View source for Linguistics in education

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'''Linguistics in education''' refers to a small but growing field of [[linguistics]] which advocates a greater use of linguistic theory and {{clarify span|linguistic curriculum|date=May 2014}} in [[Primary education|primary]] and [[Secondary education|secondary]] [[education]].

== Background ==
Due to changes in national standards for K-12 education in the [[United States]] during the 1960s, [[grammar]] was largely dropped from [[English studies|English]] courses. The belief was that direct grammar instruction was not required for improved instruction in writing. Despite more recent research that has shown the positive effects of grammar instruction,{{Citation needed|date=August 2011}} the attitude that it is unnecessary persists today.

== Challenges ==
Because grammar has not been taught in many years, generations of teachers were never exposed to its direct instruction. Thus, even though many wish to teach it in their classrooms, they do not find that they have adequate knowledge on the subject. Unfortunately, this often perpetuates [[Folk linguistics|linguistic stereotypes]] that can sometimes be discriminatory to speakers of [[Nonstandard dialect|nonstandard language varieties]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/exchange/node/4564 |title=Should We Teach Grammar in the Upper Elementary School Classroom ? &#124; Serendip Studio |publisher=Serendip.brynmawr.edu |date=2010-01-31 |accessdate=2015-07-24}}</ref>
Another issue is that the curriculum for teachers is already very broad, especially in comparison to other college students, so requiring further courses for would-be teachers is rather unpopular. The same problem exists in the K-12 classroom which already have difficult time constraints on their current curriculum. To add grammar to an already full curriculum is extremely difficult.

== Benefits ==
Studies of how grammar and other linguistic theory can be incorporated into K-12 classrooms have been highly successful both in improving students' conscious knowledge of grammar and changing attitudes about non-standard English dialects.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2004/11/05/loc_dialect.html |title=Speech modes not right or wrong, just different |publisher=Enquirer.com |date=2004-11-05 |accessdate=2015-07-24}}</ref> There is evidence that grammar instruction can be beneficial to students' writing such that replacing writing or vocabulary instruction with grammar can actually be a more productive use of class time.

== Current theory ==
Linguists have also been involved in this field in attempts to change [[Folk etymology|misconceptions about language]]. One common example is the definition of [[nouns]]. Traditionally a noun is defined as a "person, place, or thing". While this definition captures much of what nouns are it does not incorporate all possible definitions and uses. For example, mental concepts such as "belief" or "idea" are also nouns but do not neatly fit the traditional definition. This can be especially difficult for children to understand. A more comprehensive definition seeks to describe nouns through their features and uses. However this definition requires the teacher to have greater knowledge of English [[syntax]].

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.cambridge.org/gb/knowledge/isbn/item2428174/?site_locale=en_GB Cambridge.org]

[[Category:Language acquisition]]


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