Mime-Version: |
1.0 |
Sender: |
|
Subject: |
|
From: |
|
Date: |
Tue, 22 Aug 2006 12:18:54 -0500 |
In-Reply-To: |
|
Content-Type: |
text/plain; format=flowed |
Reply-To: |
|
Parts/Attachments: |
|
|
It sounds as if this thread is running out of steam, but I wanted to jump in
here with some of the difficulties I have had with my students (inner-city
high school) and their frustration (and mine) with the great "parts of
speech hunts." You all know the drill: "Find the (FILL IN PART OF SPEECH
HERE) in the following sentence (paragraph, etc)."
Here are examples I put on the board, asking students to determine the part
of speech of
"run/running" in each sentence. "I like to run." "Running is fun." "She
is running." "I bought a pair of running shoes." "He tripped on his
shoelaces while running after the dog."
Suffice it to say that the success rate is low. However, regardless of
their knowledge of "formaL grammar, every student can successfully create
sentences using exactly the form shown, even though they may have no idea
what part of speech they're using to do it.
Therefore, my question to myself, to them, and to this group is simply this
- why try to teach them parts of speech (or any other grammar term for that
matter) when learning them makes absolutely no difference in their ability
to speak, write, or even take standardized tests (where there are no grammar
questions, only usage and syntax).
Geoff Layton
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/
|
|
|