Grammar is a pivotal part of teaching and learning language in Bhutan. It is also the most difficult aspect of language to teach effectively and meaningfully. In the Bhutanese curriculum, teaching English grammar has always been a challenging issue and raised a big concern among the curriculum officials. As per a BCSEA analysis, every year the students fairly do well in English compared to other subjects, and it indicates the standard of English among students in Bhutan. Teaching learning English grammar in the classroom could be one of the reasons for the fair performances of the students. Besides, a few urban students, others hardly communicate in English in the schools. It is difficult to gain mastery over the language without constant …show more content…
First of all, teaching and learning English grammar in the classroom plays a fundamental role in improving the spoken English skills of the students. Many students equate being able to speak language as knowing the language, thereby taking learning language as learning how to speak a language. The students should be provided enough opportunities to communicate in English; otherwise, they would be de-motivated and lose interest in learning. To intensify the confidence level of the learners to communicate in English as a second language, teaching and learning English grammar has become an important part among the learners and the educators. Students are usually reluctant to communicate in English when they have inadequate vocabulary or are not confident of grammatical rules. Otherwise, students with a sound knowledge of grammar do not hesitate to communicate in …show more content…
It claims, “The best grammar instruction includes extensive reading and writing” (“Curriculum and Instruction, 2012, para.7). The teacher must extensively read aloud to all age group of students. This will help the learners to hear and see what is appropriate and can incorporate in their writings. The precise instructions for any type of activities will lead to carry out the works without confusions and difficulties. Furthermore, Caplan, (2017, para. 3) states that learners should read for the meaning first and then grammar next. He added that there are limited resources that gain the attention, so it is natural for the learners to read first for the meanings. However, as they gain some ideas about the different usage of grammatical applications, reading becomes more easy and enjoyable. The functions of different part of speeches help to clear the doubt of the readers. For example, Her beauty mesmerised Dorji . Here, readers are supposed to know what ‘Dorji’ is, which one is the ‘verb’, ‘subject’ and ‘object’. As the readers become familiar with these terms and functions, they can shift their attention to more complex terms such as ‘noun phrases’, ‘adjective phrase’ , ‘forms of conjunctions’ and other grammatical features. The more the learners get used to with grammatical usage, the more excited they become from their reading, as they understand the depth of the concept from
As a professional and as a college student; using correct grammar is very important. It is important because, as a professional you want to look “professional”. Correct grammar in college is important to because you want to achieve worthy grades and enhance your knowledge. The one thing that could set you apart in an interview is your use of correct grammar. The use of correct grammar makes you look professional, smart, and trustworthy. Correct grammar will help you to be successful as a professional and a student.
It might be necessary to weigh the worth of grammar in proper English. The world for those who speak it is becoming smaller. Proper English is becoming part of an elitist group which is also becoming smaller. Possibly less stress should be put on grammar. Few people understand perfect business language but a growling cat is understood quite well. English grammar is a created language, having both seperatist powers and anglocentric values. Voice is universal and quite older than grammar. Standards within English speaking areas must be questioned soon for it is becoming smaller and less powerful everyday. A rising population will require social skills. Seperating these from educated grammar will lead to greater problems.(One country under God...)
I believe students feel daunted by all the rules that the teachers are trying to teach them with grammar. However, writing classes are encouraging the students to release their barriers with writings and encourage their inner thoughts to be released as well. In the study from Patrick Hartwell’s article, he mentioned that, “So Grammar 1 is eminently usable knowledge—the way we make our life through language—but it is not accessible knowledge; in a profound sense, we do not know that we have it (Hartwell).” This article encourages our grammar knowledge, which we have stored unknowingly, be brought out and one way that this could be is if we let the students hand in their writing unedited to the teacher to look over their mistakes but not to make any corrections. Then the students use a red pen to correct their mistakes and edit their paper themselves so that the teacher has an understanding of what grammar errors students can correct on their own. This way students’ strengths and weakness in grammar are considered more than teaching the rules of grammar. In order to learn and gain an understanding of grammar, it must be a part of students’ education since it helps students correct their overlooked mistakes and for professionalism’s sake. Grammar is needed as Christensen’s article summarizes when she says, “We must teach our students how to match subjects and verbs, how to pronounce lawyer, because they are the ones without power and, for the moment, they have to use the language of the powerful to be heard (Christensen).” Grammar is important for our writing, nevertheless; grammar shouldn’t be the focus of how we write instead our thoughts should
One of the main goals of language teaching and learning process is to teach the students how to communicate in the target language appropriately. As the foreign language and the most learned target language, English has the same goal which for human communication. Due to this goal, the mastery of English becomes a priority to everyone especially the students. It can be seen by the rule of the curriculum that requires English becomes a subject that must be taught in school. Concerning on the curriculum, there are four skills in English that should be learned by the language students, they are: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Besides, there are three sub-skills that supporting those skills as pronunciation,
Clearly, there are different types of grammar, which Hartwell distinguishes in his essay. Borrowing from Francis’ “The Three Meanings of Grammar,” and his lengthy definition of grammar in three parts, Hartwell extends to the five categories of grammar. In dissecting grammar, Hartwell divides and conquers the argument that formal grammatical training is of great use to a developing writer. Instead, Hartwell sees grammar as a recognition tool, a way to keep the writer and reader on the same page. It is a tool of orientation rather than a prerequisite for “good writing.”
Grammar is extremely important because it is the foundation of communication. The better the grammar,
It’s important to know how to read and using the right grammar. It’s also important knowing how to understand reading in the first place. Reading takes a lot of time to get used to, and now, since we are getting older, it’s already simple for us. I learned how to read better in a different way, and this is why I’m very good at reading and typing and understanding.
Nassaji, H., & Fotos, S. (2011). The role of context in focus on grammar: Teaching Grammar in Second Language Classroom (pp.121-134). New York and London: Routhdge
Grammar translation is a way of studying a language that approaches the language first through detailed analysis of its grammar rules, followed by application of this knowledge to the task of translating sentences and tasks into and out using the target language (Richards & Rodgers, 2001). The focus is given on rote memorization of grammar rules and vocabulary, learning syntactic structures and translation of literary texts. In this method, grammar is taught deductively and a syllabus is followed for teaching grammar in an organized way. However, as the main focus is on learning the grammatical rules, memorizing vocabularies and translation of texts, it neglects the learners’ needs for communication. Accordingly, pronunciation receives almost no attention (Larsen Freeman & Anderson,
There are many approaches in regards to the teaching of grammar and not all of them are successful. The different approaches do derive from the way that teachers are taught to teach the subject and the way that they believe the subject should be taught. Teachers feel that certain approaches work better than others based on the success that their students have in their classroom. However, not every teacher takes that into consideration because they teach the way that they feel is best. I think that the most effective approaches to teaching grammar are the explicitly teaching method, linguistic perspective and traditional teaching methods. Those methods have successful outcomes the majority of the time and they make sure that the students are learning what they actually need to learn. It is crucial to focus on making sure that the students are learning every aspect of grammar rather than pieces and parts because it will affect their application and understanding of grammar as a whole. The different methods that are brought up throughout the paper allows for a better understanding of the methods that have been widely used by teachers and the reasons as to why they used those particular
Mastering the grammar of the foreign language is essential in order for students to understand the written target language
The opinion that grammar should be taught through reading and writing is not a recent theory. In 1622 the schoolmaster and textbook writer Joseph Webbe wrote, “No man can run speedily to the mark of language that is shackled---with grammar precepts” (Wang 184). He upheld that grammar could be picked up through reading and writing, “By exercise of reading, writing, and speaking---all
Rather than teach grammar initially and hope that students connect their drilling exercises of subjects and verbs to the poem they’re working on, teaching the varieties of literature first allows students to gain first-hand experience and familiarity with grammar already in practice. This is not to say that grammar lessons and terminology should be lost altogether. A student will not be better off if they never learn subject-verb agreement. However, their exposure to examples of these uses should come first, leaving the labeling and grammar jargon to a time when their minds have already seen how these nouns and verbs can be used. That’s the key phrase: can be used. Students need to understand that they have control and authority over their work. They should have space enough to understand that although a sentence should be written in a certain way, it does not always have to be straightforward grammar if they’d like to change something stylistically. For example, while teaching a lesson on the poem "l(a" by E.E. Cummings, students might be confused and puzzled as to the form of this unusual piece. However, they should then be invited to challenge Cummings’s lack of traditional grammar and stylistic choices. Some may be angry at its unique appearance, while others may grasp the significance of the form and its effect on the reader.
It is not uncommon to say that grammar instruction plays an important role in language teaching. Regarding the status and importance of grammar teaching, a variety of opinions have been made. Batstone (1994) states that “language without grammar would be chaotic: countless words without the indispensable guidelines for how they can be ordered and modified” (p. 4). More vividly, Wang (2010) makes two similes. She compares grammar to the frame of a house, which is a decisive factor to ensure the solidness of it. Additionally, she regards grammar as a walking stick, whose function is to help and support students to learn English. Thus, the nature of grammar instruction manifests its own significance as it helps students enhance their overall language proficiency by integrating grammar into other aspects of learning, like listening, speaking, reading and writing.
It goes without saying that grammar teaching plays an essential role in teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL). This opinion is based on the assumption that without a detailed knowledge of grammar, the language use will stall. Despite its importance, grammar teaching has gone through some debates for the decades. Before the 1970s, it was a common belief that grammar was a crucial part of the language teaching since no one would be able to reach the point where he/she communicates well without comprehending the grammatical rules of any language. This belief was then questioned by the conception that "knowledge of the grammatical system of the language was one of the main components which underlie the notion of communicative competence."