----- Original Message -----

From: Geoffrey Layton

To: [log in to unmask]

Sent: Monday, November 20, 2006 8:33 PM

Subject: Grammar - the "All Brain" Subject

Dick -

I think that the issue goes beyond being "like us" (yes, I, too, admit to an
ancient attachment to diagramming!) and reaches to the heart of the issue
that we have with NCTE and their various attacks against grammar.

If we can move grammar away from the side of the writing process that deals
with error correction and more towards what classical rhetoric would call
"invention," then we can demonstrate that grammar can, indeed, play a major
role in creative ("right brain") part  the writing process.  In fact, I
think that grammar can a more powerful creative tool than so-called
"unstructure free-writing."

Students can use standard grammatical constructions to create original,
powerful sentences, paragraphs, and even entire essays starting with little
more than simple subject-predicate combinations.  There truly is a grammar
for the right brain, and as you indicated, it doesn't need to be separated
from the left brain.  In fact, it is the structure of grammar that allows
both halves to work so well together!

Grammar is an "all brain" subject!

Geoff Layton

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