Saturday, October 30, 2010

Grammar

Grammar has long been my enemy. I was just never a fan of it. In my opinion it was a tool with which to express myself (the screw for building stories or papers, while the words themselves were the screwdriver). Yes the rules of grammar were important, but as long as I could express myself, in the end just communicate effectively, then I didn't care much whether I used contractions, (or parentheses), or the word "I" quite a bit. English was what we made it- not what some dead guy thought of it.

These days my perceptions have changed slightly, but my basic point remains: grammar should be secondary to fluency and creativity.

So how do I incorporate grammar into my teaching, while conveying this important belief? Is grammar something for elementary school students only or are we expected to teach it in secondary?

The readings for this week have touched on the many rules, on the misconceptions, and on the overall scope of grammar. But the questions remain. And I really can't find any answers.

Simply put, where is grammar's place in English?
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4 comments:

  1. MikeOctober 31, 2010 at 3:36 PM

    I like your point that grammar is a tool which sorts and enhances the words on the page. In my own experience with grammar, I try and remember that it's almost impossible to teach. Intentionally trying to teach grammar, to me, seems like an arduous and ultimately useless task. I can't remember ever benefiting from direct grammar instruction, I see it more as a matter of having students interact with teachers who understand the rules of grammar and use the correct terms, allowing students to absorb the grammar in the context of their own writing.

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  2. JackieOctober 31, 2010 at 6:17 PM

    I definitely think we should teach it in secondary, I feel like it reinforces the rules and probably makes more sense. Although, it should be taught in elementary because it is, as you put it so wonderfully, a great tool. That said, I don't know how to teach it. And it scares me.

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  3. jkefferNovember 1, 2010 at 1:54 PM

    It's already been said but i completely agree, it should most definitely be taught secondary. Although i feel like the earlier it's taught in school the better. While difficult to do, once memorized it seems like it's a lot easier to put to use.

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  4. AnonymousNovember 1, 2010 at 3:14 PM

    Grammar has a bad reputation, but it really is hard to effectively communicate what you want want with poor grammar (antecedents, tenses, pronoun confusion). I think if you are taught early enough you develop a nice 'ear' for it. For the monotonous drilling of grammar is definitely not effective. Then again, if you teach anything as arduously as grammar is taught, it won't sink it. I thin we just need better methods.

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