Can Grammar and Vocabulary be Taught Online?

Some people say that grammar, although the most important aspect of language learn­ing, is the most boring one. Even there are those that think that teaching grammar isn’t necessary. However, this isn’t true since there’s no way to use a language without its grammar. Children learn their first fundaments of grammar intuitively, way before they begin to go to school

In reality, there are two ways to learn grammar: the deductive manner, that has traditionally been used academically, and the inductive one, that is the first we are exposed to. In the former, the teacher presents the grammar point, gives examples, controlled practice follows and then production in which the students freely use the acquired content. This is what many students find boring, especially if the explanation is long and involved. It should not be.

The inductive is more challenging for learners because they are shown, without an explanation, the application of the point in many examples as part of normal speech and they have to formulate the principle they obey. This requires more attention and brain work and adds the challenge of having to discover something new, instead of being spoon fed with it.

It is advisable to always include speaking activities in your grammar class and give the learners the possibility to use the language they have learned in real-life or the most similar atmosphere to real life.

Also, most platforms give you the possibility to use group activities and rehearse role-plays, debates, summaries, etc. When in separate rooms students have more possibilities to participate actively and they will feel less pressured.

There are numerous games you can use in the virtual class to review vocabulary and grammar and inspire conversa­tion. Some fun competition always livens up the lesson and makes it enjoyable.

Some resources you may use in the virtual classroom:

• Employ pictures or drawings (illustrating grammar points).
• Draw timelines (teaching tenses).
• Ask concept questions (to check understanding).
• Utilize tables (showing the form).
• Make use of objects (presenting the meaning).
• Contrast structures (showing the difference in meaning).
• Choose the correct sentence (correcting common grammatical mistakes).

Other ways you can spice up your virtual grammar lesson:

5 Fun Ways to Teach Grammar

1. Grammar and punctuation bingo. This fun game can be tailored to students of all ages.
2. Crossword puzzles.
3. The grammar version of ‘hot potato.’
4. Celebrity biographies.
5. Learning the difference between ‘a’ and ‘an’
6. You can learn about these games at: The Editorial Team. Resilient Educator https://resilienteducator.com/classroom-resources/5-fun-ways-to-teach-grammar/

TEACHING VOCABULARY ONLINE

Professor Kimberly Tyson, Ph.D. makes us aware that the digital tools offer some distinct benefits for teaching vocabulary: the students can hear pronunciations, read words in a variety of authentic examples, view photos and images related to words, reinforce word learning through interactive games, play with and manipulate language, discover rhyming words and collaborate with classmates to create virtual word walls.

In other words, you have many means not available in your regular classroom.

Some recommendations

1. Make the students handwrite the new words, their brains need to experience the shape and size of the letters to help them put those terms in context.
2. Have them provide definitions using their own words. Memorized definitions do not require brain processing but thinking how to explain their meaning does.
3. Ask them to produce diverse meanings of the terms in different contexts.
4. Keep the students active: have them use paper and pencil, colored pencils, markers, add texture. Make sure that students’ hands are doing more than typing on the keyboard.
5. Don’t forget that repetition is crucial to remember the words and learning to pronounce them.

Here we present some digital vocabulary activities for virtual learning: (You can google the use of each one).

1. Create a Google Slideshow. Provide your students with a vocabulary list or allow them to self-select from a text.
2. Try Flocabulary.
3. Google Forms Self-Grading Quizzes.
4. Create a Quizlet Set.
5. Make a Class Padlet.
6. Alpha Boxes.
7. Vocabulary Logos.

Jill Staake, in We are teachers displays a list of fun ways to learn vocabulary:

1. To draw vocabulary sketchnotes: rather than definitions draw or look for illustrations.
2. Post a graffiti wall or a word wall. They can use Padlet or Google Slides.
3. Try Flipgrid for vocabulary activities: Have students record a quick video for each word.
4. Jeopardy: Popular TV program in the US. You can down load it and use it for synonyms, antonyms and how words are used in real sentences.

They have many more.

There are many resources you can try:

Tools to Build Vocabulary

1. Collocation Dictionary
2. Lexipedia
3. Snappy Words
4. Visuwords
5. Word Hippo
6. Wordnik.com
7. Your Dictionary
8. MathWords
9. A Math Dictionary for Kids
10. Vocabulary.com
11. Magoosh Vocab

Word Clouds

13. Wordle.
14. WordSift
15. WordVis
16. Quizlet
17. Knowji
18. Lingro

Games and Review

19. Vocabulary Spelling City
20. Vocab Genius
21. Free Rice

Word Walls & Virtual Field Trips

22. Padlet
23. ThingLink
24. TrackStar

More Of The Best Vocabulary Tools

25. Merriam-Webster Word Of The Day Podcast

Good luck!