In a world of conversations carried out through short text messages and 140 character Twitter updates, new abbreviations seem to be creeping into the English language as many grammar conventions are going out the window. Smiley faces are being used as a new punctuation mark. Although students are writing more than ever, this writing might not be good grammar practice and it is often teaching them habits that are hard to break. It’s up to K-12 teachers in all subjects to encourage good grammar to prepare students for college and their future careers.
Grammar is a subject that lends itself well to interdisciplinary study. Just as good grammar is crucial for success in many areas of life, it should play an important role in every subject in school. In addition to using proper grammar ourselves, we can use activities like the following ones to buff up our students’ grammar skills while we are teaching in other areas.
Although math and grammar don’t seem to go hand in hand, there are ways to incorporate grammar into a math classroom without sacrificing the time students spend learning math. In lessons like Monstrous Math, students get to use their artistic skills and practice writing while gaining a better understanding of fractions. We featured How Big is Hagrid? in our columns on Harry Potter resources. It’s also a great example of combining writing and math. Check it out to see if you agree!
It can be very helpful for students to explain new math procedures to one another as they are learning. You can make this even more fun by having your students create stories, comics, posters, or pamphlets that explain math techniques in a fun way (using proper grammar, of course)! Allowing students the choice of how they will present the information lets them pick something they will enjoy. If you grade with a rubric, be sure to include a section for grammar. This type of activity is particularly useful in math since students can keep their finished products to review the material later.
Science classes often require writing, but science teachers may be leery of grading grammar since it’s not their area of expertise. Much to my students’ chagrin, I like to dedicate one section of the rubric (and a portion of the grade) to grammar. I don’t go through and turn the reports into a sea of red, I just give students feedback if their grammar needs improvement. You can also make the lab reports more fun to write (and read) by assigning them in non-traditional formats. Students can present their findings as stories, persuasive letters, or mysteries to start. If you get creative and have fun with the assignments, the students will, too.
Don’t forget that when a subject is fun and you are excited about it, your enthusiasm will rub off on your students. If you are rocking out to the Schoolhouse Rock songs Unpack Your Adjectives, Conjunction Junction, or any of the others you might remember from your childhood commercial breaks, your students will probably laugh at you, but they might secretly enjoy it! Speaking of teaching with music, look at this blog post by Nik Peachey. He shares some neat tools to help teachers use song lyrics to teach particular grammar conventions. See if you can catch a grammar error in his post…it happens to the best of us!
As I read through this column on my computer, I’m checking nervously for the telltale green squiggly lines that will call me out as a grammar novice. Phew! It looks like I’m safe this time. LOL! Thanx 4 reading. Catch u nxt wk.
~Peggy's Corner - 5/27/2011~
Showing posts with label Grammar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Grammar. Show all posts
Sunday, May 29, 2011
The Abuse of Apostrophe’s and Other Sad Grammar Tales
English grammar can be tricky stuff. Students (and many adults) labor over the correct usage of “lie” and “lay,” as well as when to use “who” instead of “whom.” Many of us also have our personal grammar pet peeves – mine happens to be the rampant misuse of apostrophes, as in “The Walton’s welcome you to our home!” or this one from a recent political mailing: “Every state has it’s unique resources.” I hate to admit it, but grammatical errors such as these set my teeth on edge. President George W. Bush, who was frequently flummoxed by the English language, regularly absorbed the slings and arrows of outraged grammarians worldwide for his linguistic gaffes. Yet, in this age of texting, does proper grammar still really matter? We all pretty much know what people mean, despite bad grammar, right? Does anyone still really care?
I’m going to argue “yes,” and I’m not alone. People who write and speak well are automatically treated with more courtesy and respect than people who demonstrate poor communication skills. Numerous studies show that the use of poor grammar in spoken and written statements reflects negatively on the speaker/author, and that people who use bad grammar are instantly perceived as less intelligent, less educated, less reliable, and less trustworthy than people who use proper grammar. Studying grammar can be deadly boring (I feel your students’ pain!), but it’s an essential skill to master. The use of proper grammar becomes more important over time, and bad grammar is tolerated less as the perpetrators age. According to ACT, professors rank grammar as the most important skill to attain for students entering college, while high school teachers feel grammar is the least important skill. The disconnect between these two differing views can have some very real consequences. Most college professors have a zero tolerance policy for bad grammar in their classes, and students are expected to articulate themselves properly in both their writing and speech. There are also countless stories of businesses who have lost lucrative accounts because of grammatical errors in their promotional materials or presentations; even a single error may cause clients to question the company’s attention to detail, their ability to perform, the quality of the product or service itself, and the company’s overall level of prestige in the marketplace. In short, the use of bad grammar puts the offender’s very reputation at stake.
The knowledge of proper grammar cuts across the curriculum, as it improves skills needed in all subject areas. The use of good grammar sharpens writing skills and helps students to craft clear, powerful prose. It also allows for better speaking skills; as the habit of clear communication becomes internalized, students become more attuned to what proper speech sounds like. Grammar is also an exercise in logical thinking, as students discern different parts of speech, their relationships, and how to refine them further. The enforcement of proper grammar in all subject areas, then, is important in order for students to learn and internalize the rules more quickly, and thus, more naturally.
My picks this week feature a variety of resources that are enormously helpful in helping students to learn proper grammar. I will also be featuring many more grammar lessons, resources, and examples of grammatical errors on our Facebook and Twitter pages throughout the week, so please be sure to check those pages regularly.
Writing Correct Website Content: A Guide to Grammar, Punctuation and Vocabulary
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-05-09.7989420395
Subjects: Grammar
Grade: 3-12
English grammar can be very confusing, even to native speakers. Although this site is aimed at people writing for Web sites, this handy collection covers many aspects of English grammar that can cause confusion to students and adults alike. This index of resources was provided by eBizWebpages, a site that offers software and services to build Web sites. Hats off to Ben in Mrs. Hughes’ class at Monument Charter School for recommending this resource.
Creative Videos for Basic Grammar Concepts
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-05-16.4530338940
Subjects: Grammar
Grade: K-2
In this lesson, students make videos to help enhance understanding of action verbs, pronouns, nouns, proper nouns, and adjectives. This resource is a product of Digital Wish, a non-profit that seeks to modernize K-12 classrooms and prepare students for tomorrow's workforce. On the Digital Wish web site, teachers can create wish lists of technology products for their classroom. Donors then connect with their favorite schools and grant classroom wishes through online cash or product donations.
Bad Grammar
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-05-16.1077838300
Subjects: Grammar
Grade: 8-12
This lesson uses a video parody of rapper Timbaland’s “The Way I Are”, and examines the bad grammar and slang used in pop music. Students will learn common terms like, “ain’t”, “got no”, and “we be”. They then discuss why pop songs often have bad grammar and spelling and also whether these terms are really all that bad. Be aware that the video does show a woman in lingerie; if you prefer, you can just use the printed lyric sheet instead of the video (included in resource). This lesson is offered by English Advantage, which offers lesson plans and activities for teachers of English as a second or other language.
~Joann's Picks - 5/27/2011~
I’m going to argue “yes,” and I’m not alone. People who write and speak well are automatically treated with more courtesy and respect than people who demonstrate poor communication skills. Numerous studies show that the use of poor grammar in spoken and written statements reflects negatively on the speaker/author, and that people who use bad grammar are instantly perceived as less intelligent, less educated, less reliable, and less trustworthy than people who use proper grammar. Studying grammar can be deadly boring (I feel your students’ pain!), but it’s an essential skill to master. The use of proper grammar becomes more important over time, and bad grammar is tolerated less as the perpetrators age. According to ACT, professors rank grammar as the most important skill to attain for students entering college, while high school teachers feel grammar is the least important skill. The disconnect between these two differing views can have some very real consequences. Most college professors have a zero tolerance policy for bad grammar in their classes, and students are expected to articulate themselves properly in both their writing and speech. There are also countless stories of businesses who have lost lucrative accounts because of grammatical errors in their promotional materials or presentations; even a single error may cause clients to question the company’s attention to detail, their ability to perform, the quality of the product or service itself, and the company’s overall level of prestige in the marketplace. In short, the use of bad grammar puts the offender’s very reputation at stake.
The knowledge of proper grammar cuts across the curriculum, as it improves skills needed in all subject areas. The use of good grammar sharpens writing skills and helps students to craft clear, powerful prose. It also allows for better speaking skills; as the habit of clear communication becomes internalized, students become more attuned to what proper speech sounds like. Grammar is also an exercise in logical thinking, as students discern different parts of speech, their relationships, and how to refine them further. The enforcement of proper grammar in all subject areas, then, is important in order for students to learn and internalize the rules more quickly, and thus, more naturally.
My picks this week feature a variety of resources that are enormously helpful in helping students to learn proper grammar. I will also be featuring many more grammar lessons, resources, and examples of grammatical errors on our Facebook and Twitter pages throughout the week, so please be sure to check those pages regularly.
Writing Correct Website Content: A Guide to Grammar, Punctuation and Vocabulary
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-05-09.7989420395
Subjects: Grammar
Grade: 3-12
English grammar can be very confusing, even to native speakers. Although this site is aimed at people writing for Web sites, this handy collection covers many aspects of English grammar that can cause confusion to students and adults alike. This index of resources was provided by eBizWebpages, a site that offers software and services to build Web sites. Hats off to Ben in Mrs. Hughes’ class at Monument Charter School for recommending this resource.
Creative Videos for Basic Grammar Concepts
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-05-16.4530338940
Subjects: Grammar
Grade: K-2
In this lesson, students make videos to help enhance understanding of action verbs, pronouns, nouns, proper nouns, and adjectives. This resource is a product of Digital Wish, a non-profit that seeks to modernize K-12 classrooms and prepare students for tomorrow's workforce. On the Digital Wish web site, teachers can create wish lists of technology products for their classroom. Donors then connect with their favorite schools and grant classroom wishes through online cash or product donations.
Bad Grammar
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-05-16.1077838300
Subjects: Grammar
Grade: 8-12
This lesson uses a video parody of rapper Timbaland’s “The Way I Are”, and examines the bad grammar and slang used in pop music. Students will learn common terms like, “ain’t”, “got no”, and “we be”. They then discuss why pop songs often have bad grammar and spelling and also whether these terms are really all that bad. Be aware that the video does show a woman in lingerie; if you prefer, you can just use the printed lyric sheet instead of the video (included in resource). This lesson is offered by English Advantage, which offers lesson plans and activities for teachers of English as a second or other language.
~Joann's Picks - 5/27/2011~
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