Aim & Objective of Teaching English Grammar
Knowing English grammar is essential because it is what allows you to construct clear and correct sentences. Having good grammar in English is also a real advantage for being able to express you fluently and to convey your ideas and intentions to your speakers or audience.
It is taught in more than 120 countries and frequently used as an international commercial or diplomatic language. It is the language of science, aviation, computing, diplomacy and tourism. But above all, it is the language of international communication, the media and the internet.
Grammar may be taught with a view to giving clear idea regarding the function of individual words in a sentence and their relationship with one another. That enables them to gain a clear insight into the meaning of language.
In the light of the accepted principles of usage it helps their oral and written expression. It is a useful training in thinking clearly and connectedly, to judge and sift the correct from an incorrect sentence. In short, it gives an insight into the structure of a sentence and enables the student to judge whether it is correct or incorrect and why it is so.
Function of Grammar
There are two conflicting views regarding the function of grammar:
1. Scientific view: According to this view the function of grammar is merely to describe the main characteristics of current usage. It is said that grammatical propriety is nothing more than the established usage of a particular body of speakers at a particular time in their history.
That is to say, correct usage is not fixed for all times, and the function of grammar is merely to describe the main characteristics of current usage. It considers grammar to be a descriptive science. This may be styled as the natural view.
2. Logical View: Which considers grammar to be an art more than a science? The rules of grammar are static, subject to no change.
Hazlitt said: “The common method of teaching English grammar by transferring the artificial rules of other languages to our own occasions much trouble and perplexity. It is likely to give rise to the usual superstition that theoretical instruction in grammar is the best way to teach students how to express themselves correctly.
But it should be borne in mind that grammar doesn`t confer upon the child the power of expression. Hence, it is not an end in itself it is a means to an end and that end is the learning of correct English with proper understanding.
