Why is learning ABOUT grammar so prevalent in today’s language classes?

General discussion about learning languages
User avatar
chove
Green Belt
Posts: 374
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2015 10:42 pm
Location: Scotland
Languages: English (N), Spanish (intermediate), German (intermediate), Polish (some).
Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... =15&t=9355
x 920

Re: Why is learning ABOUT grammar so prevalent in today’s language classes?

Postby chove » Mon Mar 11, 2019 11:25 pm

A lot of people (myself included!) don't "know" the grammar of their native languages -- I can speak English with native fluency but if I had to explain *how* it works to someone I'd be stuck. Similarly when I read things about how Scots differs I find myself going "I do that? I suppose I do. It's not standard?" (Even down to words, because I was well into adulthood before someone told me they didn't understand what "outwith" meant.)

In my Open University courses there are some native-speakers of German and Spanish doing for "easy" credits and I've seen them at tutorials being able to use the right case but then when the tutor asks why they chose it they have no idea. And apparently they often *don't* get the best grades in the class because the assignments want to see specific grammar being used and they have no idea what the terminology/etc is asking them to do.
0 x

User avatar
Kat
Orange Belt
Posts: 156
Joined: Sat May 19, 2018 9:33 am
Languages: German (N), English (advanced), Dutch (intermediate)
x 329

Re: Why is learning ABOUT grammar so prevalent in today’s language classes?

Postby Kat » Tue Mar 12, 2019 9:19 am

Kraut wrote:Der Akkusativ ist dem Dativ sein Feind.


You have a good eye, I missed that typo. And I really think it's a just a typo in this case. Nonetheless, it's a bad mistake for a grammar website. :oops:

That aside, I still like the overview which reflects what I see in school books and curricula.

I don't know if it's good or bad to teach grammar early on. I'm not a fan of teaching methods that put too much emphasis on grammar myself. My point is that I don't view certain grammar terms as jargon because they are used all the time and not just by experts.
0 x
Transcription challenge: 1. episode of De Ijzeren Eeuw (The Iron Century)
Minutes: 6 / 43


Return to “General Language Discussion”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: emk, themethod and 2 guests