Linda,
I have to agree with you. This task is going to take some strong leadership, some good PR, and a lot of smart politics. What we really haven't discussed is how we turn ourselves into a movement, the counter to the grammar-is-bad movement. We've spent most of our time arguing about what to teach, what to call things, the sorts of things we grammarians like to argue about. But we have an essentially political task ahead of us. And we have to be smart politically.
Herb
Herb;
I think that the grass roots method would be most beneficial to the work of the ATEG and coming to common ground for terminology in the k-12 programs. By all means invite the teacher-ed faculty in. Very often they are focused on the very issues that are discussed here. WE are being forced to address grammar due to state testing (and NCLB). WE are trying to make a common thread of terminology and curriculum. What a wonderful opportunity to create a base to meet the needs of the k-12 comminity and promote the goals of the ATEG.
I do not know exactly what is needed to do this....
Linda
-----Original Message-----
From: Stahlke, Herbert F.W. <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Tue, 4 Oct 2005 14:45:22 -0500
Subject: Re: Who will teach teachers?
<![endif]>
Linda,
Ed?s right. But it?s not only ATEG that needs to listen but school administrators, English department heads, teacher education faculty, state departments of education and their language arts people, etc. Our discussions here a frequently not appropriate to K12 teaching, which doesn?t mean they?re not worthwhile in themselves, but we have the beginnings, through workshops like Craig?s and work that Martha?s done, to set up a working group of people who know the content of grammar, what?s relevant to reading and writing as well as to other language arts areas, how to teach this stuff, and so on. But somehow this group also has to get the sanction of an organization like NCTE or of some state departments or some big foundation if it?s going to have clout. The UK did this top down, but that?s not often an option in US education. However, the role of government authority can be just as powerful here. So, do we organize such a working group, growing out of prior ATEG efforts!
? Do we seek external funding? Do we seek the involvement of state offices? Do we invite teacher-ed faculty in?
Herb
From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Edward Vavra
Sent: Tuesday, October 04, 2005 12:48 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Who will teach teachers?
Linda,
Thank you. If more people in your situation speak up, ATEG may listen.
Ed
>>> [log in to unmask] 10/1/2005 10:08:19 AM >>>
To all Reading this Stream:
A thought from a 7th-8th Grade English Teacher in the trenches.
There are many different arguements presented: Enlgish teachers who hate grammar - why?, how writing composiiton does or does not affect grammar knowledge and vice versa, what grammatcial knowledge is important, how to teach, what to teach....
Very plainly:
I teach in New York and must have my students meet the standards that the state has put forward.
I have always valued grammar as a structure that helps my students to understand what they read and to state their written messages more clearly.
I teach myself grammar through the instruction that I provide my students. I use old and new text books and DOL (Daily Oral Language) exercies to help me in my endeavors. My students begin every day with a discussion of grammar, correcting mistakes and explaining why.
I do not have time for theoretical discussions that the linguists enjoy simply because I am using my students innate knowledge of grammar from their native language to promote understanding.
How do you help the teachers, like myself, that do promote grammar for daily usage? How do we simplify the language used teaching grammar so that there is consistency on ALL levels. Do we recognize that the eight parts of speech and their BASIC usage in a sentecne is probably more that my seventh graders can handle as there is no thread for grammar from the elementary schools???
Here is the light at the end of the tunnel. As the states implement some sort of grammar test on their NCLB testing, the individual school districts will examine some kind of grammar program. My question is who will be in the lead of the implementation movement???? THe text book companies to who the schools turn for some kind of immediate implementation, or the ATEG???
Just food for thought.
Linda
To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list"
Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list"
Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/
To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at:
http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html
and select "Join or leave the list"
Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/
To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at:
http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html
and select "Join or leave the list"
Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/
|
