Critical response of Teaching Grammar in Context

In this article, the writer agreed that teaching grammar in context is good rather that teaching grammar in isolation. Firstly, teaching grammar in context is where the teacher integrates grammar in everyday teaching. This type of approach is applicable while teaching other skills for instance listening, speaking, writing, reading and also language arts. On the other hand, teaching grammar in isolation is where the teacher teaches grammar separately in a lesson. For example grammar is taught as a separate topic to make sure the pupils recognize the rules and regulations of grammar. By teaching grammar in isolation, pupils will become bored because the teacher is focusing more on memorizing the rules of grammar, parts of speech, and the ability to locate errors. Pupils will understand the grammar rules but they may not know how to use in daily life.

Nowadays, pupils will remember the meaningful lesson as it is effective and give impact in their life. For example, when teacher teaches grammar in context, teacher will create more interesting activities where it can develop pupils creative and critical thinking. Pupils can adapt what they have learnt easily in their spoken language in daily life. According to Charlotte Johnson, One of the best methods of teaching grammar is to use passages that illustrate grammatical functions within their context. Teaching your students grammar in context shows them how to apply various grammatical concepts. This can significantly improve your students' ability to communicate through written language. For example, as the teacher teaches grammar through songs, poem or short stories, pupils will remember what they have learnt because pupils love to learn something new. They will feel more interesting in learning English. Learners will be motivated as they know that what they learnt is valuable and memorable. They will feel happy in doing their task because they belief that they can do it by understanding grammar in context.

Learners are given opportunities to develop their own understandings of the grammatical principles of English by progressively structuring and restructuring the

language through inductive learning experiences which encourage them to explore the functioning of grammar in context (Nunan,1997). Teacher that using this approach is focuses on form, meaning and the usage of grammar in many skills. So that pupils should have many opportunities to read, write, and view grammar, its rules, and the meaning behind the rules in teaching and learning lessons. We can see that pupils use grammar as a tool to make them better in learning this second language as this type of approach can enhance pupils interest in reading, speaking or writing.

From the article, the writer suggests some ways how to improve teaching strategies by using grammar in context approach for example social and physical environment in classroom. In aspect social, teacher should create creative activity in developing pupils creative thinking and enhance their social skills in classroom. Teacher should make the pupils interact in the classroom by providing more group work or role play in the class to make them improve in their communication skills.

In a nutshell, grammar must be part of any language instruction. But the approach one adopts in the grammar teaching differs from teacher to teacher. We believe that a balanced view would consider grammar important as long as it leads to better language use in context rather than being a set of rules about the language that do not help much in the communication of meaning.