After going over the Williams reading, I was delighted to find a topic by Williams that I actually agreed with. The difference between grammar and usage is something that brings up a lot of issues, both inside and outside of the classroom. The essential questions I enjoyed Williams addressing were "What role does grammar really play in in writing performance? How does one teach grammar effectively? and Who establishes these grammar/usage standards?" I think these are all important questions that Williams does a terrific job analyzing, although I did get a grammar hangover from all of his examples. Nevertheless, I was unaware of the fact that grammar lessons in the classroom do not improve student's writing or speaking. As an English teacher I am constantly nervous about making grammar and usage mistakes in the classroom and among peers. Often, when I do make a mistake I hear comments from my friends suggesting "Oh come on Mr. Teacher, don't you know that rule?" or something of that nature. It's also likely that a student will correct my grammar and usage at some point in my career. One thing that keeps me from making these mistakes is to know when I don't know, look up the particular grammar or usage topic, or escape the "affect/effect" use (for example) and use another word or sentence completly. Thank God for a stellar vocabulary! Also, see my link as it will direct you to "The Grammar Lady." She is Mrs. Action (not that kind of action) and has been teaching grammar and usage for 29 years. She has a great websit of grammar and usage info, FAQ's, and has a place to ask her any grammar questions free of charge. Cheers!
http://aacton.gladbrook.iowapages.org/id3.html
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2 comments:
I think we all run into the "ooh, the teacher made a mistake" situation every now and then. I think it's good, though, for students to see us make mistakes or to see us struggle with finding an answer. This way, not only are we helping them find the answer, but we're also modeling good learner behavior!
In response to your post and Tess' comment, I once had a former teacher tell me that you do not have to everything as a teacher. Like Tess says, letting your kids see that you are human is not such a bad deal. Also, although Williams raises some important issues, how much of these are essential for our students to know. I feel like what he talks about could take years to explain in the classroom, and students might not still get it. Therefore, I say, lead by example, make mistakes, correct yourself, and model good practices that students can learn from.
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