Teaching of Grammar in the Elementary English Language Arts Classroom

Why is it important to explicitly teach grammer in master schools?

The 2014 English National Curriculum states: 'Explicit cognition of grammar is very important, as it gives us more conscious control and choice in our language.' Young readers and writers need to understand how language is organised to brand meaning and communicate effectively. Whether developing oral confidence in EYFS, or choosing the grammatical structure and organisation for a persuasive letter of the alphabet in Twelvemonth half-dozen, concepts must exist explicitly taught and children guided in their effective selection and awarding.

Should grammer exist taught in context or in isolation?

Since the introduction of the KS2 SATs GPS exam, the way in which teachers teach spelling, punctuation and grammer has inverse dramatically. Inquiry from Safford, Messer, McLachlan and Walker (2015) looked at the impact that the statutory examination has had on teachers and the teaching of grammar. It is no surprise that it concludes that learning has become 'routine, explicit and formalised' and significant time is spent in training for the test.

Enquiry by Hillocks (1986) and Andrews et al. (2006), concluded that no show exists that the formulaic teaching of grammar past labelling and identifying items of language use has any beneficial effect on language production. However, there is powerful research evidence, including a large-scale report from Exeter University (Myhill et al., 2013) that demonstrates the benefits of relevant grammar when taught explicitly and in context. Teachers who contextualised the written report of grammar inside the reading of literature and discussed real life texts reported a positive bear on on pupils' writing and a deeper noesis and agreement of language.

How tin grammar be taught effectively?

From Year 3 onwards (and Year 2 GDS) children who are working at the expected standard, are expected to 'write effectively and coherently for different purposes, drawing on their reading to inform the vocabulary and grammer of their writing'. Equally they move through KS2 they are expected to 'select appropriate grammar and vocabulary, understanding how such choices tin change and enhance meaning.'

To support children to learn how to do this, we must support them in understanding what constructive writing is. At I Education we utilise the acronym R.A.F.T to support teachers and children with their understanding of this.

When planning a unit of work for a specific text-type we every bit teachers must very clear on the R.A.F.T of writing, who the writing is for, why we are writing, what tone information technology should be written in and what grammatical features should exist and should not be included. With this in heed, we can then select the appropriate grammer to teach.

We have hopefully moved abroad from the culture of 'tick lists' where children attempted to 'shoe-horn' all types of grammar into a piece of writing, where writing 'ticked all the boxes' but did not necessarily flow. Now what nosotros are seeing more than and more than is pupils beingness supported to make choices and select appropriate grammar for specific writing. This fashion writing feels less forced and is more coherent.

Professor Myhill (2014) explains that ' the fundamental to effective use of grammar is to open children's optics to the infinite repertoire of choices which are available to them every bit writers. Used in this way, grammar helps children understand how language works and how to limited themselves with greater craft and inventiveness'

Grammar should be taught inside English language lessons and support the children'south learning of a specific text-type. The show is clear – the isolated instruction of grammer has very little, if any, impact on children's writing content and power.

The Exeter research (Lines et al, 2014) provides a number of practical approaches for instruction grammar effectively:

1. Employ authentic examples from authentic texts

Education children to write effectively, nosotros must 'hold their writer's hand'; expose them to high-quality texts with rich language, grammatical rules and judgement structures in guild for them to apply these independently in dissimilar contexts. We demand to programme in rich reading experiences linked to specific linguistic communication goals. Exposing our pupils to high-quality reading volition increase their vocabulary and provide opportunities for discussion around authorial choices. However, we exercise not want our children writing to a formula, simply copying the models they have read. We must explicitly share good examples of grammar and model how to brand similar choices using strategies such equally 'thinking aloud' to share the procedure we take as writers.

Using A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness equally an example, this text can be an first-class model for how to create suspense. With authentic examples of repetition, brusque sentences, rhetorical questions and dashes for pause, this short extract is perfect for introducing grammatical features for this type of narrative.

two. Use grammatical terms but explicate them through examples

It is true that children must be able to identify grammatical features such as 'nouns', 'verbs' and 'uncomplicated sentences', nevertheless, functional grammar goes farther than just looking at a word inside a judgement. They must also understand why, where and in what order these are used to be able to apply them within their own oracy and writing.

For case, a child may exist able to identify a noun and verb in a sentence, but do they sympathise the importance of a verb within a sentence? Do they understand the club of a noun and a verb in EYFS and KS1? Practice they understand how selecting different verbs will impact the meaning and possibly the intent of the sentence?

Using a text that they are familiar with, or a electric current text within English lessons would be the best style to innovate a term. For example, Zog by Julia Donaldson is helpful for introducing simple sentences, verbs and alliteration. There can be lots of discussion nearly the vocabulary, its meaning, importance and position.

3. Encourage language play, experimentation and take a chance taking

For children to take the confidence to 'play' with language, they must be exposed to a wide bank of vocabulary to choose from. Nosotros need to build upwardly their cognition of vocabulary and develop a 'word consciousness' where they are excited and curious about language.

When introducing a new grammatical term, providing opportunities for children to investigate and explore words and punctuation together tin can be powerful. Exploring ideas, patterns and discovering rules together can be a much more effective fashion of learning. This mode they are able to make links to wider knowledge and experiences to their learning.

For example, here, when introducing verbs, children could exist given a choice of words colour coded and could attempt to piece of work out the different word classes justifying their thoughts. This can just exist possible if they are familiar with the vocabulary.

In order for children to experiment with language and take risks in their writing, they demand to know that it is safety to do so. Building a culture of drafting and proofreading within your lessons is vital here equally children need to know that their writing can evolve and change if they want it to. There needs to be a civilization of discussion about language, looking at language on scales and knowing that choices need to be made to create the correct intent.

4. Encourage high-quality discussion about language and effects

Nosotros must explicate that each selection fabricated almost language or punctuation should be considered carefully to contribute to significant. Making considered choices ensures that our writing reflects our intentions. This can only exist done properly if we fully sympathize the purpose of the structures and concepts. Understanding grammer is more than than learning the names of certain punctuation, sentence structures or word classes past rote.

The dog darted through the bushes searching for a place to hide. The canis familiaris meandered through the bushes looking for a place to settle. Similar structures, but different language and different effects on the reader.

Nosotros can again use real examples within texts to support linguistic communication choices. In this extract from The Explorer, the writer Katherine Rundell uses personification to create imagery of the fire. Nosotros can really support children's understanding of deliberate language choices by looking at author choices.

Asking them questions such every bit 'what effect does this phrase have…?' and 'why has the author called to …?' tin assistance deepen their understanding of imagery and effect on the reader.

Playing with language further, yous could ask them to look at how the sentence bear upon would change if language were changed: If we changed the fire'south imagery from 'it belched upwards' to 'information technology spat pathetically', how has the meaning changed? How has the upshot changed?

5. Support children to blueprint their writing past making deliberate language choices:

Once children take some feel in exploring texts similar to what they are creating, discussed language and authorial choices, it is of import that we use these techniques and features inside our modelled writing, showing children how to apply such techniques to their own writing.

Then support them to program and prepare the grammar and language they volition use. When making deliberate choices within language, children need the chance to explore their options, collect words, gild them and scale them.

This can as well exist a critical role of editing their work as well. Enquiry suggests (Brenchley et al, 2018) that very ofttimes children fall into the trap of believing certain grammatical features have intrinsic merit. It's a fleck like thinking along the lines of "calculation adjectives in makes it more descriptive", "avoid simple sentences because they look basic", or "use complex sentences considering they make the writing expect fancier". This does non become united states the most constructive writing. Sometimes, we know that a elementary, but powerful sentence has much more touch on than a longer, more complex sentence.

Importantly, they need to know that improving writing isn't about adding lots of adjectives, verbs or adverbs just about achieving the result that the writer wants.

6. Apply model patterns for children to imitate

When introducing a new grammatical term or characteristic, having a structure to the lesson volition support the children's agreement and ability to so utilize this in their own writing. As nosotros show in our P.I.C.C approach (free webinar - watch it here), education children specific grammatical features is vital to achieve effective writing. If teaching expanded substantive phrases you might follow the structure beneath:

Part of our suggested arroyo is to 'identify, create and change'. This is where we tin can provide them with models from high-quality texts for them to introduce or alter. For example, they may identify the utilise of ingemination within Sue Hendra'south 'Supertato':

They then might employ this blueprint of 'He crept through the cakes… checked the cheese' to create their own ingemination sentence:

'He slithered through the sausages…spotted the strawberries.' And so they could change a judgement without alliteration into one with ingemination.

Using authors' techniques and patterns is a great way to support children with developing judgement structure and language techniques that they can and then apply in their own writing.

vii. Progression in grammar And then how does your school ensure progression beyond year groups in the didactics and learning of grammar? Ofsted'southward latest framework (2019) suggests that 'progress means knowing and remembering more.' We must ensure that learning is progressive and that there are chances for children to repeat and think learning. Information technology suggests that knowledge is generative (or 'sticky') pregnant the more you know, the more than easily you can learn.

Click on the below links to download example documents of our progression grids for grammar and punctuation and as well spelling for years ane and three:

• Year ane Grammar Progression free resource
• Twelvemonth iii Grammar Progression free resources
• Yr ane Spelling Progression free resource
• Year 3 Spelling Progression free resource

You lot can as well lookout man our free webinar Introduction to Grammar and Spelling. This webinar is a small snapshot of the grooming we offer. For more data on our preparation and other support available for Grammar and spelling teaching, please email sarah.dean@oneeducation.co.u.k.

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References:

• Andrews, R., Torgerson, C., Beverton, S., Freeman, A., Locke, T., Low, G., Robinson, A., Zhu, D. (2004a) The outcome of grammar teaching (sentence combining) in English on five to 16 year olds' accuracy and quality in written composition. In: Research Evidence in Didactics Library. London: EPPI-Centre, Social Science Research Unit of measurement, Institute of Education.
• Andrews, R., Torgerson, C., Beverton, S., Locke, T., Low, G., Robinson, A., Zhu, D. (2004b) The effect of grammer teaching (syntax) in English on 5 to sixteen year olds' accuracy and quality in written limerick. In: Research Evidence in Education Library. London: EPPI-Middle, Social Scientific discipline Research Unit, Constitute of Education.
• Brenchley &Cushing, 2018, Have a "uncomplicated" approach to teaching grammer.
• Burrows, P 2014, A Artistic Approach to Didactics Grammer.
• Lines, H (2014) Secondary school English teachers' and students' conceptualisations of quality in writing.
• Reedy & Bearne, 2013 Teaching Grammar Finer in Primary Schools.
• Safford, Messer, Mclachlan and Walker (2015) Teaching grammer and testing grammer in the English main school: the impact on teachers and educational activity of the grammer element of the statutory test in Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar (SPaG) in England.
• Myhill, D. and Fisher, R. (2010) Editorial: Writing evolution: cognitive, sociocultural, linguistic perspectives. Journal of Research in Reading. Volume 33, Issue 1, 2010. Myhill, D., Lines, H. and
• Ofsted, 2019 The Instruction Inspection Framework. Manchester. Crown Copyright.
• Watson, A. (2011) Making significant with grammar: a repertoire of possibilities. Academy of Exeter. Metaphor, Consequence two, 2011.

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