A Guide to American English for Native and Non-Native Speakers
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Grammar for Teachers
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Andrea DeCapuaGrammar for TeachersA Guide to American English for Nativeand Non-Native Speakers
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AuthorAndrea DeCapua, Ed.D.College of New RochelleNew Rochelle, NY
10805adecapua@cnr.eduISBN: 978-0-387-76331-6 e-ISBN:
978-0-387-76332-3Library of Congress Control Number: 2007937636 c 2008
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PrefaceGrammar for Teachers: A Guide to American English for Native
and Non-NativeSpeakers is a result of my frustrations over many years of
teaching graduate-levelstructure courses and not being able to find an
appropriate grammar text for thepre- and in-service teachers enrolled in
these classes. The students in these courseshave represented a variety
of teaching backgrounds: ESL and EFL teachers, nativeand non-native
speakers of English, and mainstream content-area teachers with
ESLstudents in their classes, to name a few. Some of these students have
had a strongknowledge of English grammar, but often have difficulties in
applying their knowl-edge to real-life discourse. Other students’
exposure has been limited to lessons in“correctness,” and are generally
unaware of which language features are central toteaching ESL/EFL
learners. Some students are resistant to taking this course, butare
required to do so, whether to satisfy specific degree requirements, for
state orprofessional certification, or for other reasons. A few students
have had some lin-guistics, many not. The challenge has been finding a
way to convey the essentials ofAmerican English grammar clearly, to
engage students actively in their own learningand understanding of
grammar as applicable to ESL/EFL learners, and to motivatethem to
undertake perceptive analyses of grammatical elements and structures,
andof ESL/EFL learner needs and difficulties. The overall aim of
Grammar for Teachers is to make grammar accessible andcomprehensible.
The text assumes no prior knowledge and can be used with activeand
prospective teachers who have little or no background in grammar,
linguis-tics, foreign languages, or other related fields. It is also
intended for those userswhose exposure to English grammar has been
primarily limited to prescriptive rulesof what speakers should say and
write with little or no consideration of the con-cerns and problems
ESL/EFL learners face in learning and using English. The textencourages
users to develop a solid understanding of the use and function of
thegrammatical structures in American English so that they may better
appreciate thelanguage difficulties of ESL/EFL learners. The underlying
premise is that teachersof ESL/EFL learners need to understand how
English works from a practical, everyday approach of “What does the
learner need to know in order to produce X.” Whenteachers understand the
grammar of American English and the problems and needsof ESL/EFL
learner, they are in a better position to teach and explain elements
ofgrammar.
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vi
Preface The text reviews essential grammar structures
clearly and concisely, while avoid-ing jargon or technical terms. The
text approaches grammar from a descriptive ratherthan a prescriptive
approach and focuses on the structures of grammar of greatestimportance
to ESL/EFL learners. Grammar for Teachers encourages users to tapinto
their own, generally subconscious, knowledge of the grammar of English
andmake it a conscious knowledge that they can apply to their own varied
teachingsettings. The text strives to make the study of grammar
interesting and relevantby presenting grammar in context and by using
authentic material from a varietyof sources. Discussions of areas of
potential difficulties for ESL/EFL learners areincluded throughout the
text. Grammar for Teachers also explores differences informs accepted in
formal versus casual or informal writing and speaking based onthe types
of questions and concerns learners are likely to have. In each
chapter, users of the text work through numerous Discovery
Activitiesthat encourage them to explore for themselves different
elements of grammar andto consider how these elements work together to
form meaningful discourse. Addi-tional Practical Activities at the end
of each chapter provide more practice on struc-tures presented in that
chapter. Included in the Practice Activities are samples ofrelevant
learner errors and error analysis exercises. These exercises expose
usersto authentic ESL/EFL learner discourse at different levels of
proficiency and frommany different native languages, and afford them
opportunities to practice focusingon specific errors at any given moment.
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AcknowledgmentsI especially thank the students at New York
University, The College of NewRochelle, New York and Long Island
University, Purchase Campus who used vari-ous drafts of the text over
the years and provided feedback. Special thanks are dueto Helaine
Marshall, at Long Island University, Purchase, New York Campus andWill
Smathers, New York University who piloted earlier versions of the text.
Theircomments, insights and suggestions were invaluable. Thanks also to
Judy Hausman,Susannah Healy, Betsy Reitbauer, Cheryl Serrano, and Walter
Oerlemann for theirhelp and encouragement.