Grammar and Communication for Children (Softcover)

• Communicates why grammar and word order are important to be understood.
• Communicates basic grammar concepts with easy to understand illustrations.
• Removes complexity from the subject.
• Teaches how grammar can be used to communicate. Instead of teaching a bunch of rules that one must learn to pass a test.

The fundamentals of speech, writing and grammar have typically been complicated into a confusing and constricting set of rules that few children comprehend. This subject is now unraveled and easily understood. This book enables children to learn grammar, not as an arduous set of classroom rules but as something for use in conveying their thoughts through language.

Also applicable to English As a Second Language programs.

1. Grammar (What is Grammar)
2. Communication
3. How Spoken and Written Communication Began
4. Parts of Speech
5. Expressing Yourself with Words
6. Punctuation
7. Written and Spoken Communication

From the book:

Important information for Parents and Teachers Grammar as taught in schools can be rough for children to learn.

Earlier grammar texts have defined grammar as a "study" of rules instead of defining it in terms of use. This gives an entirely wrong frame of reference for grammar and can make it seem pointless as a subject. What child would want to learn a bunch of rules? Without learning the value and purpose of grammar, it can appear to be just another thing that the teachers or schools are forcing the child to learn (when he would rather be doing something he wants to do).

A number of grammar books currently in use in schools were looked at and this is whqat was found: one defined grammar as "primarily the study of the forms of words and their relationship to each other" and three other grammar texts entirely omitted a definition for the word. It's very hard to learn a subject when the name of the subject itself is either not defined or is incorrectly defined!

So the word grammar has to be defined as something one uses in everyday speech and reading and writing, not something which was the monopoly of the grammarians. The whole point about grammar is that it exist to facilitate and enhance meaningful communication between and amongst people. It really has no other useful purpose.

This book start off giving the reader the use and value of grammar.