Learning Grammar Through Writing: A Method That Prepares Students For The Real World

Learning grammar needs to be given a new light. Students need to be taught how remarkable the English language is, and the traditional ways do not give it suffice. Tedious means being rushed to memorize entire charts of grammatical rules which will make students hate grammar, as it only makes them confused. However, in many schools this same old-fashioned system of teaching grammar is still going on. This needs to change because a more systematic approach is through writing. It will not only teach students how to improve their writing but will also help them to learn grammatical rules without it going over their heads. Students in every grade strive on this equal opportunity to learn grammar through writing rather than traditional means so they can write, read, speak proficiently, and even prepare them for the real world.

To begin with, learning grammar the traditional way is cumbersome, defunct, and inefficient. It used to hold value when teachers themselves were just learning grammar. Yet, grammar is being updated continuously now and shouldn’t be limited to old-fashioned means that no longer work. Having to first memorize parts of speech then learn the grammar rules is time consuming and does not work half the time because students will forget what they memorized. Learning grammar this way is very inefficient because some students will be left behind since everyone is at a different level when it comes to knowing his or her grammar. It also puts a lot of stress on students to be ready to learn grammar at such a high level expected of each grade. All this time spent on memorizing grammar consumes a lot of lesson’s when there are other vital things that need to be taught on. But what is worse is that all this trouble to teach grammar through memorization can easily be forgotten anyways, henceforth providing no point to teach this way whatsoever. Students would be blankly memorizing information that will sooner or later be lost. According to George Hillocks and Michael Smith, in their book “Grammar and Usage”, it shows research of ninety years that has “consistently shown that the teaching of school grammar has little or no effect on students. ” Switching gears to what works is learning grammar through writing. This method allows students to focus on their mistakes in their writing, thus correcting what they did wrong. It also helps them to work on what they are struggling by practicing what they are writing. A study by Hillocks and Smith in 1991 show that “practicing sentence combining will increase student’s knowledge of synaptic structures as well as improve the quality of their sentence’s. ”

Another way for students to put writing into action is through sentence-combining activities that help them to identify disjointed sentences in their own writing. This method intrinsically allows students to learn grammar as they correct their mistakes. Consequently, this enables them to adapt more to what’s being taught rather then feeling rushed to learn grammar rules. This strategy will also give students more time to absorb the grammar they are learning. Most importantly, it will permit students to become motivated in learning grammar by knowing exactly what they did wrong and learning from it, rather than memorizing rules of what not to do and forgetting those principles. Finally, every grade should teach grammar through writing because it will prepare students for the real world. Many times, teachers put the fault on students for not knowing grammar which is wrong because it’s not their fault for not knowing it at a certain point. For there are many reasons student’s may not know grammar; indeed, from coming from a poor background, all the way to having a mind that operates at a different level then another’s. This is adamant especially in adolescent minds, where everyone usually learns something at a different time and should therefore not be condemned for not knowing something at the “mark-off point. ” By teaching grammar in every grade, it will make sure everyone understands what they need to work on and entitle them to not be left behind.

Teaching grammar in every grade this way will also make learning grammar a priority, as it should be, so that “everyone can understand such an interesting and vast language” as Johnathan Owen puts it best. Fundamentally, doing this will make sure every student has a chance at becoming successful in the real world. In the work force, by having a better grasp of grammar he or she will have an equal opportunity in those jobs. For many jobs expect employee’s to already know how to use grammar correctly. For example, in many cases if an employee’s job application has a lot of errors then the employer will automatically delete the application. Not only does knowing grammar help people in the workforce, but it helps to make a good impression on employers, co-works, family and friends. Simply being grammar is the foundation for communication no matter where a person may be. Using bad grammar can give people a bad impression by making it seem like they do not know what they are talking about. In contrast, by using correct grammar and speaking accurately it will give students a lot more credibility in the real world. When all is said and done, grammar is something that is being used continuously and is something that should not just be forgotten about or dropped.

Schools should take grammar seriously, being that it is what systematically allows people to communicate. Instead of using methods of teaching grammar that do not work, schools should put their energy into teaching grammar the right way, through writing. By teaching grammar in every grade, students will be able to see their mistakes, learn from them, and apply them to the real world. Once these students become proficient at writing, they can make good impressions on their employers, co-workers, family, and friends. In saying that, a world without grammar would be very hectic. Students should feel grateful knowing they can apply grammar from their writing, and that furthermore, they can use it to advance in the workforce and achieve incredible things, simply from knowing their grammar rules.