Grammar/spelling instruction fever in the UK
How to improve grammar and spelling
Sent to the Telegraph (UK)
According to the Telegraph, Kent County “Teachers (are) 'to be given lessons in spelling and grammar'” (March 31) so they can better prepare 11-year-olds to take tests in grammar and spelling.
Neither the Kent County Council nor the UK Department of Education appears to be aware that there has been extensive research on this topic, and the results are very consistent: (1) Direct instruction in grammar and spelling produces very limited results. (2) Nearly all of our knowledge of grammar and spelling is acquired, absorbed, through extensive reading.
These studies have been appearing in scientific journals regularly for over the last 100 years. If they are correct, Kent County can fire the consultants and use the money to buy more books for school libraries.
Stephen Krashen
Professor Emeritus
University of Southern California
Just a few sources:
Cook, W. (1912) Should we teach spelling by rule? Journal of Educational Psychology 3, 316-325.
Cornman, O. (1902) Spelling in the Elementary School. Boston: Ginn.
Elley, W., I. Barham, H. Lamb, and M. Wyllie. (1976) The role of grammar in a secondary school curriculum. Research in the Teaching of English 10, 5-21.
Hammill, D., S. Larson, and G. McNutt. (1977). The effect of spelling instruction: A preliminary study.
Sent to the Telegraph (UK)
According to the Telegraph, Kent County “Teachers (are) 'to be given lessons in spelling and grammar'” (March 31) so they can better prepare 11-year-olds to take tests in grammar and spelling.
Neither the Kent County Council nor the UK Department of Education appears to be aware that there has been extensive research on this topic, and the results are very consistent: (1) Direct instruction in grammar and spelling produces very limited results. (2) Nearly all of our knowledge of grammar and spelling is acquired, absorbed, through extensive reading.
These studies have been appearing in scientific journals regularly for over the last 100 years. If they are correct, Kent County can fire the consultants and use the money to buy more books for school libraries.
Stephen Krashen
Professor Emeritus
University of Southern California
Just a few sources:
Cook, W. (1912) Should we teach spelling by rule? Journal of Educational Psychology 3, 316-325.
Cornman, O. (1902) Spelling in the Elementary School. Boston: Ginn.
Elley, W., I. Barham, H. Lamb, and M. Wyllie. (1976) The role of grammar in a secondary school curriculum. Research in the Teaching of English 10, 5-21.
Hammill, D., S. Larson, and G. McNutt. (1977). The effect of spelling instruction: A preliminary study.
