Marshall,

No, I'm not familiar with them.  Any idea where I could find them?

Martha

>Martha Kolln wrote:
>
>>Dear John and Eduard and all,
>>
>>It is indeed true that my colleague Sandra Wyngaard, head of 
>>English at State College (PA) High School, and I are in the throes 
>>of production.  Our book, "Discovering Grammar: Unlocking the 
>>Language Toolbox for Middle School Readers and Writers,"  takes 
>>teachers and students step by small step through minilessons to 
>>mastery.
>>
>>We begin with a short lesson on Subject/Predicate, which, by the 
>>way, includes a structured writing assignment (which many of the 
>>minilessons do).  Then  come nine minilessons on nouns and noun 
>>phrases and pronouns.  These lessons include discussions of 
>>form--singular/plural as well as derivational endings-- that help 
>>students unlock their own inner grammar expertise.  Next come seven 
>>minilessons on verb forms.   All of these lead to and are 
>>integrated with the next series of lessons on ten sentence 
>>patterns, which are essentially predicate patterns.  With each 
>>lesson, directed mainly at teachers, we include several "Unlocking" 
>>exercises and "reading/writing connection"
>>exercises, classroom activities for the students--many of which are 
>>connected to the young-adult literature they are reading.
>>
>>I have learned from Sandra--and by talking to many teachers--that 
>>today's language arts classes are very different from what many of 
>>us remember way back when--or even not so way back.  Today's 
>>teachers rely on minilessons, on word study, on word sorts (many of 
>>which we include),  with very little, if any, attention to syntax 
>>in an organized way.  That lack of attention is due in large part 
>>to the teachers' own inadequate grammar background and very scant 
>>help from textbooks.
>>
>>We are very excited about what we have accomplished so far.  The 
>>first section of the book--100+ pages--will be class-tested this 
>>fall in all nine middle schools of Carroll County, Maryland, as 
>>well as in
>>selected classes in four other school districts, including 
>>districts in  two other states as well as Pennsylvania.  We expect 
>>to have the finished published version ready for fall 2007.  We are 
>>publishing and planning to market it ourselves.
>>
>>As I explain in the Introduction, the material is based on my 
>>"Understanding English Grammar," which is based on sentence 
>>patterns. I firmly believe that the framework of sentence patterns 
>>has been enormously helpful for my college-level students in the 
>>teacher-prep grammar class.  In the new book, we are including the 
>>very simplest diagrams for the sentence patterns--so they will be 
>>there for those teachers who want to include them.
>>
>>As I said in my keynote address at ATEG last month, minilessons are 
>>here to stay in the language arts classrooms of middle schools.  If 
>>we want to have an impact, we have to join them.  Believe me, these 
>>are not the  minilessons that Constance Weaver describes in her 
>>books, the "teachable moment" occasions that occur in writing 
>>workshops.  Ours are organized in small steps, designed to fit into 
>>a classroom period, that scaffold on one another but that also 
>>bring to the students' conscious understanding  step by organized 
>>step the subconscious knowledge that they had with them when they 
>>entered kindergarten.  Mastery through minilessons is our goal.
>>
>>I'll appreciate your input and interest, especially those of you 
>>who might be interested in seeing more detail as it becomes 
>>available. The table of contents will be ready  soon; that might 
>>give you a better idea of our program.
>>
>>Martha
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>>John:
>>>
>>>I guess the safest way to find out if this is true or not is to ask
>>>Martha Kolln herself if she and her friends intend to publish a book
>>>designed for "the lower level Japanese students." I am sure, as you
>>>say, that "Japanese students would benefit from a version of this
>>>book pitched at a lower level." Hopefully Martha is reading this
>>>message and will answer your question.
>>>
>>>Eduard
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>On Mon, 21 Aug 2006, =?Windows-1252?Q?John_curran?= wrote...
>>>
>>>  >Eduard,
>>>
>>>>   Re your last submission:
>>>>   Here is a message from an Australian teacher in Japan at the chalk-
>>>>
>>>face=
>>>
>>>>
>>>>,=20
>>>>teaching at the primary level. ATEG's "Grammar Alive - A guide for=20
>>>>Teachers" has been very helpful but it is difficult to adapt this
>>>>
>>>book to=
>>>
>>>>
>>>>=20
>>>>the needs of the lower level Japanese students. Japanese students
>>>>
>>>would=20=
>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>benefit from a version of this book pitched at a lower level. There
>>>>
>>>is a=20=
>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>rumour going around that Martha Kolln and friends are preparing such
>>>>
>>>a=20=
>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>book. Can we be so lucky?
>>>>               John Curran
>>>>
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>>>
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>>>>
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>>>>
>>>
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>>> 
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>>>
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>>>
>>
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>>
>Martha,
>
>Are you familiar with the two t-g books by Jacobs and Rosenbaum, 
>published in 1967 and designed for seventh graders? They're called 
>Grammar 1 and Grammar 2.
>
>Marshall
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>
>Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/

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