How important is grammar to a high school English class? As a teacher how do you determine when and how to have grammar lessons? Should grammar be taught regularly? All are questions that can be asked and addressed regarding the role of grammar in a typical high school English class. In class we have been reading about and discussing grammar. I have never been comfortable with grammar and that has become one of my fears especially as a I pursue teaching. In high school and throughout my years in school I always had my mom or dad read through my papers to check for any errors. And even though I have been in English classes for all of my schooling grammar wasn't really taught. There wasn't much emphasis on grammar it was more based on content.
I do wish that I was given more instruction regarding grammar other than the brief lessons given first semester of Freshman year English. I think that once I become an English teacher my focus on grammar will come into play through writing just so its not just based on the strict nature of day to day grammar lessons on different concepts. By the time you reach high school literature classes in 11th and 12th grade grammar lessons become much less frequent and are incorporated in writing assignments or given as a part of a mini lesson.
Grammar instruction is important but I think there is certain way to go about teaching it depending on the English class and the students age and skill level. Grammar is something that should be taught starting at a young age, in elementary school and then reinforced through middle school and early high school. I do wish I received more grammar instruction in my schooling because now as a college freshman I don't feel incredibly confident in all aspects of grammar.
I think that grammar instruction is important as well. However, I had to do many sheets in middle school up until my junior year of high school. I did enjoy them because it was easy busy work for me, but I definitely don't think they benefitted me as much as they were intended to. This is going to be hard for us as new teachers- finding a balance of content and grammar.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard! I recommend Jeff Anderson's book Mechanically Inclined for some ideas of how to do it. Plus, you'll be surprised how much grammar you start to understand when you're figuring out how to teach it!
ReplyDeleteI feel that grammar is important to teach as well, but, even I have learned a great deal throughout the years and I still have a hard time with some of it. I feel as if I learned it out of habit and repetition, but when testing we are supposed to know it by definition. I wonder if there'd be some way we could make remembering it easier.
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