Teaching Grammar In Teaching Grammar In ContextContext

Jan JoinesJan JoinesLiteracy CoachLiteracy Coach

Forts Pond Elementary SchoolForts Pond Elementary Schooljjoines@lexington1.netjjoines@lexington1.net

Questions to Think AboutQuestions to Think About

• Do you feel unprepared to teach Do you feel unprepared to teach grammar?grammar?

• Do you believe you need a grammar Do you believe you need a grammar book in order to help you teach book in order to help you teach grammar?grammar?

• Do you think Daily Oral Language is Do you think Daily Oral Language is an effective technique to teach an effective technique to teach grammar?grammar?

ResearchResearch

“ “According to According to In a Reading State of MindIn a Reading State of Mind, , researchers recently have identified a new researchers recently have identified a new type of neuron, the type of neuron, the mirror neuron.mirror neuron. These These cells are activated ‘when we do cells are activated ‘when we do something. They seem to mirror the something. They seem to mirror the behaviors regardless of whether or not behaviors regardless of whether or not we’re the one moving!’ The conclusion we’re the one moving!’ The conclusion the authors reach: ‘Our brain is hardwired the authors reach: ‘Our brain is hardwired to mimic and imitate.’”to mimic and imitate.’”

Reading TodayReading Today October/November 2008 October/November 2008

Jeff Anderson says…Jeff Anderson says…

“ “So if you’re still jones-ing for daily So if you’re still jones-ing for daily transparencies with errors to edit (DOL), transparencies with errors to edit (DOL), consider that there may be another way to consider that there may be another way to teach editing: a process that starts with teach editing: a process that starts with powerful sentences, sentences that teach, powerful sentences, sentences that teach, sentences that marinate our students in sentences that marinate our students in positive models of what writing can be, not positive models of what writing can be, not what it shouldn’t be.”what it shouldn’t be.”

Everyday Editing: Inviting Students to Develop Skill and Craft Everyday Editing: Inviting Students to Develop Skill and Craft in Writer’s Workshop – Jeff Anderson (2007)in Writer’s Workshop – Jeff Anderson (2007)

Do you think you need a Do you think you need a grammar book?grammar book?

THINK AGAIN !THINK AGAIN ! “ “One essential and telling difference One essential and telling difference

between learning from a style manual and between learning from a style manual and learning from literature is that any how-to learning from literature is that any how-to book will, almost by definition, tell you book will, almost by definition, tell you how not to write…a pedagogy that how not to write…a pedagogy that involves warnings about what might be involves warnings about what might be broken and directions on how to fix it—as broken and directions on how to fix it—as opposed to learning from literature, which opposed to learning from literature, which teaches by positive model.”teaches by positive model.”

Reading Like a Writer – Francine Prose, (2006)Reading Like a Writer – Francine Prose, (2006)

Grammar Books vs. Grammar Grammar Books vs. Grammar in Contextin Context

“ “A recent study (Fearn and Farnan A recent study (Fearn and Farnan 2005) found that teaching students 2005) found that teaching students to focus on function and practical to focus on function and practical application of grammar within the application of grammar within the context of writing (versus teaching context of writing (versus teaching grammar as an independent activity) grammar as an independent activity) produced strong and positive effects produced strong and positive effects on students’ writing.on students’ writing.

Grammar Book vs. Grammar in Grammar Book vs. Grammar in ContextContext

Overall, the findings on grammar Overall, the findings on grammar instruction suggest that, although instruction suggest that, although teaching grammar is important, teaching grammar is important, alternative procedures…are more alternative procedures…are more effective than traditional approaches effective than traditional approaches for improving the quality of students’ for improving the quality of students’ writing.”writing.”

Writing Next – Graham and Perin (2007)Writing Next – Graham and Perin (2007)

Tips to RememberTips to Remember

• The idea is to begin with the end in The idea is to begin with the end in mind. (Covey 2004)mind. (Covey 2004)

• Knowing what successful writing Knowing what successful writing looks like (Spandel 2004) helps looks like (Spandel 2004) helps students produce more effective students produce more effective sentences.sentences.

Everyday Editing: Inviting Students to Develop Skill and Craft Everyday Editing: Inviting Students to Develop Skill and Craft in Writer’s Wrokshops – Jeff Anderson (2007)in Writer’s Wrokshops – Jeff Anderson (2007)

Jeff Anderson learned…Jeff Anderson learned…

“ “When students encountered more When students encountered more and more beautiful text, this joy, this and more beautiful text, this joy, this beauty ended up in their writing. beauty ended up in their writing. And I knew. My students were writing And I knew. My students were writing under the influence—of literature, of under the influence—of literature, of powerful, effective beautiful writing.”powerful, effective beautiful writing.”

Everyday Editing: Inviting Students to Develop Skill and Everyday Editing: Inviting Students to Develop Skill and Craft in Writer’s Workshop – Jeff Anderson (2007)Craft in Writer’s Workshop – Jeff Anderson (2007)

How does an author learn How does an author learn grammar?grammar?

“ “I wish I could say that I learned to edit I wish I could say that I learned to edit from the many well-executed lessons I from the many well-executed lessons I received in grammar and high school…I received in grammar and high school…I didn’t really think about editing and what didn’t really think about editing and what it meant until I became a writer. Now it meant until I became a writer. Now I’m constantly reading published books I’m constantly reading published books with a critical eye…For me, all learning with a critical eye…For me, all learning revolves around authentic use.”revolves around authentic use.”

--Lola Schaefer, author of more than two hundred children’s --Lola Schaefer, author of more than two hundred children’s booksbooks

Practical Steps to Teach Practical Steps to Teach Grammar in ContextGrammar in Context

• Before beginning a lesson, ask Before beginning a lesson, ask yourself what prior knowledge do my yourself what prior knowledge do my students need to have?students need to have?

EXAMPLE: If you are teaching EXAMPLE: If you are teaching subject-verb agreement, your subject-verb agreement, your students must know what a subject students must know what a subject and verb are before beginning the and verb are before beginning the lesson.lesson.

Morning MessageMorning Message

• Compose a morning message that Compose a morning message that contains many examples of what you contains many examples of what you want the students to learn.want the students to learn.

EXAMPLE: Pronoun-referent EXAMPLE: Pronoun-referent

Several of your sentences would Several of your sentences would include nouns that would be written include nouns that would be written as a pronoun later in the sentence.as a pronoun later in the sentence.

Morning MessageMorning Message

Ask your students:Ask your students:

• What do you notice?What do you notice?

• What else?What else?

• How does it sound when we read it?How does it sound when we read it?

• What would change if we removed What would change if we removed this or that?this or that?

• Which do you prefer? Why?Which do you prefer? Why?

Rule ChartRule Chart

• Write on a chart what your students Write on a chart what your students learned together about the learned together about the sentences.sentences.

• Place the chart up in the room for Place the chart up in the room for student reference.student reference.

LiteratureLiterature

• Look for examples of the type of grammar Look for examples of the type of grammar you are teaching in a picture book or you are teaching in a picture book or chapter book that would interest your chapter book that would interest your students.students.

• Write the sentences that demonstrate Write the sentences that demonstrate what you want to teach in a SMART board what you want to teach in a SMART board lesson or on a chart. lesson or on a chart.

• Ask the students what they notice about Ask the students what they notice about the sentences. the sentences.

• Discuss the grammar in the sentences.Discuss the grammar in the sentences.

Independent PracticeIndependent Practice

• Ask the students to look for the grammar Ask the students to look for the grammar you are teaching in their guided and you are teaching in their guided and independent reading.independent reading.

• The students may fill out the following The students may fill out the following form.form.

I found the sentence: ____________________I found the sentence: ____________________

I found this in _______________(book title)I found this in _______________(book title)

on page ____________.on page ____________.

Avoid ConfusionsAvoid Confusions

• Provide examples of sentences that may Provide examples of sentences that may cause a confusion for the students.cause a confusion for the students.

EXAMPLE: subject-verb agreementEXAMPLE: subject-verb agreement A herd of elephants was bathing in the A herd of elephants was bathing in the

water. water. (Most students think elephants is the (Most students think elephants is the

subject and would be plural. However, subject and would be plural. However, herd is the subject, and it is singular.)herd is the subject, and it is singular.)

Writing PracticeWriting Practice

• Ask your students to use the Ask your students to use the grammar they learned in their grammar they learned in their writing.writing.

• Author’s Chair – After writing, Author’s Chair – After writing, students share the sentences they students share the sentences they wrote.wrote.

PASS-like QuestionsPASS-like Questions

• After the students have seen many After the students have seen many sentences written grammatically sentences written grammatically correct, you may assess the students correct, you may assess the students using PASS-like questions.using PASS-like questions.

EXAMPLE: How would you edit this EXAMPLE: How would you edit this sentence correctly?sentence correctly?

In ConclusionIn Conclusion

“ “Invite students to notice, to read like writers, Invite students to notice, to read like writers, to come into the world of editing—a friendly to come into the world of editing—a friendly place rather than a punishing place, a place rather than a punishing place, a creational facility rather than a correctional creational facility rather than a correctional one. When we develop a place where one. When we develop a place where concepts can be developed and patterns can concepts can be developed and patterns can be learned, kids feel safe, take risks, and feel be learned, kids feel safe, take risks, and feel welcome in every stage of the writing welcome in every stage of the writing process.”process.”

Everyday Editing: Inviting Students to Develop Skill and Craft in Everyday Editing: Inviting Students to Develop Skill and Craft in Writer’s Workshop – Jeff Anderson (2007)Writer’s Workshop – Jeff Anderson (2007)

BibliographyBibliography

• Anderson, Jeff. 2007. Anderson, Jeff. 2007. Everyday Editing: Inviting Everyday Editing: Inviting Students to Develop Skill and Craft in Writer’s Students to Develop Skill and Craft in Writer’s Workshop. Workshop. Maine: Stenhouse Publishers. Maine: Stenhouse Publishers.

• Anderson, Jeff. 2005. Anderson, Jeff. 2005. Mechanically Inclined: Building Mechanically Inclined: Building Grammar, Usuage, and Style into Writer’s Workshop. Grammar, Usuage, and Style into Writer’s Workshop. Maine: Stenhouse Publishers.Maine: Stenhouse Publishers.

• Hoyt, L. & Therriault, T. 2008. Hoyt, L. & Therriault, T. 2008. Mastering the Mastering the Mechanics: Ready-to-Use Lessons for Modeled, Mechanics: Ready-to-Use Lessons for Modeled, Guided, and Independent Editing. Guided, and Independent Editing. New York: New York: ScholasticScholastic