
Tips to Feel Prepared for a Grammar Lesson
Mar 28, 2022English grammar is quite a beast and knowing all the ins and outs of every grammar point is not something that is expected of you as an EFL teacher. However, itâs important to come to class prepared so that you can clearly express to your learners how the lessonâs target language works and how to use it. Letâs remember though, just because we may speak English doesnât mean we actually know how the language works. While a grammar point may seem straightforward before you bring it to class, your students will quickly remind you of all of the exceptions and confusing aspects surrounding it. Grammar lessons can be a little tricky if you donât prepare well, especially when itâs your first time teaching a particular grammar point but by following the steps below, grammar lessons will be a breeze and youâll be ready for all the questions your students can throw at you.
Step 1: Research the grammar point
If youâre working with lesson materials (like The TEFL Labâs!), youâll see that the grammar point is clearly explained and laid out for you to present to your students. Most times though, materials donât always get into the nitty gritty of the target language or come with a complete list of exceptions or common errors and questions students may have. Itâs important to do further research so that you can find additional rules (or exceptions to the rules) so youâll be prepared for the inevitable âWhat aboutâŠ.?â questions from students. Visit reputable grammar websites or consult grammar reference texts for clarification and further information about your target grammar for the lesson. Remember, you donât need to be a grammar whiz, you just need to have the lessonâs grammar point covered.
Step 2: Make it make sense
Now that youâve done some research, itâs important that the grammar point makes sense to you. Before you head off to class, youâve got to be able to understand the grammar point in your own words, and make your own example sentences, without having to rely on the notes from the lesson materials. Something that helps really bring grammar to life is a clear context. Think about how and when youâre likely to use the target grammar. For the present simple verb tense for example, weâd likely be talking about introductions, habits or interests. For the past simple verb tense, weâre usually talking about a past vacation, what we did last week at work, or describing an event from last weekend. For prepositions of place, weâre likely talking about where we are located when weâre planning to meet up with someone or maybe we are describing where items are in our home or office. Think of common situations where we naturally use this verb tense and develop a context thatâs useful and fun! Then, try making your own timeline/diagram, examples, and list of rules for the target grammar in your notes to see how confident you feel about it. How do you feel? Are you ready to take it to class?
Step 3: How is it similar to/different from other verb tenses
Something that really helps learners wrap their heads around a new grammar point is the ability to relate it to other ones theyâve previously learned. If youâre teaching the past progressive verb tense for example, think of how it differs from the past simple or how itâs similar to the present progressive. Students will likely also try to find how the English grammar point is similar to the grammar in their L1. If you speak your studentsâ L1, do this thinking ahead of time and bring that knowledge to class in case your students need it.
Step 4: Anticipate problems and confusion
Grammar classes can become messy when we havenât done the work of preparing for the moments our learners may get caught up or confused with the target grammar. The best place to start with anticipating problems is from your own understanding of the grammar point. Ask yourself âWhatâs tricky or confusing about this grammar?â. And then think about how you personally reconciled that confusion. Take it a step further by looking up common mistakes students (especially students who share the same L1 as your students) make with this grammar point. Jot them down and prepare some quick solutions to these errors. After youâve presented the grammar, highlight how we DONâT use this grammar point or ways people commonly make mistakes. If youâre teaching the present simple verb tense for example, know that students can forget the final âsâ on the verbs for he/she/it subjects. When teaching the verb tense, highlight the instances where we add an âsâ and really emphasize this. Itâs even helpful to say here what is incorrect. Do this by saying âNot, he walk to work, He walkS to workâ. By bringing common errors right out into the open, students will likely avoid making this mistake or at least theyâll remember it and be able to self-correct.
Reminder
Youâre not expected to know absolutely everything. Youâre a teacher which also means youâre human and if youâve followed the steps above and still get a learner question that throws you off, tell your student that youâre not sure. Write down your studentâs question and after class, find the answer and get back to them. If itâs an important part of the target grammar that you overlooked when preparing, bring it to your next class so that you can share the information with everyone. Thereâs no harm in saying âIâm not sureâ or âI donât knowâ in class as long as itâs not in response to a question about the use or structure of the target grammar.