How to integrate a focus on grammar into communicative language classrooms

Abstract

There is ample theoretical and empirical support in the field of second language (L2) acquisition for instructional strategies that direct learners’ attention to grammatical forms during meaning-focused activities. This kind of instruction has been referred to as «focus on form instruction», and has been distinguished from the traditional grammar-based approaches that teach linguistic forms in an isolated and decontextualized manner, or what has been called «focus on forms instruction». In this article, I will begin with a brief overview of the notion of focus on form and its theoretical and empirical underpinnings. I will then discuss a number of instructional options for integrating a focus on grammar into communicative language teaching. I will describe each option, review its theoretical and empirical basis, and provide examples of how they can be used in the classroom.