“Importance of Grammar in English and Spanish: Why It’s important for Students and Teachers”

Introduction

Dianna- Hello everyone! My name is Dianna.
Andrew- And my name is Andrew!

Dianna- We wanted to talk to you today about something that is very important when it comes to life and that is grammar! Grammar is what we use in order to create sentences, talk and write clearly.
Andrew- Just how there are rules for driving, there are rules in grammar too, not just in one language but every language, but today we’re going to talk about grammar in English and Spanish.
Dianna- English and Spanish are one of the most spoken languages, many students speak these languages or they are trying to learn one of the both languages but learning these two languages means you have to learn the rules of grammar which can be difficult.
Andrew- We’ll also talk about what grammar is, why it matters, how it affects students, why teachers have to use it correctly and how it’ll help students in the future.
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What is Grammar and Why is it important?

Dianna- Now what is grammar and why is it important you may ask. Well, Grammar helps us create sentences correctly. It tells us how to arrange words that we use in order for others to understand us. Grammar includes punctuation, verb tenses, sentence structure, subject-verb agreement, knowing how to use the right form of a word, and word order.
Andrew- When you use poor grammar, what you are trying to say can sound off to others, for example in English “Let’s eat, Mom!” let’s them know you are inviting your mom to eat but if you say “Let’s eat Mom!” This indicates that you want to eat your mom even though that is not your intent.
Dianna- This shows that even that one comma made a big difference. This applies in Spanish too, like when you say “¿Cómo estás?” which means “How are you?” but if you forget the accent and say “como estas,” this is incorrect and starts to be a bit confusing. This shows that grammar helps you be clear, correct, and more confident in what you are saying. With bad grammar, a lot of people won’t understand what you’re trying to say.
Andrew- Exactly! This can also affect how people view you. If you use good and proper grammar, people will automatically think you’re smart and professional. If we make too many mistakes in our grammar, people might not take us seriously even if you are very smart!
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How does Grammar Affect Students?

Andrew- Onto talking about how grammar affects students. Many students today now tend to speak more than just one language like English and Spanish. This is something a lot of people have which is basically a good skill to have but it can also be difficult because each language has its own rules and sometimes, this causes students to get confused a bit between the two languages.
Dianna- In spanish, verbs tend to vary and change depending on the subject like “Yo hablo” (I speak), “Tú hablas” (You speak), “Él habla” (He speaks) but, in english the verb always tends to stay the same expect when you talk in the third person like “I speak”, “you speak”, “he speaks.” This is called grammar transfer where one applies grammar from one language into another which happens very often.
Andrew- Another example is Spanish, we say “ Yo tengo 19 años” but in English we say “I am 19 years old.” If someone is bilingual, they might say “I have 19 years,” which is incorrect but this happens because they are thinking in Spanish and speaking in english. This can lead to errors which can affect their grades, make students shy about public speaking, stop participating in class and group activities, or make them insecure which can cause them to be doubtful.
Dianna- Which is why it’s very important for students to know proper grammar, so they are able to express themselves clearly and be confident in both languages. With a better understanding of grammar, they’ll feel more comfortable when they speak, write, and when they have to ask questions and answer questions. Knowing grammar can also help students do better in other school subjects as well because it requires reading and writing skills as well.
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Why Teachers Must Teach Grammar the Right Way

Dianna- Now this is where the teachers start to come into play.
Andrew- Teachers play a big rule when it comes to helping students understand grammar. Yes, they can correct students when they make a little mistake but they also need to explain why it;s wrong and how they can fix it. For example, if the student writes “She walk to school,” the teacher shouldn’t just say “Wrong!” but they should say, “In English, when we talk about ‘she’, we add an ‘s’ to the verb, so it should be, ‘She walks to school.’”
Dianna- It’s important for teachers to be patient and kind when students are learning so they don’t feel bad about their mistakes. They should feel encouraged in order for them to try again. Teachers also need to understand that English and Spanish grammar are different. That way, they can help students who are learning both languages.
Andrew- Here’s an example:
In English, there has to be a subject in every sentence. We say: “She is happy.”
In Spanish, the subject can be left out: “Está feliz” is okay.
Dianna- If a Spanish-speaking student forgets the subject in English, it’s not because they don’t care or they're too lazy to do it. It’s because in Spanish it’s a bit different. That’s why it’s important to be understanding and teach with patience.
Andrew- Students should feel like they’re learning something new that makes sense. They have to want to be interested in learning, teachers and also make learning grammar fun and interesting.