On Sep 1, 2006, at 11:54 PM, Johanna Rubba wrote:

Native speakers don't need to be told where a noun is in a sentence; if they're taught the noun signals (my emphasis).



I tutored reading at my sons' public schools in both Minneapolis and Lafayette, LA.  These kids have no idea what a noun is.  And they are totally at a loss speaking, writing, and reading Standard English.  Standard English is hard to read if you don't speak the language!   Itty-bitties need grammar instruction on a daily basis, 5 minutes a day, from the minute they walk into a classroom.  That instruction becomes imbedded and natural and then more and more complex instruction is presented as their intellect develops.  Then college/university students would be prepared!  You guys could teach lofty stuff that college is SUPPOSED to teach, rather than being remedial teachers.

Rebecca Watson
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