I believe that grammar is important in any languages. But I believe that how to teach or how to be taught grammar is far more important. This sounds like I am a kind of teacher, who make students use �gproper�h grammar both in speaking and in writings: Yes and no to that. What I really mean by it is that I would like my students to learn an appropriate usage of language according to a situation. My professor taught us that �ggrammar is very contextual.�h We unconsciously switch grammar types for various audiences in various contexts.

Why I believe �ggrammar�h is important:

First, I believe that grammar is important, because people should express themselves freely using languages and want to express themselves in words that others can understand. Grammar is very sensitive, for example, where you put a comma in a sentence can make a big difference in its meaning. Spelling of a word can do the same thing too. This is the basic reason why we should learn �ggrammar.�h

How I would like to approach it:

I had a teacher who taught �ggrammar�h as a punishment. I believe that writing a word fifty times, testing where you put commas in sentences, or giving students �gC�h in their papers just because they have some grammar mistakes is no longer effective in English education. Susan and Stephen Tchudi writes in their book, The English Language Arts Handbook, that �g�cresearch into formal grammar instruction throughout much of the twentieth century has failed to reveal any significant relationship between knowledge of grammar and the ability to use language in speech and writing (p.201).�h We should teach students that grammar is contextual. We all have dialects. Students can use their own dialect according to various contexts or situations of their writings. Susan and Stephen Tchudi even think that �gteachers are no longer in a position to say that the �ebest�f or proper form of the language is standard English (p.212)�h in the same book that I introduced before. For example, it is important for students to understand that proper grammar in their resume for jobs or business letters is important, but it is not when they pass notes to each other or when asking a girl/boy to go out with them.

An example writing lesson that I would like to do in my classroom:

Each time I assign a writing project, I would like my students to find out an appropriate grammar usage within it. For example, as a free writing, I would ask my students to pick a person whom they want to show their persuasiveness in anything. A boy student might want to write to a girl he loves to persuade to go to prom together, or a girl student might want to write to her father to persuade him not to smoke. They all will decide what type of grammar they need to use in order to persuade something to the person. I believe that in that kind of assignment, students will learn grammar within a context. It is more effective and motivated way to teach students �ggrammar.�h I believe that grammar is important in any languages. But I believe that how to teach or how to be taught grammar is far more important. This sounds like I am a kind of teacher, who make students use �gproper�h grammar both in speaking and in writings: Yes and no to that. What I really mean by it is that I would like my students to learn an appropriate usage of language according to a situation. My professor taught us that �ggrammar is very contextual.�h We unconsciously switch grammar types for various audiences in various contexts.

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Absolut English: Grammar in the Classroom (11/17/01)

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