I've heard that grammar makes no difference in student writing, and that we
should ignore it because it's no longer relevant in the modern era.
That came from the professor teaching a "teaching college writing" class
that I was taking. Naturally I disagreed, and in fairness he let me develop
my own ideas, sample syllabus, and etc. based on what I would do in my own
classroom (a blend of grammar, composition, reading, argument, etc). I
appreciated that he let me do that, but he was very clear that he thought my
ideas were outmoded and inconsistent with "the research," which showed that
"drill and kill" did not work (I never used drill and kill, but rather
focused on context and the importance of recognizing and being able to
"switch" between modes of communication...ah, I preach to this email list's
choir, here) and that I would eventually realize that no one cared about
grammar any more.
Another reason I cling to this email list, even though I am working as a
private tutor and writer and am not "in the classroom" per se. I enjoy
knowing that I am not alone.
-patty
-----Original Message-----
From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of David Kehe
Sent: Saturday, February 07, 2009 5:27 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Does teaching grammar improve writing?
Recently, I've heard a number of college English composition instructors
say, "Research shows that teaching students grammar does not improve their
writing."
Do any of you know if this is commonly accepted "research" in English
departments?
Do any of you know if there is research that shows the opposite, i.e., that
explicit grammar instruction can help students improve their writing skills?
I would greatly appreciate any insights that you might have.
Dave Kehe
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