Who are these people who are hostile to grammar teaching? Are they people 
who aren't knowledgeable about grammar and feel threatened? Why is it hard 
to define grammar? Isn't it the structure and patterns of a language? I'm 
wondering what is really at stake here.

I find grammar studies interesting and fun. Am I unusual? It's probably a 
combination of nature and nurture like most things. I also like math, and I 
know some people say they detest math, but no one suggests that as a reason 
not to teach math. I'm glad to learn about this controversy which I've been 
unaware of most of my life. I began my career as an ESL and college English 
teacher at my community college in  2000. I was amazed to learn that 
teachers were forbidden to teach grammar. I'm still amazed. It's so 
puzzling, but then many beliefs are mind boggling to me like using violence 
to make the world peaceful.

--

Christine Reintjes Martin
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----Original Message Follows----
From: "Stahlke, Herbert F.W." <[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar              

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