I often find myself torn between competing forces as a high school English teacher. I want students to learn to use the grammar of their own language as part of their daily life; to know the rules is to be able to break the rules. Yet I also recognize that students who do not receive formal instruction in the rules of grammar do not implicitly learn the codes of formal language that are so prized in middle class society.
Ah, what is one to do?
I've taken the time to cull some interesting ideas from the Internet which I hope will help if you, too, are uncertain about what grammar instruction should constitute for the 21st century learner.
The excerpts that follow asks questions that allow each of us to figure out what grammar is and why we should find it important. It is taken from a website called Learning Space at http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/mod/resource/view.php?id=195327
The importance of grammar
We want you to start thinking about what exactly we mean by a term like ‘grammar’ and how and why grammar differs in speech and writing. For some of you this will revise and build on your knowledge of previous study. Activity 1 is a way of raising questions in your mind and you will find some answers or explanations in the rest of the unit.
Activity 1
You should allow 0 hour(s), 10 minute(s).
Write down a few sentences which explain what you think grammar is about and why it is important. What do you expect to learn by studying English grammar? We shall come back to this activity again at the end of the unit.
I started off many years ago as a teacher of English in various countries around the world, using a form of grammatical description which highlighted ‘correct’ usage such as knowing when to say I have gone and when to say I went. More recently, in analysing academic writing, I have applied a different model of grammar, one which foregrounds the idea of grammar as choosing forms to express different types of meaning. I have discovered other grammatical systems and applications. You might be surprised to realise how many different areas of life utilise an understanding of grammar. Computer scientists involved in creating voice-recognition software need to understand grammar and the frequency of the likely patterns of the language; police experts need to trace typical language patterns used by individuals if they are to detect lies and forged documents; doctors and specialists in language disorders in children or in patients with head injuries need to know the typical grammar associated with particular contexts in order to understand where disruption or dysfunction is taking place. Of course, knowing grammar is a basic part of language learning and teaching and is also necessary in professions such as translating and lexicography (compiling dictionaries).
We want you to start thinking about what exactly we mean by a term like ‘grammar’ and how and why grammar differs in speech and writing. For some of you this will revise and build on your knowledge of previous study. Activity 1 is a way of raising questions in your mind and you will find some answers or explanations in the rest of the unit.
Activity 1
You should allow 0 hour(s), 10 minute(s).
Write down a few sentences which explain what you think grammar is about and why it is important. What do you expect to learn by studying English grammar? We shall come back to this activity again at the end of the unit.
I started off many years ago as a teacher of English in various countries around the world, using a form of grammatical description which highlighted ‘correct’ usage such as knowing when to say I have gone and when to say I went. More recently, in analysing academic writing, I have applied a different model of grammar, one which foregrounds the idea of grammar as choosing forms to express different types of meaning. I have discovered other grammatical systems and applications. You might be surprised to realise how many different areas of life utilise an understanding of grammar. Computer scientists involved in creating voice-recognition software need to understand grammar and the frequency of the likely patterns of the language; police experts need to trace typical language patterns used by individuals if they are to detect lies and forged documents; doctors and specialists in language disorders in children or in patients with head injuries need to know the typical grammar associated with particular contexts in order to understand where disruption or dysfunction is taking place. Of course, knowing grammar is a basic part of language learning and teaching and is also necessary in professions such as translating and lexicography (compiling dictionaries).
Many of the uses to which a knowledge of grammar is put are also starting to rely on the application of computer technology to language analysis.
Many linguists are exploring ways of grounding their description of language in cultural, geographical, social and economic conditions. These factors are seen as influencing how language is used in context; that is, how variations in what we are doing, who we are communicating with, whether we are face to face or separated in time and space from our listener/reader and so on affect the grammatical and other language choices we make. This is a wide definition of context, and is sometimes called sociocultural context.
The following excerpt is taken from "Effective Grammar Instruction" at yourdictionary.com. It seemed to make sense because it offered its audience of parents and guardians a balance of rules, positive reinforcement, and real-world applications.
A Change in Teaching Philosophies
The way grammar is typically taught in schools today is most likely very different from how you learned basic grammar rules. Although declarative knowledge was once the primary goal of grammar instruction, today's teachers now place a greater importance on helping students develop procedural knowledge.
Traditionally, English grammar was viewed as a separate part of the educational experience. Teachers helped students learn by requiring regular substitution or pattern practice drills and diagramming sentences. Memorization was a key part of grammar instruction, with frequent quizzes and worksheets available to test a student's mastery of grammar rules. This philosophy is sometimes referred to as prescriptive grammar instruction.
The way grammar is typically taught in schools today is most likely very different from how you learned basic grammar rules. Although declarative knowledge was once the primary goal of grammar instruction, today's teachers now place a greater importance on helping students develop procedural knowledge.
Traditionally, English grammar was viewed as a separate part of the educational experience. Teachers helped students learn by requiring regular substitution or pattern practice drills and diagramming sentences. Memorization was a key part of grammar instruction, with frequent quizzes and worksheets available to test a student's mastery of grammar rules. This philosophy is sometimes referred to as prescriptive grammar instruction.
Today, grammar is viewed as an essential communication tool. Instead of viewing grammar as a separate area of study, teachers often strive to integrate grammar instruction into other subject areas. Drills are minimal, often replaced by a practical discussion of how grammar can be used to aid in effective communication or how grammar is used in a particular piece of literature. This philosophy is sometimes referred to as descriptive grammar instruction.
Even though the hands-on knowledge students gain from descriptive grammar instruction can be quite valuable, it is interesting to note that this modern approach to teaching English grammar is not without its critics. In fact, many people believe the current pedagogical approach has led to an overall loosening of grammar standards. However, this has yet to be conclusively proven.
Tips for Teaching Grammar
If you're interested in helping your child develop a better understanding of English grammar, remember the following tips:
If you're interested in helping your child develop a better understanding of English grammar, remember the following tips:
Don't use worksheets to measure knowledge. Grammar worksheets are fine for practicing basic concepts, but worksheets place too much emphasis on simple memorization. They fail to help students develop the critical thinking skills necessary for applying the rules of grammar to real life situations.
Teach grammar in the context of good writing. Encourage your child to write stories and poems, using his work as a starting point for grammar instruction. Relating grammar to a subject that interests your child will help him see grammatical rules as both practical and relevant.
Stress communicative competence. If you are reading a story with your child, use the text as an opportunity to discuss irregular verbs, proper pronunciation, and any other related grammar concepts. Reading also provides a chance to reinforce that good grammar is a building block writers use to effectively communicate their ideas.
Use error correction to support language acquisition. If your child is discussing his day at school and makes a grammatical error, respond by using the correct grammar form and providing a brief explanation if necessary. However, it's best to avoid overstressing minor mistakes that don't interfere with communication. You don't want your child to view learning grammar as something to be reprimanded.
Some people take grammar very seriously! Here's a cute article found on http://www.poormojo.org/pmjadaily/archives/021548.php
Jeff Deck and Benjamin Herson have not wasted their lives.
They fight a losing battle, an unyielding tide of misplaced apostrophes and poor spelling. But still, they fight. Why, you ask. Because, they say. Because, they must.
For the last three months, they have circled the nation in search of awkward grammar construction. They have ferreted out bad subject-verb agreements, and they have faced stone-faced opposition everywhere. They have shone a light on typos in public places, and they have traveled by a GPS-guided '97 Nissan Sentra, sleeping on the couches of college friends and sticking around just long enough to do right by the English language. Then it's on the road again, off to a new town with new typos.
Picture a pair of Kerouacs armed with Sharpies and erasers and righteous indignation—holding back a flood of mixed metaphors and spelling mistakes and extraneous punctuation so commonplace we rarely notice it anymore. But they are 28 and idealistic. Graduates of Dartmouth College, they are old friends with a schoolmarm's irritation at conspicuous errors, and despite their mild and somewhat nerdy exteriors, they have serious nerve. Deck lives outside Boston; Herson lives outside Washington. And together, they are TEAL—the Typo Eradication Advancement League—and they are between jobs.
Even President Obama, who is known for good grammar, cannot evade the grammar police: See the article at ...
Happy grammar day to you!
