ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses reasons for learning about language. It examines problems associated with teaching and learning about language. The chapter presents classroom activities to develop children's knowledge about language. It describes the role of punctuation and how to teach it. The chapter provides classroom activities to develop children's ability to punctuate accurately. It looks at issues related both to our own development of subject knowledge about language and at ways in which children's knowledge about language can be improved through enjoyable and meaningful activities. The chapter also looks at the importance of developing knowledge about language, for both pupils and teachers. The National Curriculum for English should help children to become more aware of their own language and how it works, but this will depend upon teachers having the subject knowledge to teach about it effectively. Some teachers will feel uncomfortable about their own knowledge of punctuation, while others will have strong views on the ways.
