In a message dated 8/16/2001 4:30:38 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

<< This then provides the teacher and student understanding of why
 students have such a hard time learning to WRITE Standard English -- they are
 putting on paper their accustomed conversational patterns, and the syntax of
 conversation and the syntax of Standard Edited English are quite different.
>>

Rebecca,

This sounds fascinating!  What a great way to draw attention to the
differences.  Every year I struggle to help my kids understand the concept of
voice in writing, and they have a very difficult time finding a more formal
voice for their writing.  One or two a year never "get it," and I send them
off to seventh grade writing gems like "I really, really liked lit circles
this year - soooo cool!  I hope we get to do them next year (even though our
teacher is new and might be an ax murderer for all I know - JOKE, Mrs. Lee!"
in a year end reflective essay (actual quote, mind you!).

I would posit that there is a new pattern emerging due to technology - email.
 Email writing seems to be a curious mix of conversation and formal writing.
My students email me frequently, and the style is different from either their
writing in class or their speech.  It may be a function of the shortcuts
available (numbers and letters in a shorthand "c u latr" or "brb" for be
right back) and the graphics they have embraced so quickly (emoticons,
colors, and jpegs abound).  I'm just as bad - I found to my horror that I had
sent off welcoming emails to our new teachers with a winking emoticon in the
close.  Sigh.

Fascinating subject!  Thanks, Rebecca.  I know how I'm opening my writing
workshop this year. Now to round up some tape recorders!

Gretchen in San Jose
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