ATEG members:

I invite others to help in replying to the following message that I received from a grade school teacher (who found my address on the web site of my book Discovering English Grammar)? The questions asked are certainly central for the Assembly. Because the writer is probably not a subscriber, be sure to copy the writer <[log in to unmask]> on any reply.

Dick Veit

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In your opinion, is it necessary to have
direct grammar instruction at the
elementary school level, or are the
students better served by "writing
workshop" and editing "daily oral
language" sentences? Our district
Language consultant refuses to
consider a grammar textbook without
research that demonstrates the
importance of direct grammar
instruction. We've been attempting to
teach writing and grammar skills
without a textbook for the past 7 years
and are now faced with 6th graders
that have no ability to identify a verb or
a noun, and call apostrophes "that
floating comma thingy."
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