ABSTRACT
Grammar instruction is a significant part of the language arts curriculum at all levels of public education. Because performance expectations are high, prospective teachers face several challenges before they enter the classroom. They must know English grammar exceptionally well. Meeting this basic requirement is hindered by the fact that nearly all language arts teachers receive a degree in English, which inevitably focuses on literature, not grammar. Most future teachers take one college-level grammar course before obtaining their credentials, but these courses have been criticized as being mere introductions to a complex subject that do not adequately prepare teachers for the task ahead. In some instances, the content may not be current. In others, the course may focus on what is called traditional grammar (the subject of chapter 3) rather than modern grammars, in which case the syllabus will slight or even ignore developments that have occurred since the early 1900s.2
