In a message dated 9/25/2007 10:29:20 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
[log in to unmask] writes:

I  don’t care which system wins out, but I wish we’d hit a firm consensus 
soon so  I can stop worrying that I’ll get my students in trouble by teaching 
them the  wrong 


Bill,
 
In middle school, I teach this the same way you do, and I explain  to my 
students why the singular "their" is gaining acceptance.  It drives  them crazy.  
They want to view language as a simple set of rules that they  can learn and 
be done. The idea that they have to take audience into  consideration doesn't 
seem "fair" to them - that they might someday not get  a job or into a school 
of their choice because they misjudge an audience really  makes them angry.
 
My answer, "welcome to the real world," doesn't seem to help.   I try to help 
them sort it through, but they want me to give them set-in-stone  answers.  
 
~Gretchen, who still can't answer ""It is me" to the question "who  is it?"



************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com

To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at:
     http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html
and select "Join or leave the list"

Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/