Folse, K. S. (2009). Keys to teaching grammar to English language learners: A practical handbook. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press.

Folse, K. S., & Goussakova, E. V. (2009). Workbook for keys to teaching grammar to English language learners. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press.

Even after years of teaching, for many ESL/EFL teachers, questions from students on grammar can result in an embarrassingly long pause, followed by an unclear answer or a promise to provide an answer at some point in the future. This situation often results from a lack of understanding of or the inability to explain the grammar that native speakers use so naturally. In Keys to Teaching Grammar to English Language Learners: A Practical Handbook and Workbook for Keys to Teaching Grammar to English Language Learners, the authors combat this deficiency by providing a clear and easy-to-follow guide showing teachers what grammar points English language learners require and how to teach them. The two books are broken into five corresponding chapters with the main textalso including three useful appendices. The main text provides background information for teachers, and the workbook helps build teacher knowledge through a variety of activities. Though designed for ESL teachers least comfortable with the grammar they have to teach, these books provide a useful guide for teachers at more or less all levels, regardless of their grammar background or teaching philosophy. Not designed like traditional grammar texts, these books provide a series of explanations and activities that will help ESL or EFL teachers of all age groups with a more clear understanding of the grammar their learners are more likely to have trouble with.

The first chapter introduces grammar issues specific to English language learners. The first section of Chapter 1 consists of four short quizzes to assess teacher knowledge of learner grammar. Quiz 1 examines overall understanding of grammar and the difference between English language learner and native-speaker errors, Quiz 2 looks at the grammar necessary for teaching English language learners, Quiz 3 investigates preparedness to explain English language learner grammar errors, and Quiz 4 tests preparedness to answer English language learners’ questions. Short answers are provided, with further explanations later in the text. While these quizzes are clearly useful and provide an indication of the teacher's level of understanding of grammar, some points are worded less clearly than they could be. For example, Quiz 2, Question 19 asks: “When we talk about a contrary-to-fact condition for right now, what does the verb in the if clause look like?” With a suggested time limit of 30 seconds per question, a teacher uncomfortable with grammar may find these questions demoralizing at the beginning. The second section of Chapter 1 provides a brief look at many issues related to teaching English language learners, ranging from direct and indirect approaches to learner objectives and the importance of teaching grammar in eight different teaching situations. Chapter 1 of the workbook, as do all the corresponding chapters, provides teachers with activities to help them understand, along with ideas for how to teach these grammar points their learners are likely to have problems with.

Chapter 2 reviews common mistakes of native speakers. Many seem quite minor, but others may be less obvious mistakes that Folse asserts a teacher charged with teaching “standard English” needs to know. The second section of Chapter 2 describes the eight parts of speech, which may first be unclear to those unaccustomed to thinking of English grammar in these terms. By the end of this section, the reader will have a better understanding of the complex roles different words may play in English, how they combine to make English comprehensible, and how English language learners often use them incorrectly. Section 3 examines the basic labels of sentence structure, which helps the reader move from understanding the roles of words in English to providing a basic understanding of the structure of the sentence. Section 4 looks closely at verbs used in English.

Chapter 3, probably the most important to most readers, discusses 15 points, including to be; present, past and future; count and noncount nouns; prepositions; articles; adjective clauses and reductions; infinitives and gerunds; phrasal verbs; modals; word forms; passive voice; conditionals, and the use of wish. The discussion of each of these points is divided into four parts: Part A gives five typical English language learner errors, Part B explains the grammar with charts and examples, Part C looks at how this grammar point is dealt with in the seven most common native languages of English language learners (Arabic, Chinese, French, Japanese, Korean, Russian and Spanish), and Part D gives some suggestions for how to teach these points. Though somewhat intimidating at first, once one begins working through it, this chapter, with the corresponding chapter in the workbook, becomes much more clear and useful.

Chapter 4 examines the kind of questions English language learners might ask, while Chapter 5 provides suggestions for and practice in answering difficult grammar questions, which may be especially supportive for unsure teachers. Chapter 4 lists 20 possible questions that English language learners might ask in detail, chosen for their difficulty to answer as well as their importance to learners. Chapter 5 provides 25 specific techniques for teaching grammar to the variety of English language learners that teachers might find themselves working with. The techniques discussed here include some very useful―if basic―tips such as “Limit grammar terminology as much as possible” and “[Use] the (white or black) board to help ELLs visualize a pattern.”

Many teachers find themselves acting as ESL/EFL teachers without the training to teach grammar specifically to English language learners or to recognize the specific needs English language learners might have. Folse and Goussakova see this point as crucial and the reader comes away with a clearer understanding of why this differentiation is important. Whatever the position a teacher takes toward grammar (some embrace teaching it, while others feel that their students will acquire the grammar as a part of the language-learning process), the fact that students need to use grammar, even if they don't fully understand it, seems beyond debate. Students need, and many students clearly want, a teacher who understands grammar, can use it properly, and hopefully will be able to answer questions when they arise. Whether one views grammar teaching as best handled directly or indirectly, few will argue that questions do arise. When they do, these books will serve the teacher well and nearly all teachers, especially those who have found themselves faced with a grammar question they were not ready to answer, will find these books a welcome addition to their library.

Ryan Richardson has taught EFL in Japan for 16 years to primary-, secondary-, and tertiary-level students as well as adults. His current research interests are sociolinguistics and cross-cultural communication.