Explain inductive and deductive teaching of grammar. What is one method that uses inductive and one that uses deductive and why? What are the strengths and weaknesses of each?

Question: Speak on the major ways of presenting grammar. Give examples.

Inductive is known as a 'bottom up' approach. In other words, students discovering grammar rules while working through exercises. Explains the rule to the learners. Provides NO CONTEXT or COMMUNICATIVE PURPOSE for the grammar. Focuses on form first and then meaning. Drills students to learn the rule mechanically. Assumes all responsibility for student learning

The inductive approach, instead of basing on a teacher-fronted transmission-style classroom, is student-centred and allows learners to become deeply involved in the language they are studying and offers potential for reflection. In the process of experiential learning (learning-and-doing) they feel more important, are less passive, and do not get bored so easily during the lesson. Therefore, the inductive technique can render great service to teachers who have problems with keeping their students disciplined, concentrated and occupied, as it partly obviates these problems. Knowing that they can work out the rules from examples by themselves greatly increases learners’ motivation, makes them attentive, more actively involved in—and confident and enthusiastic about—the learning process rather than simply passive recipients, and at the same time contributes to its effectiveness. Allows the learner to formulate and discover the rule (“to induct”)Provides a CONTEXT and PURPOSE for use. Focuses on meaning first and form second. Helps learners discover the rule through meaningful communication

Empowers the students to problem solve and learn how to learn a language.

Deductive approach is certainly easier to apply and leaves little room for mistakes providing that the rule is concisely and clearly stated. It makes students feel secure and provides them with a tool with which to tackle the tasks at hand. Not only is their confidence reinforced by numerous examples, but also by the fact that the scope of what is expected of them is very clearly defined. Moreover, deductive method does not require much preparation on the part of the teacher. His work boils down to producing a comprehensible and lucid definition which can be easily applied in the exercises that follow. Nonetheless, it also has some quite significant disadvantages that cannot be disregarded. The most important one is lack of students’ involvement and struggle for understanding, which may result in the lesson being teacher-centered and not demanding in terms of creativity and imagination. Teacher’s incompetence may deteriorate the situation further; if he is unable to state the rule explicitly, back it up with relevant examples and adjust the use of metalanguage to the needs of his students, then even the simpliest grammar instruction can become ambiguous, and breed confusion and discouragement.

When it comes to inductive method of presenting grammar instruction, it succeeds almost in every area where deductive method fails. Its major advantage is the fact that it encourages mental effort and forces students to rely on their intelligence and the ability to analyze and make connections between particular samples of speech. Knowledge obtained through the subconscious process of identification and incorporation of the presented grammatical rules into ones language system is characterized by greater permanence and can be put into practice without conscious and time-consuming examination of the context from the grammatical point of view. But here, too, much depends on the teacher. Choosing examples that will guide students to the desired conclusions is an awfully demanding and risky task. Not being able to delineate the path leading to a particular grammatical point with appropriate instances, the teacher puts on the line the whole lesson. Moreover, inductive method may take a lot of valuable time (in case when students are not able to come up with the rule implied in the given sentences) that could be devoted to practice and production. Hence the question arises: are we ready to risk that much?

In my opinion, the question should be answered with resounding yes, but only in certain circumstances. Inductive method can be used solely by an experienced and competent teacher who knows his students well enough to be able to adjust the instruction to their needs and capacities. The superiority of inductive method over deductive one can only be utilized if one has profound insight into teaching techniques and possesses deep knowledge of students’ patterns of thinking and approaching new structures. Providing these requirements have been fulfilled, inductive method can enrich classroom experience immeasurably. Firstly, students obtain knowledge in the most natural and effective way, through sheer exposure to input in foreign language (which, in order to make it more comprehensible, may be summed up with the rule that it presents). Secondly, students are forced to make the most of their perceptiveness, prior knowledge and mental capacity. Last but not least, they learn how to be self-dependent, which may make a world of difference in their future study of the language.

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