Grammar and Composition in a Charlotte Mason Education

"What a revolution should we have in our methods of education if we could once conceive that dry-as-dust subjects like grammar and arithmetic should come to children, living with the life of the Holy Spirit, who, we are told, 'shall teach you all things.'"^1^

This is the third in a series of posts that explains how Charlotte Mason's methodology for teaching language arts.

What About Grammar?

Grammar is the whole system and structure of a language. Whatever our own personal experience or feelings towards grammar, one thing is certain—it is an unavoidable part of language arts.

Interestingly, students of Charlotte Mason's PNEU schools didn't start studying grammar formally until Form II (which includes grades 4-6). Additionally, AmblesideOnline recommends waiting until as late as the junior years.

Why Wait?

One possible reason is that grammar is abstract and difficult for young children to grasp. A student really only needs to know a few basic rules early on, such as beginning sentences with capital letters and ending with periods.

After that, briefly introducing the eight parts of speech and four types of sentences is sufficient. Many of these concepts can be taught naturally through exposure to rich literature.

Charlotte Mason writes:

"...grammar, being a study of words and not of things, is by no means attractive to the child, nor should he be hurried into it."^2^

Holding off on formal grammar until children can think abstractly makes the learning far less arduous.

Grammar Doesn't Produce Good Writers

Mason also cautioned against assuming grammar instruction produces good writers. She argued that beautiful and eloquent speech arises naturally from narration and exposure to living books, not from early grammar drills.

What About Composition?

Teaching writing can feel daunting, but Charlotte Mason's method is simple and effective. Narration is the foundation of composition.

Mason wrote:

"For children under nine, the question of composition resolves itself into that of narration..."^4^

Mason believed that children who narrate regularly will naturally learn to write good English without being burdened by excessive instruction.

Narration Before Grammar

Students do not need to master grammar rules before becoming good writers. Writing skill develops from:

• Reading good books
• Narrating ideas orally and in writing

Only after students become fluent in written narration should instruction in form and structure be introduced.

A Recommended Resource

Before purchasing a writing curriculum, consider reading Know and Tell: The Art of Narration by Karen Glass, an excellent resource explaining narration from early years through high school.

Sources

1. Charlotte Mason, School Education, p. 118
2. Charlotte Mason, Home Education, p. 296
3. Charlotte Mason, A Philosophy of Education, p. 270
4. Charlotte Mason, Home Education, p. 247