Republic of the Philippines

SULTAN KUDARAT STATE UNIVERSITY

College of Teacher Education
ACCESS, EJC Montilla, 9800 Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat

Name: PARREŇAS, MJANE S. Course/Year/Section: BSED- ENGLISH 3-A

ENG 321: Teaching and Assessment of Grammar

RULE OF APPROPRIACY
Objectives
At the end of the lesson, the students can:
 recognize who is Scot Thornbury;
 discuss what is Rule of Appropriacy; and
 appreciate the importance of appropriacy in grammar.

SCOTT THORNBURY
Scott is a teacher, with over 30 years' experience in English language teaching.
He is currently Associate Professor of English Language Studies at the New School in
New York, teaching on an on-line MA TESOL program. His previous experience
includes teaching and teacher training in Egypt, UK, Spain, and his native New Zealand.
Scott’s writing credits include several award-winning books for teachers on language
and methodology including The A-Z of ELT, How to Teach Grammar and Teaching
Unplugged. He is series editor for the Cambridge Handbooks for Teachers (CUP) and
was also the co-founder of the dogme ELT group, whose archived website, called
Teaching Unplugged, can be found below. Scott currently leads a fascinating community
at the popular and thought-provoking blog, A-Z of ELT blog.
Rule of Appropriacy
It is a given fact that no two students are alike. Even if you are teaching in the
same grade level, your students will always vary in age, proficiency level, learning
needs, interests, expectations, skills, learning styles, beliefs, attitude and values. This
rule, according to Thornbury, suggests that teachers should be able to apply these
rules" of teaching grammar according to the aforementioned differences. Whether you
put premium to a grammar-driven classroom or may not teach grammar at all, it is your
responsibility to identify what is best for your students.
The why of teaching rule of Appropriacy
• People are more different than they are alike. Teachers have to respond to the
diversity of learners.
• These individual differences in a language classroom can make for success or
failure in attaining the goal of acquiring the target language.
• Regardless of how diverse the classroom is, students should be given equal
opportunity to learn and achieve their goals.
 Republic of the Philippines
SULTAN KUDARAT STATE UNIVERSITY
College of Teacher Education
ACCESS, EJC Montilla, 9800 Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat

• Teachers need to evaluate what students really need and design classroom
activities suited to their needs.
• The teaching-learning process should be student-centered.

The what of teaching rule of Appropriacy

• Teachers should design classroom activities not just according to efficiency, but
also appropriacy.
• Grammar practice and communicative tasks should suit to the "context" of each
learner.
• This rule prompts teachers to consider their students in the context of being
language learners- What do they already know? What do they need to know
immediately? What do they need to know in the future? These questions can
help teachers evaluate if what they are doing in the classroom is somehow
appropriate to their students.
• Teachers should consider the individual differences of students and use this to
plan an effective and productive teaching-learning process.

The how of teaching rule of Appropriacy

• Teachers may conduct needs assessment analysis or diagnostic tests to gain
necessary data on students' proficiency level and needs.
• Talk to your students and let them share their language learning challenges and
how they want to be supported.
• Determine your students' learning styles, previous learning experiences and
present expectations.
• Take into consideration all other rules of teaching grammar.
• Start where your students are.
Summary
Scott, an experienced English language teacher, emphasizes the Rule of
Appropriacy in teaching grammar. He believes that no two students are alike, and
teachers should apply these rules according to their differences. Regardless of the
classroom's diversity, students should be given equal opportunity to learn and achieve
their goals. Teachers should design classroom activities suited to their needs,
considering their existing knowledge, immediate needs, and future needs. This student-
centered approach ensures that grammar practice and communicative tasks are
appropriate for each learner. Teachers can use needs assessment analysis or
diagnostic tests to gain data on students' proficiency levels and needs. They should also
talk to students about their language learning challenges, learning styles, and
 Republic of the Philippines
SULTAN KUDARAT STATE UNIVERSITY
College of Teacher Education
ACCESS, EJC Montilla, 9800 Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat

expectations. Scott also suggests starting where students are, considering all other
teaching grammar rules.

Reference

Gandia, JM. (2022, June 16). The 6 Rules of Teaching Grammar. Scribd.
https://www.scribd.com/document/578558870/The-6-Rules-of-Teaching-Grammar