This is a (long) exact quote from the book Engaging Grammar by Amy Benjamin, which has given me some great teaching ideas (that will be discussed in a later post) and also makes a pretty strong statement about what I've been doing in my classes regarding grammar instruction. This is from pages 80 and 81:
Usage is about context (audience and purpose). Effective language is language that is well suited to the context. The traditional way to "teach" usage (and it's usually ineffective) is this: The teacher gives a rule of Standard English, such as Subjects and verbs must agree with each other in number. The teacher then explains what this concept means, giving examples. Students then are given an exercise in which two verbs, one agreeing with the subject and one not agreeing, are enclosed in parentheses. Students need to identify the preferred verb. This done, the teacher "goes over" the exercise, and this experience is replicated under testing circumstances. Students get the grades they get, and the class moves on to pronoun-antecedent agreement matters.
What is accomplished? Not much. In the fluency of writing and speaking, students will not remember and apply the rule. There will be a maddening discrepancy between performance on the exercise or test and that which we see in the natural use of language.
I'm loving this book.
No comments:
Post a Comment