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Thomas,
Yes, but the problem is that
 
"those who believe that grammar (metalanguage
issues) ought to be taught only in elective courses,
where the student decides whether to study it"
 
are conversing with those of us who disagree. Doesn't
this mean that the comments of the former are largely
irrelevant to those of us in the latter group? And
wouldn't it be helpful if we know who is in which
group?
  I found, for example, the discussion of "horse" in "the
horse barn" interesting, but also irrelevant to my
teaching. I have argued before that one of the main
problems in the current teaching of grammar (middle
and high school) is that it gets tied up in such
discussions and never gets to the analysis of texts
and larger structures. Too many trees, no forest.
Thanks,
Ed V.
 
 
[This message was  originally submitted by
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Ed Vavra's question, asking how we identify those to
whom we teach
grammar: a) it is not a problem for those who believe
that grammar
(metalanguage issues) ought to be taught only in
elective courses, where
the student decides whether to study it; b) start
wherever you believe
students should start and end.  If 3-graduate school,
1-life, or 3-8
(which is the most common in schools), then one can
specify.  What we
can't do, I think, is assume that everyone believes the
same about it.
Yes?