Grammar.

 

David Crystal (April 30, 2004), said the following about grammar: “Grammar is the structural foundation of our ability to express ourselves. The more we are aware of how it works, the more we can monitor the meaning and effectiveness of the way we and others use language. It can help foster precision, detect ambiguity, and exploit the richness of expression available in English."  David Crystal could have put it more eruditely and lucidly about the importance of grammar in learning English. Grammar is the skeletal framework of a language. Language is used for communication. If communication is to be effective, meaning what has been said and written is to be correctly understood, a thorough knowledge of grammar is vital. If we are to be correct in what we say, listen, speak, and write, are not confused and use English with richness, then knowledge of grammar is essential to this end. In this essay, I will answer the question why learning grammar is important.

Grammar is fundamental to language. Without grammar, language does not exist. However, nothing in the field of language pedagogy has been as controversial as the role of grammar teaching. The controversy has always been whether grammar should be taught explicitly through a formal presentation of grammatical rules or implicitly through natural exposure to meaningful language use. According to Nordquist (2023, April 5) grammar is firstly defined as the systematic study and description of a language. Secondly, it is a set of rules and examples dealing with the syntax and word structures of a language usually intended as an aid to the learning of that language. Grammar is the skeleton of a language. Nordquist (2023, April 5) describes the two components of grammar. First, there is descriptive grammar which is the structure of the language as it is used by writers and speakers.  Then there is prescriptive grammar which is the structure of a language the certain people think the language should be used. In short, both kinds of grammar focus rules in different ways. Descriptive grammar studies the rules or  patterns that lie below in the use of phrases, clauses and sentences while prescriptive grammar focuses on laying down the rules of the use of the language on what is believed to be correct.

According to Nordquist (2023, April 5), just studying grammar alone will not make a language learner a better writer or speaker. However, when one gains an understanding of how language works, then one should also gain greater control over the way words are shaped in sentences and sentences into paragraphs. Basically, studying grammar may help in becoming an effective writer. Nordquist (2023, April 5), adds that descriptive grammarians advise us not to be overly concerned with matters of correctness. They say that in the history of grammar, the English language is a living entity of communication, it is a continually evolving affair. Words and phrases will come into vogue and then drop out of use. Over a period of centuries, word endings and complete sentence structures can change or disappear. Nordquist (2023, April 5) goes further by saying that prescriptive grammarians would rather give advice about language usage: straightforward rules to aid language users to not make errors. These rules maybe oversimplified at times, but they are meant to keep people out of trouble- the variety of trouble that may distract or confuse readers. David Crystal gives us six reasoning to learn grammar:

Accepting the Challenge: Humans have an insatiable curiosity about the world they live in and a desire to comprehend and, like with mountains, master it. In this way, grammar is just like any other field of knowledge;

B.    Being Human: However, language is a part of nearly every action we take as humans—more so than mountains. Without language, we could not survive. Gaining an understanding of the linguistic aspect of our existence would be a noteworthy accomplishment. Furthermore, grammar serves as the primary organizing framework for language;

C.    Exploring Our Creative Ability: Our proficiency with grammar is remarkable. It is most likely our most imaginative capacity. There is no restriction on what we can write or say, but there are only so many rules that can govern all of this potential. How is this carried out?

D.    Solving Problems: However, there are times when our language fails us. We come across ambiguity and incomprehensible writing or speech. In order to address these issues, we must examine grammar closely and determine what went wrong. This is particularly important when children are picking up standards from educated adults in their neighbourhood;

E.    Learning Other Languages: Acquiring knowledge of English grammar serves as a foundation for learning other languages. A large portion of the tools required to study English turns out to be broadly applicable. Adjectives, tenses, and clauses are also present in other languages. And if we have first understood what makes our mother tongue special, the differences they exhibit will be even more apparent;

F.     Increasing Our Awareness: After learning grammar, we ought to be more conscious of the richness, variety, and power of our language, which will improve both our ability to use it and assess how others use it. It is less certain whether this will actually lead to an improvement in our own usage. While increasing our awareness is necessary, putting that awareness into practice—that is, speaking and writing more effectively—requires the acquisition of new abilities. We can still drive recklessly even after taking a course on auto repair.

Teaching Adults Writing using the Communicative Approach for Adults.

  

We use language for communication. Writing is one aspect of this need to communicate. We write letters, memos, reports, forums, blogs, websites, stories -long and short, poems, songs, essays, emails and messages on social media apps like Facebook, Twitter, Telegram and WhatsApp. All the afore mentioned acts are all for communication of one sort or the other. All the tasks are for communication that have a purpose for communication and a target audience. However, when English is taught in the classroom, it is taught using the didactic methodology, where the target audience is probably the teacher who corrects the writing and is the source of the language and writing text to be used. This is what is lacking in classrooms - communicating to a wider audience. School going children are not the only ones who teachers and tutors teach English. We also teach adults including those who are immigrants, foreign workers and refugees. The methodology used must enable them to write in English for various purposes and different kinds of texts.

Adults undertake studies for work purposes, including communicating with others correctly, applying for work, emigrating and furthering their education for personal enrichment or as described earlier for vocational and emigration purposes. They a wide spectrum of reading texts to be able to write and the product method is entirely unsuitable for them because they cannot use their creativity, diverse needs (writing emails, job applications, etc.) and critical thinking about what and how to write particular kinds of text.

But we must bear in mind that writing is difficult to teach. It is an act done in solo, in silence, involving physical effort and is time consuming. This will not appeal to teachers and students as an activity conducted in a classroom. Additionally, writing in the native language (L1), is already difficult, so imagine the target language or the language being learnt (L2).  We must take in to account the linguistic, psychological and cognitive challenges faced by adult students, not to mention financial, vocational and family challenges. Bear in mind that not many adults will write anything of length in their lives using pen and paper or a keyboard and computer. No spellchecker, grammarly or a dictionary. But then again this what they have to do in the classroom. 

Many adult learners are going sit for examinations set by IELTS and Cambridge Main Suite (of course if a teacher is using TOEFL or other English courses not set by Britain, it should be a similar situation for you). 

The tasks set for adult learners can be from textbooks that can aid them to muster their grammar and vocabulary while learning the four skills of writing, reading, listening and speaking. While textbooks cannot be avoided, they might not teach writing for diverse texts, such as a memo to a manager, applying for a permit of any kind, a letter to a government department or a business letter. 

The tasks set must be motivating, relevant and communicative. The tasks must be intellectually satisfying, let them understand their linguistic limitations and what needs to be addressed. Hence, learning materials must be developed or sourced to this end. Writing is best done in the classroom so that they can work with their classmates and homework set a per the syllabus if it required. Writing on a blog will be a fun way for them to use their writing skills if this is possible.

We can solve learning problems by using the communicative approach along with the process method of teaching writing such as;

1. Publish their writings on blogs or websites;
2. Publish their writings on social media such as Facebook, and Twitter;
3. Publish their work in newspapers or a class magazine;
4. Motivate them to write with a clear purpose and for a clear audience, for instance to an empower, relative pen friends or their fellow students;
5. Using group activities to write, group correction and group editing of work;
6. Support writing with reading which aids reding skills;
7. Let students write a speech and make the speech to their classmates with a question and answer session about the speech which aids with speaking and listening skills;
8. Find challenging and rewarding tasks which can support a variety of learning aims and integrate other skills and language systems, such as summarizing, project work, translation, writing up notes from interviews, and preparing a briefing or talk;
9. Use relevant and realistic tasks such as writing notes, recipes, e-mails, filling in forms and preparing signs for the class;
10. Respond to the content of the work that your learners give you as well as correcting the errors they make, by adding your own comments to their homework or establishing a dialogue through e-mail and learner diaries;
11. Make writing easier and more fun by doing group writing activities and group correction and editing of work. Process writing includes elements of this;
12. Support writing with reading. This not only helps learners develop the sub-skills they need but also helps them understand that good writing is a powerful and important communication tool.

The process method will use :

• text as a resource for comparison;
• ideas as starting point;
• more than one draft;
• more global, focus on purpose, theme, text type, i.e., reader is emphasized;
• collaborative;
• emphasis on creative process;
• use brainstorming techniques, such as using post-it notes and mind maps.

Teachers and Blogs : Blogging and Teaching.

  

Blogging is fun. Teaching is fun. If you have something that  you want to say and want to tell everyone who cares to read what you type because of what is boiling, bubbling and frothing away in your brain, then why not reach a global audience? The Internet and World Wide Web is full of apps and websites to exploit at your disposal. As a tutor/teacher and wanna be lecturer, like I wish..ha ha, I certainly blog away. Recently, I have been composing a thesis on blogging and its usefulness for teaching and learning. I read in one of the learned documents I downloaded that teachers as well as tutors, lecturers and trainers can exploit the blog as a teaching tool for our students or trainees or anyone in the anonymous Internet who wants to learn something useful. 

Just a bit about what is a blog and what is blogging. At its simplest, a blog , which is shortform for weblog, is a regularly updated website, well a mini website, that can either be used for personal use, business need or any other need to talk about something or tell something, like this blog. It is like an online diary or journal, but people use blogs for all manner of stuff. They aren't by any measure private, , well they are on the Internet which is a global public place. They are usually created for an audience. they are usually relaxed and comfortable. Blogging is just the the process of creating blog posts like this one and the other posts I have on my blogs, and then publishing them. Blogging often is about sharing long-form or short-form articles on any subject. There are no hard and fast rules on what you post on a blog.

Why should an educator by any definition create a blog? Well, there are clever and pertinent answers to the question. Actually, you can share hyperlinks for resources for your student's learning if you are using a a separate teacher's blog. It is a great place for you to link with your students' blogs and the class blog using hyperlinks. Blogging allows shy students who don't want to say anything in the classroom to voice their thoughts on your blog. Your teacher's blog can be a place to showcase exemplary and successful class projects, ideas and pictures taken on field trips. It is also a place for you to share lesson plans. lesson ideas, projects and reflections with your fellow educators. Blogging is also a great way to improve your reading skills. When you are reading blogs, you are improving your reading skills. You are actively synthesizing information and thinking critically about them. Besides those, when you write blog posts you are building a library of posts which people can browse through and gain information, ideas and insights. You are in effect serving others just s they serve you with their blogs. You can visit my other blog which is a library in itself: https://the-eclectic-tutor.blogspot.com/

A blogger can his or her blog into a forum for global citizenship. Every blog is a on a global wide public place called the Internet. You are a global citizen. I myself have an audience from many countries and that make feel proud that anonymous people are reading what I post on my blog. A an educator you are keeping ahead of your students. Because you can see their difficulties, apprehensions, desires and interests clearly on a blog. A blog allows an educator to showcase his or her students' work as the educator's work as well. An educator can post explanations to queries and doubts. An educator can post assignments on a blog.

So whether you are an educator, student or a lay person you know know something about something important. Happy Blogging.

Comments please.