I have been following the responses to the suggestion of setting up a second
discussion forum for teachers who want to discuss grammar teaching in a very
practical way, especially at the middle school level.  The prevailing
sentiment is clearly to try to maintain the unity of the listserv, so for
the moment we will keep the listserv as it is.  But this is a topic to keep
exploring.  Just a few minutes ago I responded to a middle school teacher on
an NCTE listserv asking about what other teachers at that level were doing
with grammar, whether and how they taught the grammar that is included in
their textbooks, and so forth.  (I recommended our listserv, our site, and
our organization generally.)   But it is my impression that teachers in such
classes want to share not just about teaching grammar per se, which is what
we all like to hear about, but about how the grammar can and cannot fit into
the context of their day to day classroom situation, assignments,
worksheets, etc.  I can certainly imagine they might want a place where they
can discuss with peers who are in the same teaching situation.  (Certainly,
some of the discussion on the NCTE Middle level talk list is very
concrete--specific textbooks, classroom management, even whiteboards, etc.)
So let's keep an open mind on possibilities.   Comments from the teachers
involved would certainly be welcome.  Don't be shy.

A resource I just discovered:  At the bottom of this and every listserv
message from ATEG is a link to the listserv archives.  In addition to the
process for signing on and off the list, the site contains ALL the ATEG
listserv discussion since the beginning, five years ago!  You can scan the
contents and threads for each month, or use the search engine to get
directly to certain topics.  It's wonderful.

Finally, my congratulation to Rebecca Wheeler for a fine edition of Syntax
in the Schools.  Two major studies of grammar and writing, a comment on
grammar and whole language, a fitting appreciation of Ed Vavra, and a review
of Noden's Image Grammar.  If you enjoy this list but are not a member of
ATEG and are missing out on SIS, you might want to consider joining so you
can receive it four times a year.

Have a good holiday.

Brock Haussamen
ATEG President


Brock Haussamen
English Department
Raritan Valley Community College
[log in to unmask]
phone: 908-526-1200, ext. 8307

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