Beth Rapp Brown's position on diagramming is certainly held by many
people, and I would certainly never use it as the only pedagogical
method for teaching grammar. However, I have found that the traditional
Reed and Kellogg diagrams (with some updating to fit more current
understandings of sentence syntax) help visual learners a great deal in
understanding the relationships amongst words in a sentence. I have
combined diagramming with sentence combining, writing one's own
sentences, using syntactic structures in context, etc. and have found it
very useful for student learning.

Edith Wollin 

-----Original Message-----
From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Richard Betting
Sent: Wednesday, August 09, 2006 8:46 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: research on sentence diagramming?

A response to questions about using diagraming  in English classes

from Dr. Beth Rapp Young



            I haven't any research data, but I do have my experience and
some information. Diagraming is comforting to the rationalist, and it
looks systematic and useful. But I would suggest using it only to
illustrate a method that English teachers used to employ. In the past
many students (some of mine included) had to learn to draw sticks and
trees showing how noun clauses functioned as direct objects, etc. But
rational-looking diagraming frequently became an end in itself. If you
choose to diagram, I would suggest not doing so without also using
generative-transformational tree diagrams. These complex diagrams scare
many English teachers, but they illustrate the deep and surface levels
of language. They also are predictive, rather than historical. Then you
might add sentence-component stratificational grams, somewhat like the
Christensen method (far superior because that system requires students
to create their own sentences in imitation of the models) used.

            Further problems with diagramming include using someone
else's sentences, focusing on structures rather than meaning, and
ignoring context almost entirely. Where, for example, are setting, tone,
senders and receivers. Where is phonology? More: diagrams appear to be
the whole of grammar, even of language, when, as a part of the
communication process, diagraming is miniscule.

            It seems to me that students are short-changed by an
emphasis on grammar as it is taught and explained in current traditional
grammar textbooks, and an emphasis on diagraming is one of the ways that
encourage such a perspective.

            It was also interesting that this question was asked at the
same time John Curran brought up the topic of Systemic-Functional
Linguistics, a system based on meaning, rather than structures, where
traditional grammar is stuck.

            Dick Betting

----- Original Message -----
From: "Beth Young" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, August 08, 2006 12:25 PM
Subject: research on sentence diagramming?


> Hi everyone,
>
> I just received a nice email from a h.s. English teacher asking if I
> knew of any research that supports the use of sentence diagramming as
an
> instructional strategy.  I'm going to encourage her to join ATEG :),
but
> in the meantime, do any of you have any suggestions that I could pass
> along to her?  I am aware of such sources as David Mulroy's _War on
> Grammar_, but not of empirical research on that particular point.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Beth
>
>
>
> Dr. Beth Rapp Young
> http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~byoung
>
> University of Central Florida
> Stands For Opportunity
>
> To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web
interface 
> at:
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> and select "Join or leave the list"
>
> Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/
> 

To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web
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