Nancy,
     I agree with almost everything you said about constructivism. But I
have found that people who label themselves are more interested in the
labels than in practice. On a more practical note, how can you expect
students, at any level, to be able to discuss the syntactic choices --
in a poem, story, etc. -- if they are unable to identify subjects,
verbs, clauses, etc.? I understand your disagreement with many of the
people on this list. I have that same disagreement. It seems to me,
however, that by refusing to see that syntax can be taught
systematically, and in a way that is interesting to students, you deny
your students, especially the weaker ones, an important opportunity to
grow. Have you looked at the chapter on style in TGLA? See
http://www.pct.edu/courses/evavra/TGLA/TGLA10.htm
It includes, I think, the type of stylistic analysis that you discuss.
Ed V.

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