Pole tekstowe: 1.   APPROACHES TO TEACHING GRAMMAR-  A 
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW

	
“The learning and teaching of someone else’s mother tongue are endeavors that have been carried out in some recognizable form probably for as long as humans have been able to take note of, and record such activity” (Rutherford 1989 “Second Language Grammar: Learning and Teaching).
	
“Teaching Grammar has been central to and often synonymous with teaching foreign language for the past 2500 years” (Rutherford quoted in Celce- Murcia 1988:1).


The teaching of grammar is probably one of the oldest, and yet the most contentious issues in the realm of language teaching. Linguistic scientists held, and still hold, opposing views while trying to establish when and how to teach grammar, or, for that matter, whether to teach it at all. In order to be as reliable and pertinent as possible, it is essential that the area under discussion is investigated and analysed from many different angles. At the outset, word should be given to the historical conditioning and background. 
In the 19th century teaching grammar in a foreign language was largely associated with, and based on The Grammar- Translation Method. 
Textbooks- the fundamental pedagogical tool- contained explicit grammar rules, and tasks consisting mainly of sample sentences to translate. Emphasis was put not so much on the development of communicative skills, as on the reinforcement of the ability to read and write. Also, drills and practice were often done regardless of contextual setting, the use of visual aids was heavily restrained, and there was a pervading sense of suspicion and mistrust towards the science of linguistics in general. (McArthur, T. 1990:104-105)

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