This message  was originally submitted  by Ed Vavra ([log in to unmask])  to
the ATEG  list
--------------------------------------------------------------------
 
     I want to thank Bill Murdick for his statement,  [appended below] and
also ask permission from him to post it on my web
site. The general public does not understand
(comprehend) that those of us in the profession have
such differences of opinion.
    Bill does raise a valid point -- in many classes,
grammar does take over. Whether that is good or bad
depends, I would suggest, on what grammar is being
taught, at what level, for what purpose. Those of us in
ATEG should know, more than most people, that
grammar means a wide variety of things to different
people. That is why I suggest that more ATEG
members who believe that grammar should be taught
should also be more specific about the grammar that
they think  should be taught. What kinds of lectures,
exercises, etc. should be taught in 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc.
grades? (For example, if Bill were to think about the
curriculum I have proposed, many of his reservations
might disappear.) In the absence of such specificity,
Bill's reservations (from within ATEG) will certainly be
shared by many teachers who are not members of our
group.
Ed V.
 
This message  was originally submitted by  Bill
Murdick ([log in to unmask]) to the ATEG  list at MIAMIU.ACS.MUOHIO.EDU.
 
As an ATEG member, I wish to put it on record that I
oppose any
"program of instruction" on sentences in the schools
because I
believe that such programs take too much time away
from the reading,
writing, and discussion of texts. Like Frank Smith, I
believe that
students learn sophisticated sentence writing and
sentence grammar
mainly from reading, and somewhat from writing; they
learn almost nothing
from lectures, regardless of how good the lectures
are.
 
I am not against mini-lessions nor am I against
individual instruction
on problems or opportunities on the sentence level,
but programs of
instruction tend to take over the whole course.
 
I make this statement just to establish the multiplicity
of views within this organization.
 
        --Bill Murdick