Teacher Alessandra´s homework: "Teaching Grammar"

The article "Teaching Grammar", by Jeremy Harmer defends the idea of approaching grammar through a realistic way. He says that we, teachers, should give students what and need; but especcially we need to know about the grammar we are asking our students to learn. According to Harmer, we need to know what we´re talking about, but not be afraid to have to study areas we are less sure of.
Jeremy Harmer stresses that we need to respect our students' own attitudes whilst not, thereby , automatically abandoning our own approaches. Jeremy reinforces the idea that we should be pragmatic in our choice of grammar activity depending on the level and type of our students and, on the type of grammar under consideration.
Like Harmer said very well " Teachers are not perfect" and definitely we have to be able to acknowledge that we don´t have all the information at our fingertips but that we will either find a good answer or refer students to where that information can be found. Students will end up respecting us far more than teachers who invent spurious explanations which are later seen to be unreliable.
I agree with the author and I conclude saying more once a time that we, teachers should teach grammar based on our students' needs, to be always getting ready to learn and choose the best way to deal with the barriers to teaching grammar. Motivation and interaction is a good invitation!

Homework  Workshop: Oral, writing and pronunciation development

“Pass the Paper”

Name:­­________________________________________

Part 1


Write one question in a circle on your paper. Then pass it to the student on your right. When you receive a paper from left, read it and add one new question.



Where do you live?




Part 2

Find your original paper. Read the questions. Choose four you want to answer and cross out six you don’t want to answer.

Part 3

Number the questions in the order you want to answer them.

Part 4

Write a paragraph.


Part 5

Read the paragraph for the group.


* Photocopy the page above (one copy per student). Give each student a handout. Have them write their names in the top-right hand corner of their handouts.

* Divide the class into groups of five or six. Have each group sit in a circle.

* Focus Students attention on Part 1 of the handout. Explain that, in preparation for the writing assignment, they will write questions for each other (e.g., Where do you live?).

* Students write a question, pass their handout from their left. Each time Students receive a handout, they write one question and pass the handout to the right.

* Students carry out the task until there are ten questions on every handout.

* Focus Students’ attention on Part 2. Students find their original handouts.

* Students read the questions and choose four they want to answer. They cross out the other six.

* Focus Students’ attention on Part 3. Students number the questions in the order they plan to answer them.

* Focus Students’ attention on Part 4. Have Student’s write their paragraphs.

* Focus Students’ attention on Part 5. Have Student’s read their paragraphs.


Rationale: Having a plan heps students organize their writing. This fun game enables students to think about what to write and how to write it using language.
Material: Xerox