Paul,

I know exactly where you are coming from.  I was there.  I taught high
school grammar for 8 years, and I had the same frustrations that you are
voicing.  You are exactly right about the solution: a simplified,
comprehensive, systematic grammar that starts at the beginning of the
student's formal education.  That is exactly what has been rejected by the
contemporary language arts "establishment," chanting the worn-out mantra,
"It doesn't improve writing."  We insist on students learning math in a
systematic way.  We could all just count on our fingers instead of learning
terms such as add, subtract, multiply, and divide.  But it wouldn't make
sense and many students would never get past 10 (or 20 in tropical
climates).  By denying students the study of systematic grammar, we are
abandoning them at 20.

In regard to the "simplicity" of the verb, that is relative to the
complexity of the verb as it was taught in traditional grammar.  It is
little wonder that only a few came away from those lessons with
understanding.  With a more descriptive approach, using fewer terms and
whatever knowledge the students bring with them, added to an early start to
the process and a continuous cycling of the material from level to level, it
doesn't have to be difficult.  I'm sending new teachers into the elementary
schools who are armed and indoctrinated to do just that.  I hope a lot of
other colleges will do the same.  Perhaps, we can turn this difficult
situation around.

Jeff Glauner
Park University

----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul E. Doniger" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, June 09, 2000 1:02 AM
Subject: Re: Grammar Book + Patterns


> JEFF GLAUNER writes:
>
>
> >Sentence patterns without an understanding of the types
> > of verbs in the sentences are not of much value.  That's why a full
> > discussion of sentence patterns always includes the verb.  Because this
is
> > so important, I devote significant time to examination of the verb in
> > English.  Except for the ESL student, however, the verb is not terribly
> > complex.
>
> I agree wholeheartedly about the importance of teaching the verb types
with
> the sentence patterns (how can you leave it out?!?!?!?!?!), but if you
think
> it's "not terribly complex," you haven't spent much time with modern high
> school students! Teaching these three simple verb types ... :
>
> >We have to differentiate among intransitive, transitive, and
> > linking.  We also, have to know how to deal with number.
>
> ... is a slow-going, long-term, frustrating project -- and one which is
> generally lost during summer vacations! Try it sometime.
>
>
>
> We really need to find a way to recommend a solid program that begins in
the
> early grades. That means getting elementary and middle school teachers
into
> this assembly!
>
> Paul E. Doniger
> The Gilbert School