From: Glauner, Jeff
Subject: RE: Putting grammar back into the curriculum

 Connie is right.  Excellent writing instruction is happening all over
the country, especially in the elementary schools, but throughout other
levels as well.  We need to keep in mind that we are merely advocating
the return of the missing element of grammar instruction to the
curriculum.  I am not sure that I can speak for others in ATEG, but I
want this for two good reasons.

First, grammatical study as a valuable part of the liberal arts.  Every
educated English speaker should be able to discuss the mechanics of the
language.

Second, I believe that in a large diverse country like the United
States, along with all of our interesting and important dialects, we
need to maintain one dialect that all educated persons master beyond
their own dialects, especially the written form.  The syntax and
morphology of that "standard" dialect are sufficiently different from
other dialects that they require direct education for their mastery.

Many persons will learn to write well and even to use standard English
grammar and to punctuate well without the overt teaching of grammar.
The younger members of ATEG are excellent examples of such success.  But
the mechanics of standard English don't come that easily and naturally
for a large percentage of the population.  Those mechanics are
especially difficult for persons whose dialects differ a great deal from
standard English.  They deserve the extra help direct grammatical study
in the clasroom can offer.

On the other hand, we have to provide the means of teaching that grammar
in ways that don't hog large portions of the academic day.  We haven't
done that yet.  We have made progress, though. I trust that we will
continue in that direction.

Jeff Glauner
Park University

-----Original Message-----
From: Connie Weaver
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: 6/10/00 3:20 PM
Subject: Re: Putting grammar back into the curriculum

What do you mean when you say that the death of "good writing" is
happening?