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Thoughts on teaching grammar: 1. A lot of the animus towards teaching grammar seems to come from two radically different views of English language as a subject: If you view it as another language such as French or German then teaching fronted adverbials is arguably appropriate.
2. However if you view English as a sort of general repository for things like creativity, discussing social issues or as a place to foster oracy/dialogic engagement then fronted adverbials are clearly a real problem.
3. This is mostly an issue at primary level but even at secondary level most English teachers have degrees in English literature not language and in fact if most are being honest, dislike teaching how to write a letter and are much more comfortable teaching a poem or play.
4. But at least there is a division between the two. If teachers who have a degree in literature struggle teaching English language at secondary level then they should be mindful of how difficult it is for primary teachers and need to listen more.
5. So the argument as it currently stands seems to be one around purpose with an increasingly diverse and entrenched range of stakeholders talking past one another. Emotive statements from parents/authors/politicians doesn't help and often creates more issues for heads.
4. The argument that 'I'm a published author /I have a PhD/I'm a lumberjack and I have no idea what a fronted adverbial is" etc' is the weakest contribution to the debate and should be ignored, and even ridiculed at this stage.
5. Parents/authors/poets/activists sending letters to headteachers in the middle of a pandemic about things the school has no control over is very unfair. Publishing them on social media and tagging in the press is completely unacceptable and should be called out.
6. There are many pupils who do not enjoy the ambiguities of literature and are far more comfortable with the clarity of grammar in English. This is rarely discussed.
7. The idea that children shouldn't have to learn something because it's a struggle is so wrong. I was made to learn 'Ode To Autumn' off by heart at 10. Looking back now I can see it was a seed that blossomed many years later and I'm deeply grateful to my teacher for planting it.
