I got the idea for the title of this post from an interesting blog called Throw Grammar From the Train, which struck me as being a nice little twist on the popular black comedy movie title Throw Momma from the Train.
I think it's pretty fair to say that, in some circles, the attitude towards explicit grammar instruction is rather similar to the way "momma" is seen and talked about in the clip below (from the movie):
Danny Devito wants to get rid of his momma, and mentions her being old, having "a bad ticker", and just needing a good scare to send her on her way (out of his life). But as soon as she confronts him, he'd rather whack someone with a saucepan than get her upset.
As in, grammar is a an ugly old grump that we'd like to do away with, but in many cases don't have the courage to. We'd rather call in someone to do the dirty deed for us...
Well, after several weeks of mostly unplugged teaching, I decided to toss grammar back on my classroom trains last week.
Oooh, I can just hear some of the reactions... :-)
Having access to computers and Internet, I had my classes get into pairs and tackle (what I felt to be) level-appropriate applications of the online "Grammar in Use" and "Vocabulary in Use" level tests from Cambridge University Press.
The idea and application was pretty simple:
1. Work through the tests in 2-student teams, discussing and making decisions about which answers to choose.
2. Look at the final score out of 50 on the test, then look at and talk about the answer corrections that follow.
3. Re-try the test again and try to improve on the initial score.
4. Go through the test as a class using the IWB, choosing answers, with the teacher (me) available to explain any questions the students might have about the grammar or vocabulary in use, but also inviting the students to ask or respond in imaginary personal situations where the language from the test questions might potentially happen.
So yeah, three hours where grammar ruled.
Grammar that didn't "emerge" from the learners.
Grammar that was only vaguely contextualised, and only actually well after the fact.
Lots of talk "about" using language, rather than actually using it.
And oh, the horror!, these classes actually went down really well. Students negotiating and discussing, asking a lot of questions, making a lot of guesses. Rules and patterns filled the whiteboard during the review and Q&A session, with students making questions or statements in answer to hypothetically personal situations to emerge from each grammar question on the tests.
I enjoyed it.
The students definitely enjoyed it.
Things were learned, or (probably better said) explored.
The grammar I threw back on the train last week didn't look much at all like the momma tossed from the train in the movie.
And I don't feel bad about letting her back on.
Bless me, Unplugged Father, for I have sinned!
=D
