Ways to Teach Grammar in the Classroom

1. Spot the Mistake
Children love catching adults getting things wrong!
Use this in lessons by making a few carefully chosen mistakes. See if they
can spot them without prompting. It’s a great way to revise key concepts.
Alternatively, make spotting mistakes a challenge. Write the number of
errors you’ve made on the board and ask them to find them all. They’ll love
trying to beat you to win the game. Put any mistakes they’ve missed on a
list to practice the following day.
2. Play Grammar Games
Gamification means making something feel like a game. It’s enjoyable to
learn and easier to remember. Teachers are skilled at using this approach to
transform dull lessons. If something feels fun, students won’t notice that
they’re learning something difficult.
There are thousands of games for every area of grammar. Don’t feel you
have to reinvent the wheel. Look online for loads of printable templates and
instructions to use.
3. Silly Sentences
Ditch boring sentences and let them get a little bit silly. If the grammar is
correct, then who cares about the actual words used. Play with rhyme and
word patterns to make funny songs and stories they enjoy and remember.
Children find it hilarious when you add in their names. Use your class list
to make sure everyone gets their chance to feature in one of your silly
sentences.
4. Sing Grammar Songs
Singing is a fantastic way to memorize information. You don’t have to be
the next Beyoncé, there’s plenty you can use on YouTube. They make
great homework activities to send home. Just remember to check them
carefully beforehand for access and suitability.

Use songs to launch a lesson or as a fun plenary activity. Display the
learning intention on the board or ask students to explain why they were
singing to check they can see the purpose behind the fun.
5. Get Artistic
Why do students have to be sitting at a desk writing in pencil? They could
write in chalks on the playground or use colored pencils, paints, and
crayons to make grammar an artistic activity.
It doesn’t take much to make your lessons fun. Take their paintings from
art and label them with nouns and adjectives. Create superhero comic book
style interjections and make wall displays of grammar. There’s no limit to
how creative you can be.
6. Hands-On Grammar Lessons
If you give students a purpose for their work, they’re going to be more
invested, and find it more interesting.
7. Use Roleplay and Props
Reinforce key grammar by adding a little drama to lessons. Teachers are
amazing at thinking of ideas to bring tricky concepts to life.
Imagine putting on a superhero cape when you mention superlatives. Or
pick up a mirror when you want synonym suggestions. Use puppets and
word cards to get children interested. The more memorable, the better.
8. Online Grammar Games
There’s a wealth of quality resources online, often with no subscription.
When searching for grammar games and apps, look for quality ratings and
awards. Thoroughly test them before letting students try them out.
Remember to check compatibility across different devices, especially if
you’re going to set them for home learning. Watch out for in-game adverts
or anything that breaks your school’s internet security policy.
9. Get Active in the Classroom
Take your standard word cards and instead of just holding them up, place
them around your classroom. Children can run to them or point when they
see word classes and punctuation.

Add in movements and actions to get children actively involved in
practising grammar without expensive props. For example, you could read
a text to the class where they sit down if they hear an adverb, clap hands for
a verb, or jump for a noun.
10. Create Characters
Children’s educational TV shows turn abstract concepts into characters.
That’s what makes them so successful. You can do the same with your
class.
It’s easy to make your characters fun. What if full stops are security guards
who prevent sentences from going further? Could lessons on adjectives
center on a police officer trying to catch a crook based on poor
descriptions? Turn future tense into a fortune teller with a suitably
mysterious voice.