“Grammar is boring.” “Grammar is acquired naturally; it need not be taught.” “Not all students can learn grammar.” For some, the word grammar brings only memories of diagramming sentences and an endless amount of exercises. This is due partly to the fact that grammar is usually taught as a set of rigid rules that students are expected to memorize, practice, and follow (Christy 1). Some research argues that some students lack the maturity to learn grammar and that it is not necessarily important to teach grammar. Milroy and Milroy, the authors of Authority in Language, report that, “Since the 1950s there has been a reputably been a decline in the teaching of ‘grammar’ in schools” (7). If grammar is not important, then what is to blame for the Unites States’ continually increasing illiteracy rate? What has caused this lack of grammar in the classroom? And more importantly what can be done to improve the grammatical skills of students? Grammar is vital to the development of reading, writing, and oral communication skills and must be taught in K-12 classrooms; however, the manner in which students are instructed in lesson of grammar should be tailored to meet their individual needs.
Since the 1960’s there are two innovations that have reduced the teaching of grammar, whole language and the process approach. The whole language approach is a subjective process in which children are encouraged to follow their feelings while disregarding facts – their opinions held as valid. “A whole language classroom operates on the belief that people learn language and learn about language by using it in natural context” (Gilles 22). Each day student’s have stories read to them aloud and they are given an opportunity to read and write independently. Gilles writes that, “The world of the students is brought into the classroom everyday: this helps students to make connections between their outside lives and school and know that they are valued” (21). The problem with this...