians.com/2021/02/14/how-to-teach-grammar-inductively-steps-and-examples/
www.usingenglish.com/teachers/articles/how-to-teach-yes-no-questions.html