Carol and other ATEGers,

 

I wonder if I might be the "devil's advocate" in response to Carol's
statement that Hartwell's article "seems quite important." It has indeed
been granted a great deal of importance by many people since its 1985
publication, and it continues to be referred to reverentially by those
who, like Hartwell, despise(d) the teaching of grammar and wish to see
it removed from the English curriculum.

 

However, I think that even a cursory reading of Hartwell's 1985 article
easily reveals (1) the serious flaws in his arguments against the
teaching of grammar, and (2) the major inaccuracies in his handling of
other scholarly sources, especially those who do not agree with his
point of view. At the time the article was published, serious objections
were raised against his positions by several reputable scholars. 

 

My point is that even though Hartwell's article has been seen by some as
one of the "definitive" statement on the "classification" of grammar and
as one of the major pillars against the teaching of grammar in the
writing classroom, its conclusions are disputed. It's long past time for
someone to write a thorough critique and refutation of Hartwell's
article.

 

Tim

 

Timothy D. Hadley

Assistant Professor of Professional Writing

English Department

Missouri State University

Springfield, MO 65897

office 417.836.5332, fax 417.836.4226

[log in to unmask]

Editor, ATEG Journal

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Carol Morrison
Sent: Thursday, October 18, 2007 5:17 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Patrick Hartwell's Article

 

Thank you. I am only halfway through his article, but

it seems quite important. I currently give formal

grammar instruction to four freshman sections of basic

writing (at the most basic level) and I am trying to

figure out why so few of the other composition

teachers do this. I am sure that there is value in it,

but I suppose that this needs to be proved.

CLM

--- Bob Yates <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

 

> Carol,

> 

> In the grammar course I teach for pre-service

> English teachers, I make specific mention of them. 

> 

>  If there is one grammar Hartwell leaves out, it is

> one that describes the kind of grammar an second

> language learner of English needs to have.  

> 

> Bob Yates, University of Central Missouri

> 

> >>> Carol Morrison <[log in to unmask]>

> 10/18/2007 12:30 PM >>>

> Can someone tell me whether the (5) categories of

> grammar that Hartwell outlines (Grammar 1-Grammar 5)

> are commonly referred to when one speaks of teaching

> grammar? The article to which I am referring is

> "Grammar, Grammars, and the Teaching of Grammar."

> Until reading this article, I did not realize that

> grammar had been divided into those classifications.

> Thank you.

>    

>   Carol Morrison 

> 

> To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit

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> 

> Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/

> 

 

 

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