Shrum & Glisan: Storybased grammar

This chapter focused on the importance of implicitly presenting grammar through meaningful contexts, such as a story. The PACE model is introduced as one way of doing this. The first part of this method is Presentation, where the teacher highlights/foreshadows an aspect of grammar through the use of a story, song, etc. Then the teacher focuses the students Attention on some aspect of the language and through multiple passes, guides the student to focus on that one aspect. Co-Construct is when after meaning and comprehension is acheived, both students and teachers co-construct and explanation of the form in question. Lastly, an Extension activity is done, that requires the students to use their new skill, but in an interesting matter that is connected to the overall them of the lesson--- verb conjugation drills and fill in the blank worksheets are NOT acceptable extension activities! I think that this method of teaching is going to be a struggle for me, as it is totally not what I think of when I think about lower level foreign language classrooms. However I feel that it will be very worthwhile, because I was taught French in high school in a very explicit manner, which is probably why I cannot remember much today.