Considerations for teaching grammar
Using the language strand of Australian Curriculum: English
The Australian Curriculum: English uses standard grammatical terminology within a
contextual framework.
Australian Curriculum English: 2010 p4
This contextual framework recognises purposes for using language. It also recognises and
values differences in student language backgrounds.
In classrooms students learn to use language through interactions and learn about
language through reflecting on how language works.
Grammar can be defined as a way of describing how a language works to make meaning.
Terminology is defined in the Australian Curriculum glossary.
Derewianka, D (2011) a New Grammar Companion, e:lit
The QSA Grammar Scope and Sequence and Beverly Derewianka’s A New Grammar Companion (2011, e:lit)
support understanding.
A functional perspective
The language strand of Australian Curriculum: English is based on Halliday’s functional
grammar model of using language for a range of social purposes to:
• express ideas
• connect ideas
• interact with others
• create coherent and cohesive texts.
IMPLICATIONS:
Grammar should be taught through engaging with purposeful talking, listening,
reading, writing and viewing in units of work or planned sequences of learning.
Teaching grammar means analysing the language features of texts using year level
content of the language strand.
Derewianka, D (2011) a New Grammar Companion, e:lit p8