I've heard that grammar makes no difference in student writing, and that we should ignore it because it's no longer relevant in the modern era. That came from the professor teaching a "teaching college writing" class that I was taking. Naturally I disagreed, and in fairness he let me develop my own ideas, sample syllabus, and etc. based on what I would do in my own classroom (a blend of grammar, composition, reading, argument, etc). I appreciated that he let me do that, but he was very clear that he thought my ideas were outmoded and inconsistent with "the research," which showed that "drill and kill" did not work (I never used drill and kill, but rather focused on context and the importance of recognizing and being able to "switch" between modes of communication...ah, I preach to this email list's choir, here) and that I would eventually realize that no one cared about grammar any more. Another reason I cling to this email list, even though I am working as a private tutor and writer and am not "in the classroom" per se. I enjoy knowing that I am not alone. -patty -----Original Message----- From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of David Kehe Sent: Saturday, February 07, 2009 5:27 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Does teaching grammar improve writing? Recently, I've heard a number of college English composition instructors say, "Research shows that teaching students grammar does not improve their writing." Do any of you know if this is commonly accepted "research" in English departments? Do any of you know if there is research that shows the opposite, i.e., that explicit grammar instruction can help students improve their writing skills? I would greatly appreciate any insights that you might have. Dave Kehe To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/