Texto I
GRAMMAR INSTRUCTION
As a result of the communicative revolution in
language teaching, it has become increasingly clear
that grammar is a tool or resource to be used in the
comprehension and creation of oral and written
discourse rather than something to be learned as an
end in itself. When learned as a decontextualized
sentence-level system, grammar is not very useful to
learners as they listen, read, speak, and write in their
second or foreign language. Indeed, as Canale and
Swain (1980) have posited, communicative
competence consists of four components, only one of
which – Item 3 below – involves grammar:
1. Sociolinguistic competence (i.e., appropriacy): The
speaker/ writer knows how to express the message in
terms of the person being addressed and the overall
circumstances and purpose of the communication.
2. Discourse competence: The selection, sequence,
and arrangement of words and structures are clear
and effective means of expressing the
speaker/writer's intended message.
3. Linguistic competence (i.e., accuracy): The forms,
inflections, and sequences used to express the
message are grammatically correct.
4. Strategic competence: The speaker/writer has
effective and unobtrusive strategies to compensate
for any weaknesses s/he has in the above three
areas.
Certainly, in many person-to-person
communications, sociolinguistic appropriacy and
discourse competence are more important than
grammatical accuracy, provided that the grammar
used is not inaccurate to the point of
miscommunicating the intended message;
communication is the overriding concern. However,
there are situations where a reasonable degree of
accuracy is also critical, and this is our current focus.
In order for ESL/EFL teachers to consistently
present grammar as serving some higher-order
objective, Celce-Murcia and Hilles (1988) suggest
that grammar should never be taught as an end in
itself but always with reference to meaning, social
factors, or discourse – or a combination of these
factors. Larsen-Freeman's (1991) position is similar:
She sees form, meaning, and function as three
interacting dimensions of language; the classroom
teacher must decide in which dimension the students are experiencing the greatest learning challenge at
any given moment and respond with appropriate
instruction.
(Adapted from: CELCE-MURCIA, M. Grammar Pedagogy in
Second and Foreign Language Teaching. TESOL Quarterly,
25(3), 459, 1991.)