19/10/2017 The Teaching of Grammar in HK Schools

Students in Hong Kong start learning grammar in primary school. Yet, as a secondary school teacher, it is not surprising that they still make a lot of grammatical mistakes. 

One possible reason is that grammar teaching in Hong Kong places emphasis on the accuracy of the language form. It is not uncommon that English teachers start with the grammar rules and the construction of it (i.e. form) when they teach a designated grammar item. Take tenses as an example. Teachers usually ask students to memorise some key time expressions, such as 'every day', 'at the moment', 'this time next year', to help them identify which can possibly help them identify which tense is to be used. However, when it comes to real life conversation, it is absolutely unnatural to include time expressions all the time so as to indicate the tenses to be used. Instead, grammar should be used (and learned) in context. Therefore, one observation is that when students do not know how to put their grammar learning into context, they will not be able to attain high grammatical accuracy.

Another possible reason is that drilling is often used. Teachers in Hong Kong provide students with grammar worksheets piles after piles in the hope of helping them master the grammar items. However, this has been found ineffective. Exercises for drilling, again, focus on the language form. It is likely that students will be able to apply the form they have learned in class. Yet, when it comes to writing, tests and exams, when everything is written in context, they will feel frustrated as grammar items are contextualised. Thus, students may be able to name the grammar rules but fail to apply them.

Hence, teaching of grammar in Hong Kong schools is rather rigid. While it is inevitable that grammar should be taught, perhaps, we, Hong Kong teachers, should do a better job by using new approaches in motivating students to learn grammar and creating their learning interest in studying grammar.