Checking English Grammar

[Niko]

Grammar vs Communication

Which is more important when learning English as a second language? English grammar or English communication?


When a native English teacher is in the classroom, lessons tend to focus on English communication. In the absence of a native English teacher, lessons tend to focus on English grammar.

So which is the better skill to have? Sure it would be easy to sit on the fence, and say that is depends on a variety of factors. However, let's take a strong standing, and give importance to English communication skills.

For those who have read previous blogs on our site, you may have learnt something about the way children learn as opposed to adults. Children learn their native language to survive. In order to survive, children need to communicate. A child knows that with communication, one can request certain things from mummy and daddy. Hence, the whole point of learning a second language is to communicate with others.

We heavily encourage our English teachers to focus on communication as opposed to grammar. Grammar is secondary, and will fall into place over time.

The Japanese are one of the worst English speakers in the world, yet English learning is a mandatory part of their school curriculum from the age of 11. The Germans on the other hand speak beautiful English by the time they graduate high school. The different learning methods between these 2 countries lie with grammar vs communication.

"Until University, I only studied grammar, reading and writing - so I couldn't speak at all," a 38 year-old Tokyo eye doctor said of his classes.

As English teachers, we need to realise the importance of studying English to improve communication rather than to pass English grammar tests.

I find your article very interesting to read. It will be an understatement for me to say I gained something from it but, I do not wholly agree with you.

I am of the opinion that each compliments the other as communication will be virtually dead without at least a little knowledge of the grammar of the particular language in question.

Eg.

1. Who door the at?
2. Who at the door?
3. Who is at the door?

While the first and second sentences are both grammatically wrong, some people wil still be able to grasp what the speaker is saying in the second sentence because of the arrangement of words which has a relation to the grammar of any language.

I therefore think that neither communication nor grammar can function in any known human language on its own.

Akinloye Akinola
akin2k4@yahoo.com