Comments on: Why We Don’t Teach Grammar

By: Mark Pennington

Mark Pennington — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 04:02:59 +0000

I would definitely agree with your first reason.

By: C Koeffler

C Koeffler — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 18:23:56 +0000

Thank you for this. Three more quick ideas about which I’d love to hear agreement or disagreement from others to whom proper English and grammar are sacred.
1) English grammar has declined because students no longer have to study a second language. There’s no substitute for getting the point that all pronouns are not created equally and that plural nouns really deserve plural verbs.
2) It’s considered elitist or rude to correct someone’s langauge. I don’t know why it isn’t rude if someone is told that 2+2 does not =5, but it is rude to point out that “lay” is transitive and “lie” is not.
3) Many (maybe most) people don’t really care if English is correct, so long as the point is communicated. “Good enough” has set the bar very low.

In any case, glad to see others share my concerns and consternation.

By: Flora Hill

Flora Hill — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 01:41:32 +0000

Thank you for your article. I have recently started teaching in an ESL/EFL environment in a high school in an Asian country. Most of the specially hired native English speaking teachers come directly from high and primary schools in their home countries and have a one month CELTA type of certificate in addition to their basic teaching qualifications. In the staffroom they discuss the problems the students have with grammar – with one teacher with further ESL credentials identifying the problem with diffrentiating the usage of the verb “be”. However I was told, “We don’t teach grammar here” “Students only need to be taught the past and the rest they pick up from their reading”. My short interaction with the students shows they are very interested in learning grammar – they crowd around the white board when we play grammar auctions and other language games, and I elicit information about their writing and what word forms might be most appropriate to convey the message. Thank you for your article – I don’t feel so alone and as if I am a grammar pariah.

By: Mark Pennington

Mark Pennington — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 02:07:19 +0000

Things go in cycles. Grammar was definitely “out” for a bit.

By: Angela

Angela — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 14:37:59 +0000

Thank you for writing this! I’m an amateur writer. I do it for fun, and I publish at times on fanfiction. I’ve also read some fanfiction, and it’s TERRIBLE! Why? Because nobody knows how to use proper grammar, especially the teens. Their punctuation is non-existent and their spelling nearly as bad. Why can’t they use grammar check and spelling check on their computers? Why aren’t they being taught basic grammar and spelling in school? If this keeps up, the written language will die on the vine! I went back and read some of my stuff from when I was in junior high and guess what? I used proper punctuation. If I was taught it in the 70s-80s, why isn’t it being taught now? There’s no excuse to graduate children that don’t know how to write.

By: David A. Crist

David A. Crist — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 02:37:57 +0000

Thank you for writing this. I am not an educator, but a parent who has run head long into exactly this attitude from public school teachers. My two older children went to Catholic school and are able to spell and fully understand grammar. They also learned the discipline and sense of achievement that comes from mastering spelling, grammar, knowing the definitions, synonyms, and antonyms, for these words. Both are excellent at “language arts” and have great creativity and imagination. Apparently, learning proper grammar and spelling didn’t hamper their imagination at all. For various reasons our youngest is going to public school and we have been amazed at the absolute lack of attention to spelling or grammar. We correct her papers when she brings them home, most often with an “A”, yet riddled with mistakes. I am told it spelling and grammer are just “rote memorization” and not of much benefit to the broader development of the child. Imagination and creativity are valued above all else with the implicit implication that also requiring spelling and grammar will somehow stifle this creativity. This is a travesty for the children and a failure on the part of the educators. I cannot fathom how or where this educational philosophy came from, but it is a sad, sad indictment of our education system. Please continue to state these issues forcefully and often to all who will listen. I know many parents who are looking for just someone like you to rally around. The education establishment is very convicted in the superiority of their position and is doing an injustice to all our children.