http://deadpoetscave.com/2006/08/on-teaching-english-grammar/ a place to reveal | a place to hide Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:11:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 http://deadpoetscave.com/2006/08/on-teaching-english-grammar/#comment-669 C.S.Murthy Sat, 26 Aug 2006 11:09:21 +0000 http://deadpoetscave.com/2006/08/on-teaching-english-grammar/#comment-669 Dear Deadpoet, From what you have expressed about learning English Grammar as a Singaporean, it seems that the same problem exists with Indians who are not from elite schools. The grammar is force-fed, with little emphasis on using it in day-to-day interactions in school. Secondly, here too, students think in the native language (there are many in India) and then try to translate it into English. Thus they end up in something akin to 'minced meat' in a butcher's language. Regarding your musing that 'Where is the place of formal grammar in scools?' I feel that, English being a hybrid language, the grammar learning gives the foreign learner some sense in the apparently chaotic language. C.S.Murthy Dear Deadpoet,
From what you have expressed about learning English Grammar as a Singaporean, it seems that the same problem exists with Indians who are not from elite schools. The grammar is force-fed, with little emphasis on using it in day-to-day interactions in school.
Secondly, here too, students think in the native language (there are many in India) and then try to translate it into English. Thus they end up in something akin to ‘minced meat’ in a butcher’s language.
Regarding your musing that ‘Where is the place of formal grammar in scools?’
I feel that, English being a hybrid language, the grammar learning gives the foreign learner some sense in the apparently chaotic language.
C.S.Murthy

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