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Type of Active Learning Techniques in Teaching Grammar
Actually there are so many techniques of active learning method. Hernández-Gantes Blank 2008 said
that “All kinds of active learning teaching techniques can be used to teach grammar in a short class time or a whole course, such as group discussions, questioning,
reflective activities, brainstorming, case studies, role plays, journal writing and other active learning strategies. All these techniques can be easily applied to the grammar class for non-
native English speakers in EFL class ”. However the researcher only focused on some popular
techniques of active learning method in teaching grammar. Here is a list of several techniques of active learning method in the teaching of grammar that were taken from various journals.
1. Small group or pairs
Harmin and Toth 2006 stated that the use of very small groups or pairs is preferred to involve students in the class so that nobody will be dissociated in the group activity. This
happens because learning in pairs is aimed to make the students work together and share the problems that arise with their partners. Hence, all the students should participate in the group.
However, group work with a lot of members might cause some students unable to involve or actively participate in the group activity. Moreover, this technique is aimed to stimulate the
interaction between students and their classmates. In here each student can actively participate in class and have the same portion to convey their idea. Therefore to make the students more
comfortable in sharing and working, teachers usually give freedom for the students to decide who will be their learning partners or the member of the group.
However according to an article in University of North California at Chapel Hill entitled “Classroom activities for active learning”, this technique was divided into three categories which
were pair-share, buzz group, and three-step interview. Thinkwrite-pair-share technique according to Lyman 1992 is one of the potential ways to get students talking about an issue or
7 topic in class activity. In this technique, the teacher just poses an issue or problem to the class
and then the students get the opportunity to think about or to write their thought for about 30 seconds to one minute. Students then work in pairs and share their thoughts to one another for 3-
5 minutes. Finally, the issue or result is discussed by the whole class. While according to McKeachie 2006, the use of buzz group t
echnique is influential in ensuring students’ participation in large classes. McKeachie pointed out that buzz group usually consist of five to
eight people to talk about the issue. In this technique each member of the group should contribute at least one idea to the discussion in the group activity. And after that, the group
should report their discussion and asks other group who came to the same conclusion to raise their hands.
2. Questioning Purposefully
