Overview
I’m appalled to say I’ve heard more than once that learning grammar today is just a waste of time. Teaching grammar is unnecessary, they say, because there are grammar checkers to ensure correct grammar in anything anyone writes. The time spent on learning correct grammar, I’ve been told, would be better spent on the study of STEM subjects. As a STEM writer, this makes my heart sad. It also makes me hope these people have a steady source of power for their devices. Here are five reasons why your kid needs to learn grammar rules, even today.
Five Reasons
- They may need to write something by hand. Unlikely, perhaps, but nevertheless a possibility. Unless there is a grammar check function in their pencil, they will need to know when they need a comma and where it goes, along with the other grammar rules and an understanding of syntax that results in the proper grammar essential to strong writing.
- Grammar study prepares kids to be strong readers. With an understanding of sentence structure, kids can read more sophisticated works while understanding how the words in complicated sentences relate to each other.
- An English teacher who incorporates grammar lessons into English class produces better writers. Frankly, it’s disheartening for a kid to enter text for a paragraph and be faced with a sea of red underlines. How much better to just get it close to right the first time?
- Young children accept grammar study without complaint, so why not take advantage of that? As they master the basics and approach middle school and high school, something seems to click; suddenly, they are curious and care about putting grammatical rules into practice.
- Kids need to know the parts of speech to understand what’s going on in Jabberwocky by Louis Carroll. Seriously. Identifying the parts of speech in this poem and creating a version of their own is a rite of passage in my home and for the kids KidWrite! tutors in English Language Arts.
Bottom Line
We can joke around about it, but when reading, good grammar makes it clear which word in a sentence is being described by the other words. It makes it clear which is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and which is a peanut, butter, and jelly sandwich.
When speaking, a feel for syntax produces speech that is readily understood. It makes it possible to convey complicated ideas in a simple, elegant manner.
When writing, the text created needs to be understood by readers who don’t have an app for that. The foundation for this understanding is formed by the grammar rules and understanding of syntax in place in a language. (Equally important for other languages!)
Note …
At KidWrite!, we make learning English grammar as painless as possible because we’ve found that children learn best when the grammar instruction is fun. We’re starting a series of posts about Grammar, with activities for grammar rules and parts of speech that you can use with your young learners. Please follow us or check back to read what we’ve got to assist you in reinforcing the grammar study taking place in school!