ABSTRACT
English had as shaky a start into the national curriculum as mathematics with the working group running into the same polarisation of views about traditional lessons. Formal grammar teaching had largely disappeared as part of the philosophy that had been seen in mathematics: children could only learn through enjoyment and should not be inhibited by the use of such words as noun, pronoun and verb. Children would also be encouraged to memorise the spelling of words and to compile a list of words they had used, but it was still largely up to teachers as to how they approached the use of grammar and the teaching of standard English which had to be used in written work. One-third accepted the proposals that grammar should be taught by being introduced systematically in discussion when needed while another third were in favour of more formal grammar teaching.
