“Not Just for the Boomers”: The Importance of Grammatical Understandings in 21st Century P–20 Classrooms

Abstract

The word “grammar” often conjures negative feelings for both students and teachers; for students, learning rules of language can be simultaneously daunting and boring, and teachers can often view this as a battle that they would prefer not to fight. In an age of texting, social media, and generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), the use of proper punctuation, capitalization, and other writing mechanics has become less regulated, yet due to newly implemented ELA standards within the state of Georgia, as well as new legislation efforts designed to improve literacy for all students, there is now a deeper emphasis on grammar as a focal point of instruction. This article provides a literature review of the importance of teaching and learning grammatical concepts in all grade levels in P–12, as well as in educator preparation programs (EPPs), preparing the next generation of teachers, and provides context of how educators can provide information that best supports P–20 students’ communicative skills.