"Paul E. Doniger" wrote:

> I thought I made it clear that I was not "expecting" that the diagramming
> was a means to improve writing, but to encourage thought.  My students are
> inner-city kids who have spent little or no time thinking about language -
> and have done precious little work in any school subjects.  My first goal
> was to find something that they would hook on to.

I do not teach inner city kids, so I can't pretend to know the kinds of skills they

come to class with.

However, I am bothered when I read statements such as "spent little or no time
thinking
about language." If we are talking  about conscious thought about language, then
there
may be some truth to this observation.  On the other hand, if these kids listen to
rap or other
popular songs or if these kids have elaborate chants when jumping rope, then they
know
something about language form.  My guess is that they know they talk to a teacher
differently
than they talk to each other at lunch.  This means they have some knowledge about
language
variation.

Have you thought about ways to exploit what knowledge they already have about
language?

Bob Yates, Central Missouri State University