As the readings from this week imply, such direct grammar instruction really benefited me little. While it probably made me cognizant of the parts of a sentence, I don't think I improved as a reader and writer much during that year because the instruction was not delivered in a meaningful, literary rich context.
This semester, I'm taking a class called Teaching Second Language Learners, composed of both English and foreign language education majors. We discussed the teaching of grammar fairly extensively and all of us seemed to agree that we feel some sense of obligation to teach grammar, especially if there are English language learners in the classroom. However, the suggestion from that class seems to align itself well with the readings from this week. Instead of teaching grammar in isolation, teachers should expose students to grammar in a literary rich environment that helps build metacognitive awareness about language. Furthermore, while students (and especially ELLs) need to know the "rules," giving students opportunities to play with the structures of language and build on intuitive knowledge seems key to a meaningful and productive interaction with grammar.
While I still feel a bit nervous trying to design creative and interactive activities that focus on grammar, and while I know that grammar will never be the sole focus of my future classroom, the readings from this week and from my other class ease my mind a bit. However, as long as I deviate from any activity that remotely resembles the "Sentence Writing Strategy," I think I will do well as an English educator.
Since I have been taking the same class as you, I have found the exact same thing: grammar can't be scary for our students. Concepts like grammar can be accessible and enjoyable if we don't force it through in worksheets. Learning in a natural form is more enjoyable for students and it is more enjoyable for us to teach.
ReplyDeleteI share some of the same fears that you do. Sometimes, I'm not even sure where to place an apostrophe, and if I can't figure it out, how am I supposed to teach kids how to do it? I am also in a Language and Learning class, and we, too, have learned that learning in the natural form of reading and writing is much better than Hooked on Phonix worksheets. I think that if we admit to our students that we sometimes still get confused about grammar, they will be more confident in their own skills.
ReplyDeleteI never remember diagramming sentences or doing any "sentence writing strategy" type things, but I like to think I have a functional set of grammar skills, just from reading and writing. I have fears that students will have questions I won't be able to answer about grammar, but that may show them that it isn't the end of the world and it's comforting to know you can always look it up when you need to.
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