This document discusses reasons for and against teaching grammar. It argues that the seven reasons often given for teaching grammar, such as it being tidy or testable, are bad reasons. The two good reasons for teaching grammar are comprehensibility, so students can communicate properly using basic forms, and acceptability, so students know the rules to be accepted in social contexts. The document concludes grammar teaching should focus on learners' needs and teaching English communication instead of just grammar rules.
2. Seven bad reasons to teach
Grammar
Because its there.
Its tidy.
Its testable.
Grammar as a security blanket.
It made me who I am.
You have to teach the whole system.
Power.
3. Two good reasons
Comprehensibility: To speak properly the student
should know some basic forms of grammar such as basic
verb form, interrogative and negative structures, the use of
the main tenses, and modal auxiliaries.
Acceptability: . It is important that the students know
the grammatical rules in order to be accepted in the social
context that they are involved. (e.g.Work, university, etc).
4. What to teach?
Teaching grammar should be determined by the
needs of the lerners (Swan).
If we can manage to focus clearly on these
principles, we have a better chance of teaching
English instead of teaching English grammar.
