Larsen-Freeman’s Writings in Teacher-Preparation Grammar Courses: Indispensable Resources for all Levels

Abstract

Diane Larsen-Freeman’s work plays a crucial role in teacher preparation for second and foreign language instructors. Her work is useful with a variety of populations, including preservice teachers preparing to work with English language learners in elementary and secondary education; graduate students preparing to work in public or private language institutions; students with teaching experience who are preparing to direct teacher training, and others. In particular, her work on “grammaring” continues to be an essential basis for determining which activities are the most beneficial for learner language development. A major strength in Dr. Larsen-Freeman’s work is her ability to bridge the gap between theory and practice, to connect to language instructors in a clear, practical way that also gets at the heart of our best understanding of how language learning takes place. In this article, I outline the various ways my courses incorporate Dr. Larsen-Freeman’s work, with examples of particular activities that are inspired by her articles, The Grammar Book, and Grammar Dimensions, the textbook series she directs.