LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 13 : 3 March 2013
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         S. M. Ravichandran, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.
Assistant Managing Editor: Swarna Thirumalai, M.A.

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The Current State of the Art in the Teaching of Grammar
At Vietnamese High Schools

Do Kieu Anh, M.A.

Abstract

This paper analyzes the importance of teaching grammar in EFL classrooms and seeks the appropriate answers to the questions of when, what and how to teach grammar at Vietnamese high schools. In this paper, second/foreign language teaching methodologies in the last several centuries will be briefly reviewed in chronological order with a special focus on the role of grammar and grammar teaching. Secondly, the development and the current state of the art of grammar teaching in the world as well as in Vietnam over the last thirty years will be investigated. Finally, the paper will end with the predictions and recommendations for future directions.

Keywords:grammar, ESL/EFL, Vietnam

1. INTRODUCTION

Over the past several decades, there have been numerous breakthroughs in the field of English language teaching methodologies as English as a second and a foreign language (EFL/ESL) because the view of language teaching changed at different times. One of the major changes is a shift in the role of grammar from a dominant role in traditional classrooms to a marginal status, and back to a position of renewed importance in communicative language teaching (CLT) (Celce-Murcia, 1991). Since the emergence of CLT in language teaching, such questions as “Should grammar be taught?”, “When should grammar be taught?”, “What grammar should be taught?”, and “How should grammar be taught?” have been tackling English language teachers all over the world including Vietnamese high school teachers. Although there are a considerable number of research studies which seek to find the answers to these questions, no consistent answers have been offered to ESL/EFL teachers.

The purpose of this study is not to overstate the role of grammar, but to discuss and clarify some conceptions such as whether grammar is taught in class or what, when and how it is taught. The paper also aims to report on the “State of the art” of the role of grammar and grammar teaching in ELT with the special reference to the Vietnamese context.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Do Kieu Anh, M.A.
Division of Foreign Studies
Southeast Asia Ministers of Education, Regional Training Center (SEAMEO RETRAC)
35 Le Thanh Ton, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
kieuanhdo.ws@gmail.com
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