Getting It RightGetting It Right

Michael W. SmithMichael W. Smith

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Jeffrey D. WilhelmJeffrey D. Wilhelm

Getting It RightGetting It Right

Fresh Approaches to Teaching Fresh Approaches to Teaching Grammar, Usage, and CorrectnessGrammar, Usage, and Correctness

OrganizationOrganization

Chapter 1: About the bookChapter 1: About the book Chapter 2: Teaching grammarChapter 2: Teaching grammar Chapter 3: “Errors Matter, but Not Chapter 3: “Errors Matter, but Not

Equally and Not as Much as We Equally and Not as Much as We Think They Do”Think They Do” Peer editingPeer editing

OrganizationOrganization

Chapter 4: Some common errors, Chapter 4: Some common errors, and how we can correct themand how we can correct them

Chapter 5: “Will it Work in the Real Chapter 5: “Will it Work in the Real World?”World?” ““Embedding focused instruction in Embedding focused instruction in

grammar in contexts in which kids get grammar in contexts in which kids get kids get repeated practice writing kids get repeated practice writing meaningful texts would seem to better meaningful texts would seem to better serve everyone involved” (146).serve everyone involved” (146).

Teaching GrammarTeaching Grammar

Language is complex!Language is complex! And sometimes “paying attention And sometimes “paying attention

to grammatical forms and rules to grammatical forms and rules diverts attention from structuring diverts attention from structuring coherent prose” (12).coherent prose” (12).

For instance…For instance…

What is the rule for What is the rule for ordering adjectives of ordering adjectives of age, nationality, and age, nationality, and number in English?number in English?

Put the following words in Put the following words in correct order:correct order:

French the young girls fourFrench the young girls four

Put the following words in Put the following words in correct order:correct order:

French the young girls fourFrench the young girls four

The four young French girlsThe four young French girls

What to TeachWhat to Teach

The term is so commonly used that The term is so commonly used that teachers, texts, and tests presume teachers, texts, and tests presume that students know it.that students know it.

The term is essential to being able The term is essential to being able to explain an important issue of to explain an important issue of style or correctness.style or correctness.

Guiding PrincipleGuiding Principle

““Because we are interested in Because we are interested in engaging kids in activities that will engaging kids in activities that will improve their writing, their improve their writing, their writing is writing is our focusour focus. We don’t suggest having . We don’t suggest having them read sentences and then them read sentences and then underline the verbs. We don’t have underline the verbs. We don’t have them circle auxiliary verbs. We don’t them circle auxiliary verbs. We don’t do any kind of project that only do any kind of project that only involves making lists of individual involves making lists of individual verbs” (18).verbs” (18).

Teaching VerbsTeaching Verbs

PantomimesPantomimes BrainstormBrainstorm ThesaurusThesaurus Scenario ResponseScenario Response Video ExcerptsVideo Excerpts Dialogue and InflectionDialogue and Inflection

Teaching Active and Passive Teaching Active and Passive VoiceVoice

Using headline and sentence Using headline and sentence comparisoncomparison

Applying the passive to student Applying the passive to student writingwriting Debating school policiesDebating school policies Creating headlines for own writings, Creating headlines for own writings,

events in class readingsevents in class readings

CorrectnessCorrectness

Is there a standard?Is there a standard? The issue of dialectsThe issue of dialects

Six primary ways that nonstandard Six primary ways that nonstandard dialects of English tend to differ from dialects of English tend to differ from Standard EnglishStandard English

From Schuster (2000)From Schuster (2000)

1.1. Different Verb formsDifferent Verb forms1.1. Also, different forms of irregular verbsAlso, different forms of irregular verbs

2.2. Double negatives or comparativesDouble negatives or comparatives3.3. Difference in subject-verb agreementDifference in subject-verb agreement4.4. Different use of pronounsDifferent use of pronouns5.5. Using an adjective form in an Using an adjective form in an

adverbial contextadverbial context6.6. Miscellaneous words and phrases such Miscellaneous words and phrases such

as as ain’t, anyways, this hereain’t, anyways, this here

ErrorsErrors

Establish a hierarchyEstablish a hierarchy Errors that interfere with Errors that interfere with

communication and understandingcommunication and understanding Errors that undermine the authority of Errors that undermine the authority of

the writerthe writer Commonality of errorsCommonality of errors

ErrorsErrors

Attention to individual issuesAttention to individual issues Sheet on the inside of each student’s Sheet on the inside of each student’s

portfolio that indicates both class and portfolio that indicates both class and individual goals for that semesterindividual goals for that semester

Dual Grade SheetDual Grade Sheet

Peer EditingPeer Editing

Many different worksheet Many different worksheet examplesexamples Students give an overall grade (1-5) Students give an overall grade (1-5)

and explainand explain Students offer suggestions (and Students offer suggestions (and

reasons for those suggestions) which reasons for those suggestions) which the authors must accept, adapt or the authors must accept, adapt or reject, and give their reasonsreject, and give their reasons

Teaching Text StructuresTeaching Text Structures

ClassificationClassification Essential to all forms of inquiryEssential to all forms of inquiry ““Classification and pattern seeking Classification and pattern seeking

are essential to good reading (seeing are essential to good reading (seeing repeated patterns and the complex repeated patterns and the complex implied relationships among them” implied relationships among them” (115).(115).

Example:Example:

School ActivitiesSchool Activities1.1. CurricularCurricular

1.1. MathMath1.1. AlgebraAlgebra2.2. CalculusCalculus

2.2. EnglishEnglish1.1. American LitAmerican Lit

2.2. ExtracurricularExtracurricular1.1. SportsSports

1.1. basketballbasketball

2.2. ClubsClubs1.1. DramaDrama

Guiding Principle:Guiding Principle:

“ “What’s critical is not the precise form the What’s critical is not the precise form the lessons would take, but rather the insights lessons would take, but rather the insights that guide the construction of the lessons. that guide the construction of the lessons. First, any lesson should be designed to give First, any lesson should be designed to give students students tools for the writing they’re tools for the writing they’re currently working oncurrently working on, not simply to give , not simply to give them a term to learn. Second, them a term to learn. Second, students students should learn terms and how to use should learn terms and how to use them through extended practice in their them through extended practice in their own writingown writing, as opposed to only doing a , as opposed to only doing a work sheet or analyzing someone else’s work sheet or analyzing someone else’s writing in a textbook” (27).writing in a textbook” (27).

Getting It RightGetting It RightSmith & WilhelmSmith & Wilhelm

A LOT of lesson ideasA LOT of lesson ideas A LOT of handouts available for A LOT of handouts available for

these lessonsthese lessons $14.95 on Amazon$14.95 on Amazon