I know I am one of the most egregious 'offenders' when it comes to
posting high-flying theory, _and_ I don't hesitate to make my ideology
known or put forward what I know about language as a linguist. Still, I
wanted to speak up AGAINST splitting the list. I think teachers from all
backgrounds need to hear/read one another's concerns. Yeah, some listers
(even me :) ) can be hard on people if they get something wrong--but
whose problem is that, really (the critics', for lack of tact??)?

I don't think any practicing teacher should feel hesitant about posting
ANY query if it is about a practical need for their classroom (please
lay off about the 'their', OK?) We know that there are many struggling
grammar teachers around, including ourselves. Each of us has a different
background from others on the list, some with extensive grammar
training, some with linguistics training, some with not a lot of either.
Posting to this list indicates one's willingness to learn and
share--what could be bad about that? We theory-leaners need a good stiff
reminder once in a while of needs for something to do in class TOMORROW.
And I would say, of course, it's not a bad idea for practical-minded
people to be aware of the theoretical debates that are out there.

If a question starts out practical, and gets theoretical, we ought to
change the subject heading so that people who want to follow only the
practical or only the theoretical can clearly choose.

Post away!

Peace and good will!
Johanna

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Johanna Rubba   Assistant Professor, Linguistics
English Department, California Polytechnic State University
One Grand Avenue  • San Luis Obispo, CA 93407
Tel. (805)-756-2184  •  Fax: (805)-756-6374 • Dept. Phone.  756-259
• E-mail: [log in to unmask] •  Home page: http://www.cla.calpoly.edu/~jrubba
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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