Teaching English Grammar in Asian Contexts

Abstract

This chapter addresses the teaching of English grammar in Asian contexts. It argues that texts, rather than isolated sentences, should be used as a vehicle for teaching grammar. This is because texts provide meaningful and appropriate contexts of authentic language use. To elaborate on the concept of text, the systemic functional grammar tradition is adopted to present a perspective that teaching grammar does not always mean teaching the forms but also teaching the meaning and function of grammar. This perspective is important because commercially available grammar books tend to mix the structural and functional labels of grammar in one sentence pattern causing confusion among Asian students especially regarding the ‘verb’ element. The verb functioning as the Finite of the clause is highlighted in the chapter since this seems to be a major source of grammatical mistakes. In the teaching strategies, presenting grammar in its form, meaning and use is suggested. With regard to ‘use’, this chapter advocates a ‘one text many stories’ strategy which originated from the reader-response theory in which the students are given the opportunities to use grammar creatively in the texts they create.