{"id":19344,"date":"2026-03-10T09:22:03","date_gmt":"2026-03-10T15:22:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/?p=19344"},"modified":"2026-03-18T09:23:27","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T15:23:27","slug":"strategies-teaching-grammar-english-language-learners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/strategies-teaching-grammar-english-language-learners\/","title":{"rendered":"Top Strategies for Teaching Grammar to English Language Learners"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;\" class=\"sharethis-inline-share-buttons\" ><\/div>\n<p>Knowing <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/how-to-teach-english-grammar\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">how to teach grammar to students<\/a> is an essential aspect of your role as a language teacher. Your students rely on you to provide them with the tools they need to engage in conversations with others, and grammatical structures make up much of that linguistic toolbox. But teaching English grammar can seem like a daunting task, perhaps even a little dry, especially when you have been doing it for years. Maybe it is time to breathe new life into your lessons with these strategies and grammar teaching methods, which are bound to help your English language learners succeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>If you\u2019re new to teaching, you\u2019ll want to get initial training and qualification with a <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/courses\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">TEFL certificate<\/a>. You can explore our <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/online-tefl-certification\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">online TEFL courses<\/a> to get started!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-ub-table-of-contents-block ub_table-of-contents\" id=\"ub_table-of-contents-61ff8beb-275f-4b19-8fd0-a43b7c3e9a58\" data-linktodivider=\"false\" data-showtext=\"show\" data-hidetext=\"hide\" data-scrolltype=\"auto\" data-enablesmoothscroll=\"false\" data-initiallyhideonmobile=\"false\" data-initiallyshow=\"true\"><div class=\"ub_table-of-contents-header-container\" style=\"\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"ub_table-of-contents-header\" style=\"text-align: left; \">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ub_table-of-contents-title\">Table of Contents<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><div class=\"ub_table-of-contents-extra-container\" style=\"\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"ub_table-of-contents-container ub_table-of-contents-1-column \">\n\t\t\t\t<ul style=\"\"><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/strategies-teaching-grammar-english-language-learners\/#0-what-are-the-best-strategies-for-teaching-grammar-to-young-learners\" style=\"\">What are the best strategies for teaching grammar to young learners?<\/a><ul><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/strategies-teaching-grammar-english-language-learners\/#1-incorporate-songs\" style=\"\">Incorporate songs<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/strategies-teaching-grammar-english-language-learners\/#2-integrate-opportunities-for-play\" style=\"\">Integrate opportunities for play<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/strategies-teaching-grammar-english-language-learners\/#3-pair-visuals-with-communicative-opportunities\" style=\"\">Pair visuals with communicative opportunities<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/strategies-teaching-grammar-english-language-learners\/#4-what-are-the-best-strategies-for-teaching-grammar-to-teens-and-adults\" style=\"\">What are the best strategies for teaching grammar to teens and adults?<\/a><ul><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/strategies-teaching-grammar-english-language-learners\/#5-meet-them-where-they-are\" style=\"\">Meet them where they are<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/strategies-teaching-grammar-english-language-learners\/#6-make-use-of-pop-culture\" style=\"\">Make use of pop culture<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/strategies-teaching-grammar-english-language-learners\/#7-create-context-through-role-playing\" style=\"\">Create context through role-playing<\/a><\/li><li style=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/strategies-teaching-grammar-english-language-learners\/#8-adults-like-games-too\" style=\"\">Adults like games too!<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"0-what-are-the-best-strategies-for-teaching-grammar-to-young-learners\">What are the best strategies for teaching grammar to young learners?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\">If there\u2019s anything we can say with certainty, it\u2019s that young learners need frequent stimulation to sustain engagement. Here are some ideas to meet this need when you start teaching English grammar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Tenses Song (Past, Present &amp; Future)\" width=\"1080\" height=\"608\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DPOm4Z-HpGY?feature=oembed\"  allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"1-incorporate-songs\">Incorporate songs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Have you ever had a song stuck in your head that you couldn\u2019t seem to shake for hours, perhaps even days? You can take advantage of your students\u2019 innate music memory and use songs for <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/courses\/specialized\/teaching-english-grammar\">teaching English grammar<\/a>. If you\u2019re teaching the simple tenses, you might use <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=DPOm4Z-HpGY\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">The Tenses Song (Past, Present, and Future)<\/a> to lay a foundation for when to use these tenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Alternatively, you could be bold and create your own jingles that reinforce the grammatical structures you\u2019re examining. The following example might work if you split the class into two groups, have one group begin, and have the other respond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\"><strong>A:<\/strong> Peter <em>maked<\/em> his bed?<br><strong>B:<\/strong> Peter <strong>made<\/strong> his bed.<br><strong>A:<\/strong> Peter <em>goed<\/em> to the market?<br><strong>B:<\/strong> Peter <strong>went<\/strong> to the market.<br><strong>A:<\/strong> Peter <em>eated<\/em> pizza for dinner?<br><strong>B:<\/strong> Peter <strong>ate<\/strong> pizza for dinner.<br><strong>All:<\/strong> What a great day Peter <strong>had<\/strong>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After one round, students can switch roles. You can create a catchy melody or pair it with that of a well-known song.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-songs-kids-teens\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Check out more strategies for incorporating ESL songs into your grammar lessons<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"\"><div class=\"content-advertisements template1\"><div class=\"thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/courses\/online\/professional\" target=\"_blank\" class=\" \"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Professional-Certificates.png\" class=\"\"><\/a><\/div><div class=\"txt\"><h5>Kickstart your English language teaching career with<\/h5><h3>Professional TEFL\/TESOL Certification<\/h3><p><\/p><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/courses\/online\/professional\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"btn-ads\">Get Certified<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"2-integrate-opportunities-for-play\">Integrate opportunities for play<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Games can make grammar instruction incredibly effective and engaging. You can use games to introduce new structures, reinforce what you\u2019ve just examined, or do both. Consider games like Board Race that utilize <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/what-is-tpr-for-teaching-english-and-how-can-i-use-it\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">TPR (Total Physical Response)<\/a> to aid in retention and burn a bit of extra energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To play Board Race with a grammar twist:<\/p>\n\n\n<ul style=\"padding-left: 1.1em; text-align: left; --ub-list-item-icon-top: 3px;; --ub-list-item-icon-size: 0.9em; --ub-list-item-background-image: url('data:image\/svg+xml;utf8,&lt;svg xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg&quot; viewBox=&quot;0 0 448 512&quot;&gt;&lt;path fill=&quot;%2300d084&quot; d=&quot;M438.6 278.6c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L370.7 256 233.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0l160-160zm-352 160l160-160c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L178.7 256 41.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0z&quot;&gt;&lt;\/path&gt;&lt;\/svg&gt;'); --ub-list-item-fa-li-top: 3px; --ub-list-item-spacing: 0px; \" class=\"wp-block-ub-styled-list ub_styled_list\" id=\"ub_styled_list-ff7a1b75-5218-411f-b3d8-d18b1954e849\"><div class=\"ub-block-list__layout\" style=\"text-align: left; column-count: 1; --ub-list-mobile-column-count: 2; \">\n<li class=\"ub_styled_list_item\" style=\"--ub-list-item-icon-top: 3px; --ub-list-item-icon-size: 0.9em; --ub-list-item-background-image: url('data:image\/svg+xml;utf8,&lt;svg xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg&quot; viewBox=&quot;0 0 448 512&quot;&gt;&lt;path fill=&quot;%2300d084&quot; d=&quot;M438.6 278.6c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L370.7 256 233.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0l160-160zm-352 160l160-160c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L178.7 256 41.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0z&quot;&gt;&lt;\/path&gt;&lt;\/svg&gt;'); \" id=\"ub-styled-list-item-85993926-b8ac-41df-8a96-5af2c82a09dc\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"ub_list_item_content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ub_list_item_icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"0.9em\" height=\"0.9em\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#00d084\" d=\"M438.6 278.6c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L370.7 256 233.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0l160-160zm-352 160l160-160c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L178.7 256 41.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0z\"><\/path>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ub_list_item_text\">Divide your students into small groups and have them congregate in different corners of the room.<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/li>\n\n<li class=\"ub_styled_list_item\" style=\"--ub-list-item-icon-top: 3px; --ub-list-item-icon-size: 0.9em; --ub-list-item-background-image: url('data:image\/svg+xml;utf8,&lt;svg xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg&quot; viewBox=&quot;0 0 448 512&quot;&gt;&lt;path fill=&quot;%2300d084&quot; d=&quot;M438.6 278.6c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L370.7 256 233.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0l160-160zm-352 160l160-160c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L178.7 256 41.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0z&quot;&gt;&lt;\/path&gt;&lt;\/svg&gt;'); \" id=\"ub-styled-list-item-3ad92250-b904-4924-9c36-a263968fd466\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"ub_list_item_content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ub_list_item_icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"0.9em\" height=\"0.9em\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#00d084\" d=\"M438.6 278.6c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L370.7 256 233.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0l160-160zm-352 160l160-160c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L178.7 256 41.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0z\"><\/path>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ub_list_item_text\">Place index cards with clearly written past tense irregular verbs in a common space, with equal distance from each of the groups.<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/li>\n\n<li class=\"ub_styled_list_item\" style=\"--ub-list-item-icon-top: 3px; --ub-list-item-icon-size: 0.9em; --ub-list-item-background-image: url('data:image\/svg+xml;utf8,&lt;svg xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg&quot; viewBox=&quot;0 0 448 512&quot;&gt;&lt;path fill=&quot;%2300d084&quot; d=&quot;M438.6 278.6c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L370.7 256 233.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0l160-160zm-352 160l160-160c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L178.7 256 41.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0z&quot;&gt;&lt;\/path&gt;&lt;\/svg&gt;'); \" id=\"ub-styled-list-item-8594fe60-9cb9-4259-afa2-e5d33c9c96a6\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"ub_list_item_content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ub_list_item_icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"0.9em\" height=\"0.9em\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#00d084\" d=\"M438.6 278.6c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L370.7 256 233.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0l160-160zm-352 160l160-160c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L178.7 256 41.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0z\"><\/path>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ub_list_item_text\">Say a word out loud in the present tense, and have students chat with their peers to figure out what past tense verb they need to locate on the board.<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/li>\n\n<li class=\"ub_styled_list_item\" style=\"--ub-list-item-icon-top: 3px; --ub-list-item-icon-size: 0.9em; --ub-list-item-background-image: url('data:image\/svg+xml;utf8,&lt;svg xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg&quot; viewBox=&quot;0 0 448 512&quot;&gt;&lt;path fill=&quot;%2300d084&quot; d=&quot;M438.6 278.6c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L370.7 256 233.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0l160-160zm-352 160l160-160c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L178.7 256 41.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0z&quot;&gt;&lt;\/path&gt;&lt;\/svg&gt;'); \" id=\"ub-styled-list-item-2b0fef94-9fc9-4e2f-8a22-4441cce26df5\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"ub_list_item_content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ub_list_item_icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"0.9em\" height=\"0.9em\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#00d084\" d=\"M438.6 278.6c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L370.7 256 233.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0l160-160zm-352 160l160-160c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L178.7 256 41.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0z\"><\/path>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ub_list_item_text\">Have students send one representative to the board to grab the word before the other teams do.<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/li>\n<\/div><\/ul>\n\n\n<p>You can make this silly, and you can slow down the pace, by having students move in different ways, such as bear-crawling, skipping, or swimming through the air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-games-activities-kids-young-learners\/\"><em>You don\u2019t need to always reinvent the wheel. Check out these effective ESL games and activities<\/em>.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"3-pair-visuals-with-communicative-opportunities\">Pair visuals with communicative opportunities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Visuals can serve as wonderful aids when you teach English grammar, whether they spell out rules for students explicitly (deductive grammar teaching), demonstrate the use of a particular structure in context, or ask students to notice structures and draw their own conclusions about the rules (inductive grammar teaching).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re using a deductive approach, you might show your students a simple chart with two columns for the simple present and the simple past tenses. You\u2019d explicitly tell students that when a verb is regular in the present tense, you simply add an -ed, or just the -d if the base form ends in &#8220;e,&#8221; to make it past tense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the other hand, you might use an inductive approach by showcasing sets of images with short sentences underneath that narrate what is happening in the images. For example, the first picture in a set might show little Sara sitting contentedly with a scoop of ice cream, with the subtitle &#8220;Sara likes ice cream.&#8221; The second picture in the set might show little Sara again, this time with ice cream all over her face and an empty bowl. She has a satisfied grin on her face, and the subtitle reads &#8220;Sara liked her ice cream a lot.&#8221; Students would see that the past tense is indicated by the -ed ending and by the empty bowl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But why stop there? Give students an opportunity to explore the language and solidify their understanding with communicative activities.<\/p>\n\n\n<ul style=\"padding-left: 1.2em; text-align: left; --ub-list-item-icon-top: 3px;; --ub-list-item-icon-size: 1em; --ub-list-item-background-image: url('data:image\/svg+xml;utf8,&lt;svg xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg&quot; viewBox=&quot;0 0 448 512&quot;&gt;&lt;path fill=&quot;%2300d084&quot; d=&quot;M438.6 278.6c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L370.7 256 233.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0l160-160zm-352 160l160-160c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L178.7 256 41.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0z&quot;&gt;&lt;\/path&gt;&lt;\/svg&gt;'); --ub-list-item-fa-li-top: 3px; --ub-list-item-spacing: 0px; \" class=\"wp-block-ub-styled-list ub_styled_list\" id=\"ub_styled_list-6bf1d77e-44b3-48d4-9a78-fbf0b233f803\"><div class=\"ub-block-list__layout\" style=\"text-align: left; column-count: 1; --ub-list-mobile-column-count: 2; \">\n<li class=\"ub_styled_list_item\" style=\"--ub-list-item-icon-top: 3px; --ub-list-item-icon-size: 0.9em; --ub-list-item-background-image: url('data:image\/svg+xml;utf8,&lt;svg xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg&quot; viewBox=&quot;0 0 448 512&quot;&gt;&lt;path fill=&quot;%2300d084&quot; d=&quot;M438.6 278.6c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L370.7 256 233.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0l160-160zm-352 160l160-160c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L178.7 256 41.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0z&quot;&gt;&lt;\/path&gt;&lt;\/svg&gt;'); \" id=\"ub-styled-list-item-3178cf02-2057-4fd1-bcf7-5b5533345a3c\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"ub_list_item_content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ub_list_item_icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"0.9em\" height=\"0.9em\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#00d084\" d=\"M438.6 278.6c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L370.7 256 233.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0l160-160zm-352 160l160-160c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L178.7 256 41.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0z\"><\/path>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ub_list_item_text\">Instead of giving the students the descriptive subtitles for the images, have them create their own. What\u2019s happening in the picture? What kind of ice cream did Sara eat? Where did she eat it, and with whom?<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/li>\n\n<li class=\"ub_styled_list_item\" style=\"--ub-list-item-icon-top: 3px; --ub-list-item-icon-size: 0.9em; --ub-list-item-background-image: url('data:image\/svg+xml;utf8,&lt;svg xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg&quot; viewBox=&quot;0 0 448 512&quot;&gt;&lt;path fill=&quot;%2300d084&quot; d=&quot;M438.6 278.6c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L370.7 256 233.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0l160-160zm-352 160l160-160c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L178.7 256 41.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0z&quot;&gt;&lt;\/path&gt;&lt;\/svg&gt;'); \" id=\"ub-styled-list-item-87d7b5e4-4741-40af-880a-8804625414b0\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"ub_list_item_content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ub_list_item_icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"0.9em\" height=\"0.9em\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#00d084\" d=\"M438.6 278.6c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L370.7 256 233.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0l160-160zm-352 160l160-160c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L178.7 256 41.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0z\"><\/path>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ub_list_item_text\">Have students create questions for each other that use the target language. Have them move around the room and learn more about their peers. Then, they can report their findings in a culminating discussion.<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/li>\n\n<li class=\"ub_styled_list_item\" style=\"--ub-list-item-icon-top: 3px; --ub-list-item-icon-size: 0.9em; --ub-list-item-background-image: url('data:image\/svg+xml;utf8,&lt;svg xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg&quot; viewBox=&quot;0 0 448 512&quot;&gt;&lt;path fill=&quot;%2300d084&quot; d=&quot;M438.6 278.6c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L370.7 256 233.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0l160-160zm-352 160l160-160c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L178.7 256 41.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0z&quot;&gt;&lt;\/path&gt;&lt;\/svg&gt;'); \" id=\"ub-styled-list-item-3b0059e3-b938-471f-98d5-1dba4784f9ad\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"ub_list_item_content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ub_list_item_icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"0.9em\" height=\"0.9em\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#00d084\" d=\"M438.6 278.6c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L370.7 256 233.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0l160-160zm-352 160l160-160c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L178.7 256 41.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0z\"><\/path>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ub_list_item_text\">Engage the students in group storytelling. Have them sit in a circle and remind them of the language you want them to use. Let their imaginations run wild. Have one student start the story (&#8220;Once upon a time\u2026&#8221;) and have another student add to that idea, continuing until everyone has contributed. If your students can work autonomously, break them into smaller groups instead.<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/li>\n<\/div><\/ul>\n\n\n<p>These extension activities not only afford more practice for students, but they also give you a chance to notice output trends, <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/feedback-for-esl-students\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">offer corrective feedback<\/a> in the moment, and keep students engaged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"856\" src=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Teacher-with-reading-circle-1024x856.jpeg\" alt=\"An ESL teacher sitting on the floor and reading to young learners.\" class=\"wp-image-14324\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.196311373265764;width:570px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Teacher-with-reading-circle-1024x856.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Teacher-with-reading-circle-980x819.jpeg 980w, https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Teacher-with-reading-circle-480x401.jpeg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1024px, 100vw\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Learn about the importance of <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/storytelling-for-young-learners-in-esl-classroom\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">storytelling in the ESL classroom<\/a>.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>When you teach grammar to young learners, the real goal is not to turn the lesson into a lecture with brighter colors. Teachers must help children notice patterns, use language meaningfully, and stay engaged long enough for that language to stick. Songs, visuals, <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/use-realia-esl-classroom\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">realia<\/a>, movement, and storytelling all support that process by giving grammar a function. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of presenting grammar as a set of corrections, teachers should present it as something students can hear, see, repeat, and use. That shift matters because young learners do not usually respond well to abstract explanation alone. They respond to energy, repetition, and opportunities to play with language in ways that feel natural.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Looking for more ways to use storytelling in the classroom? <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/tprs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Learn more about TPRS, a language acquisition strategy that focuses on the co-creation of stories.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"4-what-are-the-best-strategies-for-teaching-grammar-to-teens-and-adults\">What are the best strategies for teaching grammar to teens and adults?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Teaching grammar to teens and adults comes with its own set of challenges that you have to be aware of, such as attitudes about grammar in general and interference from other languages they already speak, but teaching grammar to older students also gives you the opportunity to capitalize on higher-order thinking skills and cognition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"5-meet-them-where-they-are\">Meet them where they are<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Spend time getting to know where your students are. What previous knowledge do they have when it comes to the grammatical structure you\u2019re introducing? How effectively do they use it already? The knowledge that your students\u2019 experiences are likely varied creates opportunities for you to conduct informal <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/needs-assessment-teaching-english\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">needs assessments<\/a>, gather qualitative data, and build from there.<\/p>\n\n\n<ul style=\"padding-left: 1.2em; text-align: left; --ub-list-item-icon-top: 3px;; --ub-list-item-icon-size: 1em; --ub-list-item-background-image: url('data:image\/svg+xml;utf8,&lt;svg xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg&quot; viewBox=&quot;0 0 448 512&quot;&gt;&lt;path fill=&quot;%2300d084&quot; d=&quot;M438.6 278.6c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L370.7 256 233.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0l160-160zm-352 160l160-160c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L178.7 256 41.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0z&quot;&gt;&lt;\/path&gt;&lt;\/svg&gt;'); --ub-list-item-fa-li-top: 3px; --ub-list-item-spacing: 0px; \" class=\"wp-block-ub-styled-list ub_styled_list\" id=\"ub_styled_list-7bed7d64-0384-47b5-ab85-42bfb4d8bce2\"><div class=\"ub-block-list__layout\" style=\"text-align: left; column-count: 1; --ub-list-mobile-column-count: 2; \">\n<li class=\"ub_styled_list_item\" style=\"--ub-list-item-icon-top: 3px; --ub-list-item-icon-size: 0.9em; --ub-list-item-background-image: url('data:image\/svg+xml;utf8,&lt;svg xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg&quot; viewBox=&quot;0 0 448 512&quot;&gt;&lt;path fill=&quot;%2300d084&quot; d=&quot;M438.6 278.6c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L370.7 256 233.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0l160-160zm-352 160l160-160c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L178.7 256 41.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0z&quot;&gt;&lt;\/path&gt;&lt;\/svg&gt;'); \" id=\"ub-styled-list-item-fdf90546-1772-4544-b5b4-507f9ad0542d\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"ub_list_item_content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ub_list_item_icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"0.9em\" height=\"0.9em\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#00d084\" d=\"M438.6 278.6c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L370.7 256 233.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0l160-160zm-352 160l160-160c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L178.7 256 41.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0z\"><\/path>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ub_list_item_text\">Take a few minutes to sit with each student and ask them questions that require the use of particular structures (e.g., <em>what they did over the weekend<\/em> to gauge their familiarity with the past tense ).<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/li>\n\n<li class=\"ub_styled_list_item\" style=\"--ub-list-item-icon-top: 3px; --ub-list-item-icon-size: 0.9em; --ub-list-item-background-image: url('data:image\/svg+xml;utf8,&lt;svg xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg&quot; viewBox=&quot;0 0 448 512&quot;&gt;&lt;path fill=&quot;%2300d084&quot; d=&quot;M438.6 278.6c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L370.7 256 233.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0l160-160zm-352 160l160-160c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L178.7 256 41.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0z&quot;&gt;&lt;\/path&gt;&lt;\/svg&gt;'); \" id=\"ub-styled-list-item-68987308-c54e-4e0a-9547-6491a7a36131\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"ub_list_item_content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ub_list_item_icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"0.9em\" height=\"0.9em\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#00d084\" d=\"M438.6 278.6c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L370.7 256 233.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0l160-160zm-352 160l160-160c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L178.7 256 41.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0z\"><\/path>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ub_list_item_text\">Create a question set and have them interview each other as you circulate, listening for specific lexical chunks.<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/li>\n\n<li class=\"ub_styled_list_item\" style=\"--ub-list-item-icon-top: 3px; --ub-list-item-icon-size: 0.9em; --ub-list-item-background-image: url('data:image\/svg+xml;utf8,&lt;svg xmlns=&quot;http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg&quot; viewBox=&quot;0 0 448 512&quot;&gt;&lt;path fill=&quot;%2300d084&quot; d=&quot;M438.6 278.6c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L370.7 256 233.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0l160-160zm-352 160l160-160c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L178.7 256 41.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0z&quot;&gt;&lt;\/path&gt;&lt;\/svg&gt;'); \" id=\"ub-styled-list-item-0bc88bfe-25d4-4a26-a865-3e7d8e8d8800\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"ub_list_item_content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ub_list_item_icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"0.9em\" height=\"0.9em\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#00d084\" d=\"M438.6 278.6c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L370.7 256 233.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0l160-160zm-352 160l160-160c12.5-12.5 12.5-32.8 0-45.3l-160-160c-12.5-12.5-32.8-12.5-45.3 0s-12.5 32.8 0 45.3L178.7 256 41.4 393.4c-12.5 12.5-12.5 32.8 0 45.3s32.8 12.5 45.3 0z\"><\/path>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ub_list_item_text\">Have students complete a survey that asks them to use a structure in context, and use that information to establish your next steps.<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/li>\n<\/div><\/ul>\n\n\n<p>Whatever you do, make sure you have a baseline for their exposure to and comfort level with the language first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"6-make-use-of-pop-culture\">Make use of pop culture<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Most likely, your students have met your enthusiasm about a grammar point with grumbles, perhaps even with an &#8220;It\u2019s boring, teacher!&#8221; You need to figure out how to get your students to see that grammar is all around them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Think about how you can <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/pop-culture-esl-classroom\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">tap into popular culture<\/a>. This can range from contemporary music, viral YouTube videos, memes, and interviews with celebrities to conversations on social media, all of which provide fertile ground for authentic language use. Pull cultural artifacts to engage your students, and examine the language being used. Show a meme or reel, and then have them tell you what happened before or after the action, or ask them to describe what they see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/RichardAllen_class-1.jpg\" alt=\"Teens engaged in an ESL conversation activity. Both the student and the teacher sit in fronto of the classroom.\" class=\"wp-image-2668\" style=\"width:585px;height:439px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/RichardAllen_class-1.jpg 900w, https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/RichardAllen_class-1-480x360.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 900px, 100vw\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Thai students participate in an ESL role-play activity.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"7-create-context-through-role-playing\">Create context through role-playing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>While it can be helpful to isolate grammatical chunks so students can understand how they work, examining those chunks in isolation doesn\u2019t guarantee transference to output. Students need to see how grammatical structures operate in context. Ask yourself how you can get students to use this language in authentic exchanges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Create opportunities for your students to engage with language in scenarios that mimic real life, or better yet, have them create and perform those scenarios themselves through role-play. Debrief on language use after their performances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/esl-grammar-lesson-plans\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Check out these tips and learn how to prepare engaging ESL grammar lesson plans.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"\"><div class=\"content-advertisements template3\"><div class=\"thumb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/ebooks-popular-esl-methodologies\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\" \"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/teaching-english-language-learners-ebook-1-1.png\" class=\"\"><\/a><\/div><div class=\"txt\"><h5>Learn about 8 ESL methodologies and get sample activities with the free guide to<\/h5><h3>Teaching English Learners: Popular ESL Learning Methodologies<\/h3><p><\/p><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/ebooks-popular-esl-methodologies\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"btn-ads\">download<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"8-adults-like-games-too\">Adults like games too!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Kids shouldn\u2019t be the only ones who get to have fun in the language classroom. It\u2019s always so gratifying to see older students light up when you tell them that they\u2019ll be playing a game. Getting students to tap into their inner child not only lessens the stress that learning something new sometimes brings, but this heightened engagement will also increase retention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Have your students share some of their favorite games from childhood and see how you might be able to use those games, even loosely, as grammar teaching strategies. Your students will appreciate your commitment to connecting with them, and they\u2019ll have a chance to share unique pieces of their cultural identity with their peers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/courses\/specialized\/teaching-english-grammar\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Teaching grammar to English language learners<\/a> can be incredibly engaging and rewarding for both you and your learners. Your students will benefit when you diversify your grammar strategies, and you\u2019ll freshen up your teacher toolbox as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"TEFL LIKE A PRO: Practicing Grammar with Tic-Tac-Toe\" width=\"1080\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/PGC811e7gsc?list=PLTw-iclTzXDpCyJoXkqXxbmAnClaRhxep\"  allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>An example from the <a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/courses\/specialized\/teaching-english-grammar\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bridge Specialized Certification in Teaching English Grammar course<\/a> of an adult class using Tic-Tac-Toe to practice the present continuous tense.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>When you teach grammar to teens and adults, you need more than a solid explanation of the target structure; you need relevance. Older learners often arrive with opinions, habits, frustrations, and previous knowledge that shape how they respond to grammar instruction, so your lesson has to meet that reality. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pop culture, role-play, needs-based questioning, and even games can make grammar feel more like a tool for real communication. Grammar still matters, obviously, but context matters too. When students see why a structure is useful and where it lives in real language, they are far more likely to remember and use it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the end, teachers ask themselves: How to teach grammar effectively? Success is not about making students memorize rules; it is about helping them notice how language works, understand why it works that way, and use it with more confidence in real situations. That is what makes grammar instruction worth the effort. A thoughtful mix of clarity, context, practice, and engagement can turn even the most dreaded grammar point into something useful, memorable, and far less painful for everyone involved. Grammar may never become the star of the show for every learner, but with the right approach, it does not have to be the villain either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"9-looking-to-dive-deeper-into-strategies-for-teaching-grammar-review-key-grammatical-concepts-and-learn-strategies-to-teach-grammar-effectively-with-the-40-hour-specialized-certification-in-teaching-english-grammar-\"><em>Looking to dive deeper into strategies for teaching grammar?&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/courses\/specialized\/teaching-english-grammar\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Review key grammatical concepts and learn strategies to teach grammar effectively with the 40-Hour Specialized Certification in Teaching English Grammar.<\/a><\/em><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Knowing how to teach grammar to students is an essential aspect of your role as a language teacher. Your students rely on you to provide them with the tools they [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":29440,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,10],"tags":[645,619,650,651,176,302,332,350,354],"post-language":[685],"popular_posts":[],"class_list":["post-19344","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-classroom-games-activities","category-pedagogy","tag-elt-games","tag-games-for-adults","tag-games-for-children","tag-games-for-teens","tag-lesson-planning","tag-teaching-adults","tag-teaching-grammar","tag-teaching-teens","tag-teaching-young-learners","post-language-english"],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Top-Strategies-for-Teaching-Grammar-1-1.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"Sh\u00e9lynn Riel","author_link":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/author\/shelynn-riel\/"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19344","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19344"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19344\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":42042,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19344\/revisions\/42042"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29440"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19344"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19344"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19344"},{"taxonomy":"post-language","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post-language?post=19344"},{"taxonomy":"popular_posts","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridge.edu\/tefl\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/popular_posts?post=19344"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}