persuasive essay on topic should grammer be taught for language learning
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Answer:
Grammar is the backbone of a language and without it any single thing you know may be flux, in a sort of jelly without much consistency. In a nutshell, grammar provides you with the structure you need in order to organize and put your messages and ideas across. It is the railway through which your messages will be transported. Without it, in the same way as a train cannot move without railways, you won’t be able to convey your ideas to their full extension without a good command of the underlying grammar patterns and structures of the language.
I understand that many students ask this question simply because in their own experience they have always been presented with two main scenarios, and nothing in between. They want to know where they are going to be standing as regards to their learning.
Which are those two scenarios? Well, in one extreme we have those language courses that teach grammar almost exclusively, as if preparing the students to be grammarians of the second language rather than users. In the other extreme we have those “communicative” courses in which the only thing that is done is to talk about something or to read an article and comment on it. In many cases, what is seen in one class has no resemblance to what is done in the next.
In my experience, both scenarios may seem good for very specific purposes but I personally feel both are inappropriate for most language learners. For starters, by itself, a good command of the grammar of a language does not imply that the person is able to communicate effectively, as we usually see with students who have only been exposed to an all-grammar-oriented approach sometimes for many years. Many could recite the grammar by heart but if asked to express basic information, they would hesitate too much and browse through all the grammar rules in their heads before making an utterance, or simply dry up.
Secondly, just talking in class without anything else done in order to learn from the actual conversation is not good enough either. It may be helpful of course, but up to a certain point. This approach may be more useful for very advanced students who just need to brush up their second language, but for those in need of building up the foundations of a new language, it is certainly too vague and flux, without any consistency.
Answer:
First, grammar is very importance because it may help inhance accuracy. Marcel (1853) highlights this point in his book. He clarifies how grammar develops accuracy in communication as “it forms the mind to habits of order and clearness; concurrently with logic and rhetoric, it accustoms learners to accuracy of language, and hence, to accuracy of thinking”(p.424). This means grammar rules can help learners develop a habit of thinking logically and clearly. Therefore, after studying grammar, they will become more accurate when using language.In addition to accuracy, Ellis also says that grammar learning can make the internalization of syntactic system become easier. Hence, it improves the development of fluency (Hinkel and Fotos, 2002,p.10). When a person has learned grammar, it will be easier for him to acquire other grammar rules afterwards compared to those who have never learned before. That person will know how to organize and express the ideas in his mind without difficulty. As a result, he will be able to speak, read or write a language in a smooth and skillful way.Second, a proper use of grammar is a sign of respect, both for speakers and listeners (Clack, 2010). For speakers, speaking clearly means they take time to polish themselves with a good impression from the listeners. A person with a poor grammar skill can form negative impression on the first time meeting and this may last for a long time. For listeners, a proper use of grammar shows that their thought is concerned. Speakers do not want them to waste time trying to figure out what they are saying.The problems facing grammar use today.In sum, we cannot deny the importance of grammar in communication. Nevertheless, today there are still some problems facing grammar use. Clark (2010) points out one of them which is: “as the world becomes more technologically inclined, good grammar seems to go to the sideway. People, used to taking shortcuts with the help of new technology, also take shortcuts with grammar”. Nowadays, some people seem to get used to the fast and modern life.Everything should be brief and short. With the development of social network and technology, people become grammatically lazier. When texting, using Facebook, Myspace or Twitter, they tend to use sentences that are as simple as possible. Moreover, they also use fragments of sentences. For them, grammar is unneccessary as long as what they say is understandable. Nevertheless, this often causes misunderstanding among readers Therefore, to overcome this problem, teaching grammar should be paid more attention in classrooms.