A socio-cognitive archeology of the debate on grammar and the language curriculum. From mass education to artificial intelligence

This volume originates from my Ph.D. dissertation in English Rhetoric, Composition, and Applied Linguistics at Texas A&M University-Commerce. Although completed in 2012, the debate surrounding grammar in the language curriculum remains active, now further complicated by the advent of AI-driven generative tools. For at least five decades, much of the disagreement over grammar instruction has stemmed from conflicting definitions of key terms. This volume revisits three critical concepts that, once redefined, can reshape how explicit grammar training can be integrated into English language teaching: (a) the scope of grammar and linguistics, (b) literacy, and (c) the objectives of the language curriculum. Re-examining these terms creates a new cognitive framework for discussion. Here, grammar and linguistics are presented as pedagogical tools for both students and teachers, enabling linguistic observation, analysis, and adaptation. This approach views grammar as a functional bridge connecting cognition, linguistic forms, and socio-cultural context. Literacy is expanded to encompass the ability to interpret reality through multiple semiotic codes, while the curriculum's aim is to develop metalinguistic awareness. This equips learners to consciously navigate linguistic variation across familiar and new communicative contexts. To support this theoretical framework, a self-study employing narrative inquiry is presented. This method explores the evolving relationship between the researcher (myself), the literature, and classroom experiences, drawing on hermeneutical analysis. The study reflects on the researcher’s shifting perspectives on grammar, as well as observations of student responses to classroom materials.