From “That’s correct!” to “Let’s explore!” Developments in the teaching of native language grammar

Abstract

Grammar has always been one of the most important areas in language teaching. In the relatively short period between the 1960s and the 1980s, grammar was included "implicitly" in the native language classroom (e.g. in the U.K, in the USA and in Australia), without being given perspicuous space in the syllabus. However, the discussions have often focused on how to teach grammar rather than whether to teach it at all. In recent years, there has been a lot of clarification as to "why" grammar should have a place in a language teaching programme, and also as to "how" best to teach it. This paper outlines the developments that have lead to a clearer understanding of pedagogic grammar. Both the major shift in applied linguistics that accorded grammar a new role in the classroom and the language awareness movement fall squarely within developments in education that propose learner-centred approaches. This paper examines the rationale for including grammar in the native language lesson, and illustrates how the stated aims can best be achieved.