Rules? What rules?

Word Classes. I will never enjoy looking at word classes. Everytime I look at word classes, I realise how deprived I was when I was a child in school. I don’t remember learning this stuff! And looking at it again, I find it a very humbling experience.

The problem (or maybe a blessing?) is that I have learned English through frequent usage. Even though English is officially my second language. I quickly adopted it as my primary language of use. It was only through usage and exposure that I was able to learn the structures and “rules” of the English language.

This brings up a question that I have been thinking about after engaging in this tutorial. Who has better literacy skills? I’m thinking about the hardcore Japanese student who spends his reading language text books, learning the structures of the language, examining all the word classes and practicing spelling day in day out. I have met such students before and their knowledge of the English language and its “rules” is phenomenal. They know more than I do when it comes to this topic, and yet, at the end of the day. I am still a better communicator. So this brings forward another discussion or argument; what are we teaching our students? Since I do want to become and English teacher, I find this extremely important for me to know. At the same time, do I need emphasise these rules and structures in order for students to learn how to communicate effectively. I have learned communicate through usage. So why can’t we apply this to the classroom. Encourage usage and exposure as a way of learning. Modelling appropriate language use and then reinforcing it in students. Do we need to get hung up on the rules of the English language. At the end of the day, If a student is able to communicate in a way that is more effective than he could do previously, then I have achieved my goal. Spending all my time teaching the rules would take away many opportunities for my students to practice communication. At the end of the day, they are left with all these rules that don’t even work in all circumstances and their ability to communicate is not any better. Who benefits from this type of teaching? It is important to know syntax. However, it is not essential. “knowing comes from doing”.

End rant.