Scholarly Research Journal for Interdisciplinary Studies, Online ISSN 2278-8808, SJIF 2016 = 6.17, www.srjis.com UGC Approved Sr. No.45269, SEPT-OCT 2017, VOL- 4/36
10.21922/srjis.v4i36.10003
A STUDY THE POSITION OF TEACHING OF ENGLISH GRAMMAR IN RURAL SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF SHIKARIPURA TALUK Kiran Kumar K. S, Ph. D. Assistant Professor, Kumadvathi College of Education, Shikaripura-577427, Shivamogga District, Karnataka. Email-kirankumar.ks25@gmail.com
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Introduction: “One, who climbs the grammar tree, distinctly knows where noun, verb and participle grow.” – Dryden (1635). In the teaching-learning of a language, grammar occupies an important place. It helps the teacher to master the language well. It is also of great help to the learners. The English word grammar has come from the Greek word 'grammar' meaning a 'LETTER.' In classical Greek and the Latin word 'grammar' is referred to the general study of literature and language. From the 17th century onwards two meanings have been compared with each other in English. In 1605 Francis Bacon wrote concerning speech and words", the consideration of them produced the science of grammar ' while in 1637 Ben Johnson writes, " the grammar is the art of true and well speaking language." Then Bacon has told that 'grammar' is a science, a study of set of phenomena; but for Johnson, grammar is an art, the skill or technique of speaking well. Then L. Murray has written about grammar in 1824 English grammar is the art of speaking and writing the English language with propriety.' Present Position of Teaching English Grammar in the School The present position of grammar in the schools is rather very pitiable. Mostly grammar is taught or learnt just for the sake of grammar. Very few people learn it for the sake of language. In the time table, there is separate period for grammar work. Everybody looks upon grammar from examination point of view. The target of everybody is getting more marks in the portion of grammar contained in the question paper. Nobody takes it as a helping hand for the importance of language. Further it is seen that separate grammar books are prescribed for the different classes from the beginning. Thus almost every student studies grammar of the language in each class. The emphasis is more on learning the definitions. The learners cram the material and then Copyright © 2017, Scholarly Research Journal for Interdisciplinary Studies
Dr. Kiran Kumar K.S 6606 (Pg. 6605-6615)
they reproduce it in the examination. They least worry about the real utility of the language. First and foremost, it must be remembered that grammar is not a separate subject; it is not a separate division of English work. If it is so marked in the syllabus or timetable, it is for our convenience. It is an essential part of the English course, but not separate subject. It helps us to get the “feel” of the language. Many of us try and dispense with it altogether. But it must be taught mainly for the sake of composition and reading. Grammar is a study of the language as we hear it; the study of the behavior of words, word-groups and changes in meaning of words. Objectives of the Study The following are the objectives of the study 1. To study the position of Teaching of English Grammar in rural secondary schools. Methodology Adopted for the study
Sl.No
Objective
Source Data
1
To study the position of Teaching of English Grammar in rural secondary schools.
English teachers working rural secondary school Shikaripur taluk
of
Sample
35 Secondary School in English Subject Teaching of Teachers of Shikaripura Taluk
Tools Used For Collecting Data
Statistical Technique Used For Analysis
Interview questions Data was prepared by analysed the descriptively researcher
Statistical Techniques Used for Analysis of the Data The researcher has used the following statistical technique for the analysis of the data. The data collected for objective was analysed by calculating the frequencies and converting them into percentages. Further, the data was analysed descriptively. Analysis of Data Objective : To study the position of Teaching English Grammar in rural secondary schools. To study the position of Teaching English Grammar in rural secondary schools the researcher collected the data in the format of opinions of the teachers teaching English subject in rural secondary schools. The researcher has conducted an interview to 35 secondary school teachers of Shikaripur taluk. The interview schedule consists of 26 Copyright © 2017, Scholarly Research Journal for Interdisciplinary Studies
Dr. Kiran Kumar K.S 6607 (Pg. 6605-6615)
questions. On the basis of the responses of the teachers to the questions of interview they were classified into three main categories for the purpose of analyses. They are as follows: 1. Importance of Grammar learning at secondary school level. Teachers Responses towards Importance of Grammar Learning at Secondary School Level. Sl. No
1
2
3
4
5
6
Responses of the teachers i) Science of a language ii) Necessary part of language iii) Systematic study of a According to you what language is grammar? iv) It is a body of language v) It is an empirical study of a language Is it necessary to teach i) Yes and learn grammar at secondary school ii) No level? i) to learn basic structures of language ii) to learn better composition in language iii) to improve the Why do we need to English language teach and learn proficiency grammar at secondary iv) to use correct school level? language in writing and speaking v) to improve better communication vi) to avoid mistakes Do you like teaching i) Yes grammar? ii) No Do you think grammar plays an important role i) Yes in learning of English ii) No language? i) Parts of Speech ii) Tenses iii) Degrees of What type of grammar Comparison components are you iv) Active & Passive teaching in secondary Voice school? v) Direct & Indirect Speech vi) Figures of Speech vii) all the above Questions
Frequency of % responses (35) 14 40 1
2.28
9
25.71
4
11.42
7
20
34
97.14
1
2.82
6
17.14
5
14.28
9
25.71
7
20
4
11.42
4 34 1
11.42 97.14 2.82
28
80
7
20
10 10
28.57 28.57
2
5.71
9
25.71
9
25.71
2 25
5.71 71.42
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Dr. Kiran Kumar K.S 6608 (Pg. 6605-6615)
7
8
9
10
Is it necessary to teach English grammar separately? Does learning grammar help the students listening, speaking, reading and writing skills?
Do you think that learning grammar is important to get proficiency in English language? a) If yes. Why? b) If No. why?
i) Yes
25
71.42
ii) No
10
28.57
i) Yes
27
77.14
ii) No
8
22.85
24
68.57
4
11.42
4
11.42
3
8.57
28
80
7
20
Yes it is because i) The students easily identify their mistakes in using the language. ii) to write the answer with their own without making any grammatical error. iii) to develop independent writing skill iv) to write essay, letter writing, paragraph writing, and own composition grammar is necessary.
Do you believe role of grammar in language is i) Yes as an equal pillar in supporting language ii) No proficiency?
1. 40 percent of English teachers expressed that grammar is the science of language. 25.71 percent of teachers expressed that grammar is systematic study of a language. 11.42 percent of teachers answered that grammar is a body of a language. 20 percent of teachers said that grammar is a necessary part of language. 2. 97.14 percent of teachers expressed that teaching and learning of grammar is necessary at secondary school level, they felt that grammar is the back bone for learning a language. Without any grammatical knowledge the students cannot write a letter or essay with meaningfully. They even cannot identify where they are committing mistake. But 2.82 percent of teachers expressed that teaching and learning grammar is not necessary to learn a language, as they feel that grammar may hinder the learning of language. 3. 97.14 percent of teachers expressed that they are interested in teaching grammar classes, but 2.82 percent of English teachers are not interested in teaching grammar, as there is no previous learning or knowledge among the students about grammar. It becomes very difficult whether to concentrate on present prescribed grammar teaching or to teach basic grammar. Copyright Š 2017, Scholarly Research Journal for Interdisciplinary Studies
Dr. Kiran Kumar K.S 6609 (Pg. 6605-6615)
4. 80 percent of teachers expressed that grammar plays an important role in learning English language, but 20 percent of teachers viewed that grammar does not play an important role in learning English language. 5. 71.42 percent of teachers expressed that they are teaching parts of speech, tenses, degree of comparison, active & passive voices, reported speech, and figures of speech in regular periods. 6. 71.42 percent of teachers expressed that they need separate grammar classes to teach at secondary school level, because in regular classes they concentrate only on the subject part (like teaching of prose and poem) as they are busy with their timetable to complete the syllabus. That is why they were interested to take a separate grammar classes where they can concentrate to improve grammatical knowledge of the students. 28.57 percent of teachers have not shown interest to teach English grammar separately. 7. 77.14 percent of English teachers expressed that learning grammar helps the students in developing their Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing skills, to improve their proficiency in English language learning, grammar is a supporting pillar to improve the proficiency of language learning. Overall, the views of English teachers regarding the importance of grammar, and its necessity to teach and learn grammar at secondary school level seems to be positive. 2. Ways and methods to teach Grammar Teachers Responses towards Ways and Methods to Teach English Grammar Sl. No
1
2
3 4
Questions
How have you been taught grammar in high school?
Which method do you follow to teach grammar components?
Responses of the teachers i) Formal method of grammar teaching ii) Functional method of grammar teaching iii)Both formal and Functional method i) Deductive Approach ii) Inductive Approach iii) Situational Method iv) by using Substitution Method v) Play way method i) Active participation
Frequency of % responses(35) 11
31.42
10
28.57
14
40
18 7 2
51.42 20 5.71
3
8.57
5 8
14.28 22.85
How do students respond in learning of ii) Passive participation 27 grammar? How do you handle i) I will take separate 8
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77.14 22.85
Dr. Kiran Kumar K.S 6610 (Pg. 6605-6615) the slow while grammar?
5
learners grammar classes for the teaching students. ii) by giving enough exercises iii) I use translation method i) by teaching functional grammar What activities do ii) by using play way method you conduct to teach iii) using some special difficult grammar teaching aids items? iv) by using drill work v) giving more illustrations Do the students show i) Yes interest in learning ii) No grammar? i) Drill work What are the practical ii) Enough handouts exercises you suggest iii) by giving many examples in learning English iv) by giving Project work grammar? v) by giving home assignment i) Inductive Approach Which is best ii) Deductive Approach technique for iii) Situational Approach teaching grammar at iv) Translation method high school level? v) Functional Grammar method Yes, it is i) to improve the better Do you think learning composition rules is necessary in iii) to improve the basic grammar learning? structure of language a) If yes. Why? No, it is Memorization and b) If No. why? more drill work which make them a good language learner
6
7
8
9
7
20
20
57.14
5
14.28
4
11.42
6
17.14
15 5 15
42.85 14.28 42.85
20
57.14
6 5 15 5
17.14 14.28 42.85 14.28
4
11.42
7 15 3 8
20 42.85 8.71 22.85
2
5.71
20
57.14
7
20
8
22.85
Presents the English teachers opinion relating to ways and methods to teach grammar at secondary school level. 1. 40 percent of teachers expressed that they are using both formal and functional grammar method to teach grammar components. 31.42 percent of teachers answered that they were using formal grammar method of teaching, 28.57 percent of teachers using formal and functional grammar of teaching. Most of teachers believe that there is a problem in formal grammar that is rules and definitions are not always accurate especially in English. For example we form the past tenses by adding “ed”. If this rule holds true, how the same shall account for things like: go, went; dream, dreamt; read, Copyright © 2017, Scholarly Research Journal for Interdisciplinary Studies
Dr. Kiran Kumar K.S 6611 (Pg. 6605-6615)
read; speak, spoke. That is why using functional grammar is a best method to teach grammar. 2. 51.42 percent of teachers expressed positive opinion of using deductive approach of teaching grammar, because they feel that the deductive approach is the easy and best approach. The students easily grasp the components of grammar by using deductive approach. Other teachers used inductive approach, situational approach, and play way method for teaching grammar components. 3. 77.14 percent of teachers expressed that students do not actively participate in grammar classes, because the teachers feel that lack of basic knowledge about grammar at the primary level makes it difficult at secondary school level. Only 22.85 percent of teachers expressed that the students show active participation in grammar classes. 4. For easy understanding of grammar to students 57.14 percent of teachers used translation method, because the teachers expressed that specially in rural areas the students are very much influenced by their mother tongue, so grammar translation method is best method to teach grammar. Only 22.85 percent of teachers are interested to take separate grammar classes. 20 percent of teachers expressed that they handle the students by giving more exercises in grammar. 5. 42.85 percent of teachers used drill work, more practice by giving more examples. 14.28 percent of teachers were giving illustrations and using functional approach for better comprehension of grammatical content. 6. 57.14 percent of teachers viewed that students do not show interest in learning grammar, similarly 42.85 percent teachers expressed that the students show their interest in learning grammar. 7. 42.85 percent of teachers expressed that they used more examples to learn grammar components. Other than that 17.14, 14.28, 11.42 percent of teachers used project work, drill work, and giving more practical examples especially to learn English grammar. Overall the views of English teachers regarding ways and methods to teach grammar at secondary school level opinion that use of deductive and translation methods are best way to teaching English grammar at rural secondary school level.
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Dr. Kiran Kumar K.S 6612 (Pg. 6605-6615)
3. Factors affecting learning of English grammar Teachers Responses towards the Factors Affecting Learning of English Grammar Sl. No
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Questions
Responses of the teachers
Is Government i) Yes providing any special training to English teachers to improve the ii) No teaching of grammar in secondary schools? i) Unit test What steps you follow ii) Quiz to evaluate the grammar iii) Giving assignment on competency of the particular grammar topic students? iv) Question and answer technique i) By creating situational How do you correct approach student errors of form ii) While communicating with which interfere with the students their communication? iii) Creating situation like drama, one act play etc How do you give the i) By using structural approach Comparison and ii) Showing difference between contrast of individual 2 structures and rules with structures while proper examples teaching grammar? iii) By giving illustrations i) Hesitation to use it properly ii) Lacking of proper guidance iii) Lacking of basic information Why our students find it about grammar at primary stage difficult to transfer their iv) Lacking of support and grammatical knowledge encouragement from the parents into communicative as well as teachers language use? v) Influence and interference of mother tongue vi) all the above reasons i) Lacking of natural approach in grammar teaching ii) There is no separate grammar Why our students find class in school timetable difficult to improve the iii) Students just concentrate accuracy of their over content of the subject not grammatical language? for grammar. iv) Lacking of parents support v) Grammar teaching is only for examination purpose Why teachers find it i) Lacking of sound knowledge difficult to correct about grammar
Frequency of responses % (35) 35 100
0
0
16 1
45.71 2.82
9
25.71
9
25.71
4
11.42
19
54.28
12
34.28
22
65.85
6
17.14
7 5 3
20 14.28 8.71
2
5.71
3
8.71
3
8.71
19
54.28
5
14.29
3
8.57
13
37.14
2
5.71
12
34.28
8
22.85
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Dr. Kiran Kumar K.S 6613 (Pg. 6605-6615) student errors of grammar within a written and spoken communicative context?
ii) No separate grammar 15 syllabus at school level. iii) Lacking of proper training programmes specially in 12 grammar
42.85 34.28
Presents the English teachers interview responses related to factors affecting learning of English grammar. 1. All the English teachers that they are getting 7 days special training from British Council communicating class training organized by the DSERT. The aim of training course is to make the English teachers actively participate in teaching learning of English language as well as use innovative techniques in language teaching. 2. 45.71 percent of teachers expressed that they evaluate the grammar competency of the students by using unit test, and 25.71 percent of teachers use the technique of used home assignment and project work. 3. 54.28 percent of teachers expressed that they correct the grammatical mistakes or errors made by the students by using communicative approach, 34.28 percent of teachers expressed that they try to improve the correct usage of grammar by using dramatics, creating situations, and plays. 4. 54.28 percent of teachers gave opinion that there is a lacking of proper guidance, hesitation to use it properly, and lacking of support and encouragement by the parents as well as teachers, which make them very difficult transfer their grammatical knowledge into communicative language. 5. 37.14 percent of English teachers expressed their view that the students find it difficult to improve the accuracy because students just concentrate over the content of the subject and not for grammar usage. More importantly 34.28 percent of English teachers expressed that they teach grammar at secondary school level only for examination purpose, which make them difficult to improve the accuracy of the grammatical knowledge. 14.28 percent of teachers believe that there is no natural or homely atmosphere in grammar teaching which hinders to improve their grammatical knowledge. 6. 42.85 percent of English teachers expressed their views that Government has not mentioned a separate grammar syllabus at secondary school level. Which makes that teacher find difficult to correct students errors in grammar within written and spoken Copyright Š 2017, Scholarly Research Journal for Interdisciplinary Studies
Dr. Kiran Kumar K.S 6614 (Pg. 6605-6615)
communication context. 34.28 percent of teacher expressed that Government is not giving proper training programme especially in grammar. This may be one the reasons for it. The present position of grammar in schools is rather very pitiable. Mostly grammar is taught or learnt just for the sake of grammar. Very few people learn it for the sake of language. Everybody looks upon grammar from examination point of view. Nobody takes it as a helping hand for the improvement of English language learning. Conclusion In the view of studying the objective that is to study the position of English grammar learning among the rural secondary school learners has revealed that English language teachers agree that teaching of grammar is backbone for learning a language, and they are interested in teaching grammar classes separately as it plays an important role in learning English language, and they also expressed that many of the parts of speech pertaining to English grammar are taught by them in separate classes. They also revealed that translation method was used by them in teaching this. The teachers have been provided training by organization like DSERT etc., which has helped them to improve their skills of teaching grammar. But majority of the English teachers expressed that it becomes very difficult to enable the students to acquire the knowledge of English grammar by the students, as these students are resistant and have non-English speaking back ground. Hence teaching of grammar has become more examination oriented than performance. Reference Abbas, Zare, E., and Abbas, Shekarey. (2010). Comparative Study of The Use of ICT in English Teaching-Learning process. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education-TOJDE, 11, 2, 13-22. Agnihotri, R. K. and Khanna, A. L. (1995). English Language Teaching in India: Issues and Innovations. New Delhi: Sage Publication. Ahmed, Fiayaz. (2000). English Language Teaching: Breaking the Barrier. The Progress of Education, 24, 10, 218-219. Malaikkani, S. (2007). The Big Trouble with the Small Words in Learning English. Edutracks, 6, 10, 19-20. Marion, Field. (2006). Improving Your Spelling. England: Yourself Book Publication. Mei, Mei, Chang., and James, D, Lehman. (2002). Learning Foreign Language through an Interactive Multimedia Program: An Experimental Study on the Effects of the Relevance Component of the ARCS Model. CALICO Journal, 20, 1, 81-98. Copyright Š 2017, Scholarly Research Journal for Interdisciplinary Studies
Dr. Kiran Kumar K.S 6615 (Pg. 6605-6615) Nutta, J. (2001). Is Computer Based Grammar Instruction as Effective as Teacher directed Grammar Instruction for Teaching L2 Structures. Ph.D Thesis, University of South Florida, USA. Padmini, Dev, Kumar. (2008). Verbs and Idioms for School Students. First Edition. An Imprint of Sura Books Pvt Ltd. Chennai. Roger, Barnard., Davin, Scampton. (2008). Teaching Grammar: a Survey of EAP Teachers in New Zealand. New Zealand Studies in Applied Linguistics, 14, 2, 59-82. Sachdeva, M.S. (2003). A New Approach to Teaching of English in India. Tandon Publication. Ludhiana.
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