Job Discussion Forums

[chengdu619]

Hi everyone,

As anyone who read my last post knows, I am teaching a writing and reading course to university students. The suggestions I have received from everyone has been very very valuable. My course has gotten off to a good start. However, now, I am looking for a good book ( that can be found in China) to teach some grammar lessons from.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks...and have a lovely National Holiday.

[The Ever-changing Cleric]

try raymond murphy's english grammar in use, 3rd edition. it's a very good handbook. you can download a .pdf version on torrents in about 15 minutes.

if you cant find a torrent, let me know. i'll create a torrent file, email it to you and then you can open a bit torrent client and try to download it that way.

[El Macho]

Two suggestions:
A Student's Introduction to English Grammar
Explaining English Grammar

Both are required texts for my MA, both are quite good, and both are available in China.

Practically Painless English by Sally Foster Wallace is also excellent, but I don't know that you can find it in China.

You also might check out Rhetorical Grammar, since you're in a writing class. It specifically treats how grammatical choices affect written works.

[Hansen]

Recently, a friend of mine, who has a relatively high position in the foreign affairs department of a governmental agency, informed me that FTs shouldn't take themselves too seriously. "We don't need you to teach English," she said. "We just want some blue eyes around to look nice for the parents."

Granted, she is only one person; however, I can't help but feel that FTs who are being made to actually work as English teachers are setting a bad precedent. True, even high level Chinese English teachers can't write English very well. What matters, however, is passing the CET. Those foreigners who have looked over this test, unless trained grammarians, might find it annoying, at best.

Many of the things the test deems important are the very things I avoid in English composition. I know English well enough to have a variety of ways to express myself. The test does not allow for that. No context is provided. One sentence, four choices.

Unless you are working in an international school, FTs should be teaching oral Englsih or something like that. Grammar for composition is work, plain and simple. Lots of out of class hours as well. Why do it? Chances are you are being conned. You should be paid significantly more for a class like that or have your hours reduced.

Unless you happen to be a trained grammarian, chances are you are not really qualified to teach such a class anyway.

[The Ever-changing Cleric]

hansen, why the wind up post?

[chengdu619]

Truth is, I'm not sure of what is expected of me. This is my first year at a university here. No one is telling me to do this and not do that. They have left the curriculum very open ended. However, I do want to see some improvement in my students by the end of the semester. If that is to happen, they at least need a review of some grammar points. I am not a trained grammarian, and so I tread carefully when I bring up grammar points. And I do not make grammar my focus. But at a minimum, things like definite versus indefinite articles must be addressed.

Heh, I do appreciate everyone's feedback. Sometimes I feel like I am doing too much and sometimes I feel like I am not doing enough.

Best.

[JamesD]

[The Ever-changing Cleric]