Grammar-Beware by Vincenzo Cioffari

Article                         : Grammar-Beware

Writer                          : Vincenzo Cioffari

Journal                         : The Modern Language Journal

Date Published            : 20/12/2008

The author mainly talks over about the function of grammar in language teaching. He states that on teaching language, a teacher needs grammar. Actually, grammar serves two purposes; namely to analyze a language and to set a standard of the language. Then, the task of language teachers is to teach the standard of the language that has been analyzed and recorded by trained linguist to permit the students to acquire the language and use it as his own. Therefore, students need to be exposed to the necessary tools helping acquire the language namely; speech habits, vocabulary and construction that wholly regulated in grammar. At first, students must be exposed to the characteristics of sounds of the new language that is regulated by phonology (grammar of sound). However, sounds only will have meaning if they are combined into word that is regulated by morphology (grammar of word formation). Then for the purpose of communication, students need to express their feelings through utterance that is regulated by syntax and semantics (grammar of sentence and meaning). However, if grammar isn’t used in teaching language, there will be no standard form of the language. Consequently, school will result new users that will produce utterances of the foreign languages being learnt difficult to be understood. In his conclusion, the function of grammar in language teaching is to make students aware of the standard form of the language.

The author put his view about the function of grammar in language teaching without agreeing or disagreeing with other views about it; he didn’t insert additional views from others.

I certainly agree with him because in teaching a language we need a guide that serves as the basis elements to teach. Therefore, the existence of grammar will help us determine the standard form of the language to teach. Consequently, it will avoid students making incorrect utterance of the language and be more aware.

I have felt the effect of learning grammar. I’m more aware about the incorrect utterances that are sometimes produced by me and my friends. Indeed, I think if the grammar of the foreign language I’m learning doesn’t exist, I will certainly make my new own language rather learn the foreign language.