Teacher Discussion Forums

I have a private class with a woman who I'm having a hard time developing a method with. She's considered to be an advanced student in that she speaks really fluently, understands a TON of vocabulary and hears really really well. The problem is that her writing is HORRIBLE and she makes a lot of elementary mistakes. Why? Because she has learned English mostly from reading and just diving in conversation. She cannot comprehend grammar rules no matter how hard I try and explain them to her. She gets really really frustrated in class because she knows she makes a lot of mistakes but she doesn't know how to correct them since she's been speaking like this for 20 years.

How do I teach this woman? She can't comprehend the basic building blocks of a language yet she speaks using all of the parts on a regular basis....BUT, many times with mistakes. I've tried teaching grammar many times and she just doesn't understand it. She isn't a mathematical person...a detail person who must know WHY a language works a certain way. She's a global learner. She sees the big picture and learns by intuition and not rules. But how can I fix her mistakes this way? I'm so confused.

how would you approach this class?

I would try and find an authentic writing task for her to accomplish. Such as having to write a letter to friend or company asking for information or some complex request. In an authentic writing task, she will learn why her mistakes are mistakes.

Good idea, Joshua2004.

Also, since she may be making the same mistakes in her speaking as in her writing, you could focus on the speaking as well. If she can't internalize rules, then how about focusing on examples instead? Like memorizing dialogues or whole skits, then perfoming them together. Sometimes when you have a good example of a grammar point at the foreground in your mind it's easier to make your own utterances that follow the same pattern.

-EH

Is it kind of Fossilization?
I think maybe you can work on one -two mistakes once. (maybe the one you feel must important.)After you see the progress then move on to the necxt sevel ones. however, it really takes time to do it.
just curiosity, how do you determine the student is a global leaner?Do you use ant Learning-Style instrument?

Yeah just correct one mistake at a time. Make her practice a lot. Constant repetition and reminder might help. Be patient. If she is not motivated to correct her mistakes, explain to her this: There are two varities of English - Standard English and Nonstandard English. The first is the type used in newspapers, magazines, legal documents, scholarly writing, and most businesses. Educated people use this. Does she want to learn Standard English?