Grammar and Usage

Why teach children grammar and usage? The primary reason is supposedly to improve their writing. There is an extensive body of research, spanning many years, that focuses on grammar and usage (Hillocks & Smith, 1991). The overall conclusion from all of this research is that the study of grammar has no impact on writing quality (Hillocks & Smith, 1991). What children and young adults need to know about grammar and usage they learn best through writing (Hillocks, 1984, 1987). If students have difficulty with a particular element of grammar or usage in their writing, the teacher can teach a brief mini-lesson focusing on this element, using the student's writing or a piece of literature to model the element (Cooper, 1993).

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