In Malaysia, teaching English as second language looks like challenging factor to English

teacher. As we know, there are different types of students that demands different types of
learning style. As teachers facing problem in teaching English as second language, teaching
grammar also plays a big role in every English’ classroom. Maybe, we might think that teaching
grammar is just a sort of explaining grammar rules to students but grammar is the main key that
can students to learn a language more easily and more effectively. So, the teacher should find out
which methods are suitable to teach grammar in classroom. There are several ways to teach
grammar in classroom with more quickly and efficiently.

As English teachers, we can follow four basic principles to make students learning
grammar in easy way. First principle is fun. Students learn easily when they are having fun.
Second, involve as many senses as possible in teaching grammar. Learning processes will be
better if there are more connections made though movement, sound, smell, touch and taste. This
kind of physical activities and communication will assist in memory retention. Third, teacher
should that with what the students know, what they doesn’t know about the topics. In this case,
learning must start with student’s prior knowledge on what topic we are going to teach. By
following these principles, definitely will engage students to learn grammar easily.

The teacher can apply inductive learning approach in teaching grammar. Inductive
approach can classify as new grammatical structures or rules are presented to the students in a
original language term (Goner, Philips, Walters, 1995). So, in this situation, the teacher can ask
the students to learn the language in first hand before start the teaching grammar. Gradually, it
will be internal motivation to the students in order to learn grammar. In this inductive learning,
the student’s attention will be focused on the hand on activity not the grammar rules. This
learning style will encourage the student learn independently. So, in the last stage of learning
process, they will know the grammar rules that they learn without being explained. According to
Ellis (2001), stated, students will motivate to learn the grammar without focusing on any
mistakes at the beginning of the lesson.

The teacher can use chants; raps and rhymes for teach grammar in classroom. This kind
of approach will gain the students interest to learn grammar in fun way. They will motivated and
enthusiastic to learn and the material that is learnt as a song will be remembered easily. There are
typically 3 different types of chant, all of which are useful for teaching grammar such as
grammar chant, vocabulary chant and jazz chant. The grammar chant is created to demonstrate a
particular grammar feature with its variations such as verb paradigms. Teacher can create a
conversation or repeated statements to demonstrate the grammar feature. Thus, the teacher also
makes sure the student notice the grammar point that they are practicing in classroom. In
vocabulary chant, the students will learn vocabulary items in categories such as speech part,
countable and uncountable nouns. For example, teacher can ask the students to search ten word
in given themes and count the syllables in each then say it as chant. They can encourage to make
it as song so that they can memorized it.

An essential part of effective grammar learning is repetition. Teacher can engage the
students with more interactive activities or games which involve teamwork or competition.
Though the interaction, teacher can increase the number of student’s language store as they are
listen or read materials and will lead towards build up their language competency. Teacher can
use game activities such as typhoon, bingo, jeopardy and etc. this kind of games can played for
rewards and when a student win a round, their name can be put in the reward chart, with the
chance to practice their oral skills in grammar.

In other hand, teacher should not use other language to explain the meaning in mother
tongue when teach grammar in classroom. Teachers must play an important role in providing the
students with as much as possible of the students listen the correct language and let themselves
for negotiating meaning, the students will exposed to new terms by listening to the teacher talk.
It will increase their opportunities to infer the new vocabulary meaning in context and then
process the information in the English. According to Ghabool, Edwina and Kashef (2012), the
use of English will be novelties if the students are not motivated to use the target language in
classroom. So, the teacher must make sure she or he must use the target language in classroom
full and fully to encourage the students learn the grammar effetely.

In addition, teacher can use simple poems to teaching grammar in classroom. As the students
wrote their own poems, the teacher can monitor their works and tell the mistakes with the
grammar structure (Hussain,2004). When the teacher wants to teach about adjective placement,
she or he can use an adjective placement poem. For example, the teacher can give three set of
cards to each groups and ask them to sort the adjectives in the correct order and explain the
grammar rule that was used. Teacher can show them the correct order of adjectives after
discussion. In the beginning of poem writing, the students can be given an interest web aimed at
generating ideas, words or phrases that described them. It will attract them to fall in love in
learning grammar in classroom.

As the conclusion, teachers are advised to create a good atmosphere in the English
classroom to promote the students interest towards English. The students should motivate to
learn grammar in classroom. Thus, the teachers should consider the role of gender perspective in
language learning, exposing various approaches to improve the students’ attitudes, motivation
and language performance as well.

References

The Best Approach to Teaching Grammar for Pupils in Malaysia Primary Classroom Schools.
(2016, Apr 11). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/the-best-approach-to-teaching-grammar-
for-pupils-in-malaysia-primary-classroom-schools-essay

Goner, Philips, and Walters.(1995). Teaching Parctice Handbook: Structures: Grammar and
Fuction.Heinemann.129-138.

Ellis,R.(2001). The place of grammar instruction in the second/ foreign language curriculam.

Ghabool.N, Edwina,M, Kashef.S. (2012). Investigating Malaysian ESL Students' Writing

Problems on Conventions, Punctuation, and Language Use at Secondary School Level. Journal
of Studies in Education ISSN 2162-6952 2012, Vol. 2, No. 3.

Hussein,H. (2004). Using Simple Poems to Teach Grammar. The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. X,
No. 5, May 2004.