Even as a native speaker, English grammar can be intimidating. It’s awfully complicated, after all, and it seems like you should be an expert before teaching something, right?
Well, let me tell you a secret: If you can read this article, you’re already an expert in English grammar! Grammar is, essentially, the structure of a language, after all, so if you can read and write in English, you can definitely learn how to teach English grammar!
Of course, grammar is essential when learning English (or any language), so it is important that you know how to teach it—and teach it well!
Here are 16 tips and tricks to help you learn how to teach English grammar effectively, without skimping on the fun.
1. Review the grammar concept before your lesson.
There are a lot of grammar terms out there—make sure to review each grammar concept before your lesson! This will also help you identify any questions or issues your students may face when learning the grammar lesson of the day.
Pro tip: if a student asks you a question about grammar that you don’t know the answer to, be honest! And look up the answer later. It will facilitate discussion, and also validate the students (grammar can be tough, after all).
You can also refer to this quick English grammar guide if you need a refresher.
2. Start with the basics.
Start slow, and start with the basics. Introduce word order, the parts of the speech, and the main verb tenses, before you jump into more difficult concepts.
It’s also worth it to do a quick review of the basic ideas of English grammar when you start teaching a new class, to ensure understanding of the topics before you continue with more complex grammar ideas.
3. Use surveys to identify the grammar your students need help with.
Before you even start teaching grammar, poll your students! As all teachers know, every student, even the ones at the same level, comes into your classroom at a different starting point, with different knowledge, and grammar is not exempt from this.
I recommend using a survey to ask what areas the students themselves think need improvement, and maybe a short (and easy!) quiz to assess what they know (always helpful, for general knowledge and grammar!).
4. Focus on one concept at a time.
It can be tempting to jump into grammar and get it over with as soon as possible, or even to introduce several similar concepts all at once. However, your lessons will be much more effective if you introduce one single grammar concept at a time.
For example, when you introduce parts of speech, focus first on just nouns or verbs, rather than going in-depth to each part of speech at once.
5. Teach grammar through storytelling.
Storytelling is one of the most powerful tools a teacher can use (or anyone can use, in and out of a classroom). Storytelling can help us remember new information, connect us to new ideas and people, or feel recognized and heard.
Storytelling is also a way for students to learn grammar through discovery. Students can see how grammar is used in context, remember the lesson more easily, be inspired, learn about many other things at the same time, or even get empowered by sharing their own stories.
Storytelling can also be used to teach nearly any grammar concept, from verb tenses to word order, to prediction, to adjective, to subject-verb agreement, and so much more.
Get ideas here: 12 Best Books to Learn English for Beginners to Advanced Learners
6. Prioritize talking and usage.
The best way to truly learn grammar is by using it! So make sure your students speak it as they learn it. Oh, and also, make sure they write and read in English, too, to ensure fluency in grammar at all levels.
7. Outsource for ideas.
Teamwork makes the dream work! So, use your team (fellow teachers), and other resources at your disposal. Your fellow teachers likely have also successfully taught English grammar, so I’m sure they will have some great ideas they’d be happy to share!
The internet is also a great resource for ideas on how to teach English grammar in a fun way.
8. Make your lessons fun and interactive.
Grammar is one of those subjects that can easily be taught in lecture form. It makes sense—there are so many concepts and so much to cover, and you only have so much time in a lesson, after all!
However, students will learn grammar more effectively if they interact with the concepts and use them. Games and worksheets, books and videos, music and newspapers, whatever you can think of to make the lesson more interesting!
Also read: 12 Best English Workbooks for ESL Learners
9. Connect grammar to everyday life.
It’s easy to see grammar as something that belongs in the classroom—but we see it and use it every day, everywhere! Find authentic materials to connect grammar to the world and your students’ lives.
This will help them feel a connection, in turn, with the lesson, and be more likely to retain the grammatical concepts.
Use YouTube music videos with subtitles to find adjective order, ask them questions about their future to practice verb tense, and have them name various items in the word to learn nouns.
10. Have your students “play detective” outside of the classroom.
Here’s a fun one that relates to connecting grammar with everyday life. Give your students “homework” outside of the classroom: have them spot incorrect or strange usages of English grammar in their daily lives, and bring the news back to their classmates.
This is great practice for the various grammar concepts and also helps students identify grammar mistakes and questions they may have.
Maybe they notice a strange contraction in their favorite song, see a sign that doesn’t make sense, or find a sentence in an article that is just incorrect punctuation. Examples are everywhere!
11. Use different grammar teaching procedures.
There are several schools of thought when it comes to the teaching of grammar, and while you’re welcome to choose the one you identify most with, I encourage you to try several different approaches!
This will enable you to reach the most students, and also make a note of which grammar lessons are most effective, for future classes.
12. Remember the three “Ps” of teaching grammar.
When teaching grammar, remember the “3Ps,” or “PPP”. The 3Ps are presentation, practice, and production. It can be very helpful to follow this framework, or follow it loosely, when teaching grammar.
First, introduce (or present) the new topic, then give the students examples and a chance to practice, and finally, have the students produce the grammar naturally (or as naturally as possible).
Bonus: These 3Ps are also applicable in all forms of teaching, for any new concept.
13. Metaphors are your friend.
Metaphors are used not only when we talk but also when we think. A good metaphor can stick in your brain and promote understanding of any idea or concept. They are especially useful when it comes to teaching grammar.
Use whatever metaphors make the most sense to you. One example? Liken the solar system to the parts of speech. You have the sun (verbs), planets (nouns), moons (adjectives), Pluto (pronouns), orbit (prepositions), comets (interjections), solar flares (adverbs), and space shuttles (conjunctions).
14. Build images to visualize grammar with your students.
In relation to using metaphors to improve learning, building images can help your students visualize the grammar concept. Although not every student is a visual learner, it can still be helpful for everyone to see how grammar works in various situations.
For example, a sentence is a pizza. Not all pizzas are created equal, and neither are sentences! A sentence will always have a noun (or crust), as well as a verb (cheese), but not all sentences will have adverbs or adjectives (various toppings).
Have your students come up with ideas for images that resonate with them, and build them as a class.
15. Show your students how far they’ve come.
To help build confidence in your students, show them how much grammar they’ve already learned. Grammar can seem daunting, especially when the new concepts seem endless.
However, reviewing older concepts or pointing to proper uses of grammar in writing and speech can help students see that they usually know more than they think they do.
16. Grammar can be fun!
I remember the groans in the classroom when it was time to teach (or learn) grammar, so I know that many students (and teachers) don’t enjoy grammar. Let me tell you right now, grammar gets a bad rap! Grammar can be fun, and a lot of students enjoy it.
Think of it as a puzzle and a game, as well as a necessary skill for fluency, and your students will think of it as the same.
Conclusion
Grammar is necessary—but it doesn’t have to be a necessary evil. You can create grammar lessons that are just as interesting, fun, and beneficial as any other type of English lesson.
And if you need more tips, here are some suggestions on how to teach English vocabulary and how to teach Business English.
Now, onward, young grasshoppers! I hope you found these tips on how to teach English grammar helpful. Happy teaching!