[Abstract] This paper analyzes the history of English grammar teaching, from 16 century to 19century. English grammar teaching method changed from Grammar-Translation Method to Direct Method, and to Audio-lingual Method. Nowadays, teachers and students are accustomed to 3P teaching model. According to the status quo of English grammar teaching, this paper defines the conceptions of language and language learning; introduces that grammar learning must follow the second language acquisition. Through the analysis of traditional grammar conception and teaching methods, this paper discovers the problem of grammar teaching.
Traditional grammar teaching was just for learning grammar. Teacher was the center in the class. But now as the different study level and unsuitable textbook and inappropriate teaching methods, English teaching quality is low. Therefore, to find suitable teaching methods is the best way to develop grammar teaching. At the same time, this paper studies three popular teaching methods for grammar teaching in order to solve the “five recognition, five underestimate” problem of grammar teaching in China. It advocates fostering students’ language using competence; grammar teaching not only focuses on forms but also on meaning.
[Key Words] grammar teaching; communicative ability; task-based approach; communicative approach; situational approach.
[摘 要]本文分析了英语语法教学的历史，对从16世纪到19世纪的语法教学情况作了详细的阐述。语法教学经历了从翻译法到直接法，再到视听法的发展过程。现有语法教学现状是大部分教师及学生习惯了3P教学模式，本文根据了当前的现状,对语言及语言学习的概念进行界定,提出了学习语法应该遵照第二语言习得的意识发展进行。通过分析传统观念对语法的定义以及教学的方法，发现中学英语语法教学的问题及难点。语法教学的目的是培养学生掌握语言规则和运用语言的能力。
传统语法教学单纯只是为了学而学，教师是教学活动的中心。但是现在，不同学生不一样的学习水平，不恰当的教学方法，甚至不合适的教科书，造成了英语教学质量的低下。因此，找到适合的教学方法和合适的教科书是发展语法教学最好的途径。同时本文对任务型教学法，交际法，以及情景教学法这三种现在最流行的教学法，提出适合并能解决现在语法教学问题的教学方法。倡导语法教学要注重培养学生运用语言的能力，不仅仅注重语法形式，更要讲求意义，从而提高交际能力。
[关键词] 语法教学；交际能力；任务型教学法；交际法；情景教学法
1. The History of English Grammar Teaching
From 16th to 18th century, European most popular foreign language teaching method was called the Grammar-Translation Method. At that time, in Europe, Latin is the school compulsory course; some English elementary schools are called simply Grammar school. Students study and drill the grammar rule in the class. The translation is the Latin grammar class’s important content. This kind of Grammar-Translation Method takes the grammar as a center in the study foreign language, it focuses on the study and the memory grammar rule. In the classroom, teachers explained grammar in native language. Students did a lot of translations practice to strengthen the memory. However, the shortcoming of this teaching method was very clear. It had neglected the spoken language and the listening training, student's communicative ability is poor; it purely pursued the accuracy of the grammar, and had neglected student's language creation ability, and cannot fully exploit the students’ subjective initiative.
In 19th century, the European countries exchanged a lot; the Grammar-Translation Method had been challenged. The direct method arose at that moment and was promoted in Europe and America. During this teaching method, the grammar still took the leading position, but it emphasized the actual application, the different context becomes the factor, which the grammar teaching must consider. The direct method started to exclude the native language. The characteristics of the direct method were that, using induction method to teach grammar rules; paying attention to the speaking and listening practice; choosing the talking material as the text book. It did not contrast with the native language. This method could foster the oral communicative ability, but had revealed its weakness in the ability of reading, writing, and the absorption language information.
In the 50's of 20th century, as a result of the structuralism in American dominant position, there appeared Audio-lingual method in the US foreign language teaching. The American linguists have formulated a plan to train skills that were good at oral speaking. The Direct Method developed into Audio-lingual method under the influence of structural linguistics. The Direct Method’s characteristics were that, to master the grammar rules through a lot of listening and speaking practice, not to use native language and translation as far as possible. For example, in Fries’s Teaching and Learning English as a Foreign Language, he considered that the difficulties of foreign language learning are the result of different language structure system’s conflict.
Audio- lingual Method and other teaching method, which based on the theory of structural linguistics, their teaching point is on the sentence constitution rules. Afterward, as the use of the electrified aids, the audio-lingual method developed into the Audio—Visual Method. The criticism to the Direct Method, Audio-lingual method and other teaching method is their too limited grammar conception and abstract grammar teaching that divorced from the reality. Those students who were educated under these teaching methods cannot communicate with others naturally. There is another weakness that the Direct Method, Audio-lingual method neglects students’ acknowledged ability and language creation ability.
