Pedagogical grammar teaches grammar to non-native language learners to improve fluency and accuracy. It combines prescriptive and descriptive approaches and includes explicit instruction in areas that may be intuitive to native speakers. Pedagogical grammar books provide practical examples and exercises for learners.
Pedagogical grammar refers to the grammatical content taught to a student learning a language other than their first language or to the methods used to teach that content. The goal of this type of grammar is mainly to increase fluency and accuracy of speech, rather than imparting theoretical knowledge. Someone studying in a field of applied linguistics such as Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) is likely to need to take a course in pedagogical grammar.
Pedagogical grammar courses often teach students grammar concepts that are intuitive to a native speaker, but can be difficult for a non-native speaker. A native English speaker needs little instruction to reverse the words in a sentence to form a question; i.e., “Do you know me” becomes “Do you know me?” Someone who is learning English as a second or foreign language, however, may need some explanation on how to do this inversion. This is especially true if your first language forms questions in a completely different way. While explicit instruction in this area of grammar would be boring and unnecessary for first-language speakers, it could be important in pedagogical grammar.
Pedagogical grammar occupies a middle ground between the areas of prescriptive and descriptive grammar. Simply put, prescriptive grammar sets rules about how language should be used correctly. He prescribes language the way a doctor prescribes medicine by saying what should be done. Descriptive grammar, on the other hand, describes how speakers actually use language without regard to whether it conforms to “correct” rules.
Since the goal of pedagogical grammar is to help non-native speakers achieve fluency, some of both approaches are needed. In order for a language learner to speak well, most of his utterances will have to conform to the grammatical rules set forth in prescriptive grammar. On the other hand, it helps to understand how native speakers actually use the language, through descriptive grammar. This is necessary for the student to make sense of slang or other non-standard ways of speaking, such as ending sentences with prepositions.
A pedagogical grammar book is intended to help a language learner gain an understanding of grammar. It can be arranged so that the student works with it like a math textbook, with practical examples and exercises. This contrasts with grammar reference books, which contain detailed prescriptions of a particular language designed for someone who has a good working understanding of linguistic principles, rather than someone trying to learn a new language.
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