WHY SHOULD WE TEACH GRAMMAR?

There is no doubt about it: The use or misuse of grammar in speaking and in writing affects
the images we have of ourselves and of others. Good grammar helps people communicate
more effectively and can translate into doing better in school, getting the jobs we seek, and
clarifying our points of view. Good grammar teaches thinking skills and encourages logical
thinking. It increases our vocabularies. And many feel strongly that learning grammar has a
positive influence on the quality of our writing.
There are many arguments for putting grammar in the foreground in second language
teaching. Here are seven of them:

The sentence machine-argument:

It is impossible to use language creatively without grammar.

Grammar enables the learner to create an infinity of sentences.
Grammar is a kind of sentence-making machine. It follows that the teaching of
grammar offers the learners the means potentially limitless linguistic creativity.
Item learning.
Memorisation of individual phrases.

The fine-tuning argument:

Grammar enables the learner to convey a more intelligible and differentiated meaning
than the simple stringing together of words.
The knowledge of syntax and morphology contributes to a better understanding of
discourse as it provides semantic clarification.
Grammar improves production skills especially in written language (punctuation).
Grammar serves as corrective against ambiguities.
Grammar allows for greater subtlety of meaning.

The fossilisation argument:

Without attention to form the learner usually does not progress beyond the most basic
level of communication (linguistic competence fossilises).
Grammar enables the learner to reach a higher level of language proficiency as the
learner is aware of the underlying framework of the language.
Grammar helps you to achieve a high level.

The advance organiser argument:

Grammar serves as a prerequisite for language acquisition as it prepares the learner to

notice and thereby acquire language patterns.
Grammar instruction fosters language acquisition through its delayed effect as it raises
the learners awareness.

NAME: LUISA PABLIANA ULLOA CARRASCO 5TH SEMESTER

The discrete item argument:

Grammar allows the dividing up of the complex language system into smaller units and
thereby reduces the enormity of language to a systematic, digestible step by step
learning.
Grammar enables a clear organisation of language teaching.
Categories make language digestible.

The rule-of-law argument:

Grammar enables the transmission of knowledge from the teacher to the learner as
this structured system can be taught, learned and tested.
Grammar satisfies the need for rules, order and discipline in institutional contexts such
as school.
There are methodical steps.

The learners expectations argument:

Students expect to learn the foreign language through grammar instruction as they
assume that teaching grammar is a more systematic and efficient approach.
The learner expectation presents an intrinsic motivation for learning.
It is important to consider the intelligence (musical, visual, linguistic, etc.) of the
learners.

NAME: LUISA PABLIANA ULLOA CARRASCO 5TH SEMESTER