Is learning grammar important?

Grammar does not need to be taught because it is intuitive

Question: Is learning grammar important?
Position‹2 of 3›: Learning grammar is not important
Argument‹3 of 4›: Grammar does not need to be taught because it is intuitive

We already learn proper grammar simply through language acquisition. By practicing reading, writing, and speaking, we learn better how to hone our skills to become more effective at communication. Studying grammar only impedes student progress.

The argument

From the time we are infants, we are constantly learning language and meaning. Language acquisition is intuitive in that we learn it by listening to it and speaking it. Only by immersing ourselves in our language do we begin to get a grasp of proper sentence structure. This learning process is natural and cannot be taught in overly-structured classes; in fact, this can even impede and confuse the language-learning process. We learn meaning through context. One can be given a list of words to memorize, but out of context these are hard to retain. Only through encountering the words "in the wild" and using it in its proper context can the words be internalized. This, again, is an intuitive process and cannot be taught, nor does it need to be taught because it is as instinctual to humans as breathing. Proper sentence structure is also learned through intuition. By listening and speaking, we pick up on speech patterns and start to learn what sounds correct and what sounds incorrect. There may, of course, be small dialectical differences between the ways that two people speak, but this does not mean that one person's way of speaking is more legitimate than another's. As long as we understand one another, there is no correct or incorrect answer, and generally we do understand one another without grammar instruction.

Premises

[P1]Language is acquired intuitively from infancy through listening and speaking, not through formal instruction. [P2] Words and sentence structures are internalised by encountering them in context, a natural process that structured grammar classes can even impede. [P3] People generally understand one another without ever being taught grammar. [C] Therefore, because grammar is intuitive and need not be taught, learning grammar is not important.

Counter-arguments

A significant part of language may be learned intuitively, but only through the study of grammar can we learn to master the art of articulation. Anyone who wants to communicate as effectively and influentially as possible will benefit the most from studying sentence structure and how to formulate concise but powerful statements. Simply knowing what "sounds right" versus what "sounds wrong" is not enough. One needs to understand why something sounds right or wrong in order to internalize the standards in speech patterns and use them effectively. Miscommunication happens all of the time, and this is mostly due to poor speech patterns being exercised. This can be minimized, if not eliminated, by explicitly understanding the rules of grammar.

Rejecting the premises

[Rejecting P1] Grammar needs to be taught in order to master the art of communication. [Rejecting P2] Simply knowing what "sounds right" or "sounds wrong" is not enough if one doesn't understand why something sounds right or wrong. [Rejecting P3] Miscommunication happens often. We can learn to avoid it by learning proper grammar.

Proponents cited

Andrew Weiler
“If you speak to language learners who have got to the highest levels, most would agree that learning to trust yourself and your own instincts is a key in the process of learning. Relying mainly on teachers, books, course materials in language learning is a recipe for slow progress, destined to get you stuck at some point. This reliance can deaden your ability to trust yourself, to look to yourself for meaning, to guidance as to what to do next. The sooner a language learner recognises that we have such abilities that need to be exercised and developed, the more chance there is of achieving success.”
Anonymous
“Most native speakers do not know grammar rules. Ask an American, “what is the past perfect tense” and most will not know. But, of course, they use the past perfect tense correctly every day. In fact, they use English grammar effortlessly. They don’t think about it. Rather, native speakers have a “feeling for correctness”. They know what “sounds right” and they know what “sounds wrong”.”