I would like to add my own plug for Ed Schuster's book. We should all
own two copies; one for ourselves, the other to lend out.
I would also recommend the Language Mavens chapter in Steven Pinker's
"The language Instinct". It's interesting, though, that he takes a
different approach than many of our group would recommend--respecting
the complex language of the common folk and not being so quick to try
to fix or improve it.
Perhaps students seem to resist rules because so many turn out to be
goofy or arbitrary.
But the world is hungry for advice about language, and we have a
current climate of ignorance in which "myth rules" can thrive and
thoughtful advice goes unheeded.
It's time to offer alternatives or support the ones already out there.
We now have amy's book to add to the list.
Let's continue our patient attempt to be part of the solution.
Craig
You can't split infinitives.
>
> (Said rule is STILL on the state standards in Louisiana.)
>
> !
>
> Alice Ann
>
> Alice Ann Fesmire
> Curriculum Content Trainer - Secondary English
> EBR Parish Schools
> 225-226-7723
>>>> "Paul E. Doniger" <[log in to unmask]> 05/18/07 10:19 PM >>>
> Yes, it's especially annoying when they use the 5-paragraph form for a
> literary response journal.
>
> Paul
>
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: Nancy Tuten <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Sent: Friday, May 18, 2007 7:31:04 AM
> Subject: Re: Myth "rules" (digression from historical present)
>
>
> I just thought of another one: the five-paragraph essay—a handy template
> in many cases, but certainly not the only acceptable structure for an
> essay.
>
> Nancy L. Tuten, PhD
> Professor of English
> Director of the Writing-across-the-Curriculum Program
> Columbia College
> Columbia, South Carolina
> [log in to unmask]
> 803-786-3706
>
>
>
> From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Nancy Tuten
> Sent: Friday, May 18, 2007 6:25 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Myth "rules" (digression from historical present)
>
> When I read Phil’s comment, I imagined that he had encountered a
> frustrated teacher deciding that if students wouldn’t (appropriately)
> use the historical present tense, that at least he or she could insist
> that they stick to a single tense . . .
>
> I have thought about compiling a list of “rules” students internalize
> from teachers who are just trying to keep them from making a certain kind
> of mistake. Here are two examples:
>
> (1) Teachers in middle school and high school who are trying to get their
> student writers to develop paragraphs more effectively will ask them to
> have a minimum of eight (or fill in the number of your choice) sentences
> in each paragraph. Students then come to college believing that every
> paragraph must include eight sentences.
>
> (2) Because many young students create sentence fragments with
> “because” clauses, elementary and middle-school teachers will tell
> them never to start a sentence with “because.” Then they come to
> college still believing that they should never start a sentence with
> “because.” And the same logic applies to their belief that they should
> never start sentences with “and” or “but” or any of the
> coordinating conjunctions when we all know that professional writers do so
> all the time.
>
> Nancy
>
>
> Nancy L. Tuten, PhD
> Professor of English
> Director of the Writing-across-the-Curriculum Program
> Columbia College
> Columbia, South Carolina
> [log in to unmask]
> 803-786-3706
>
>
>
> From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Cynthia Baird
> Sent: Thursday, May 17, 2007 10:44 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Literary present
>
> I have tried to follow this thread for the past several days, and I have
> appreciated the numerous suggestions that have been offered for something
> I, too, struggle with. Countless times I have written on papers "discuss
> literature in the present tense"! Sadly, I have no new teaching ideas to
> offer you, Paul. I do know this--eventually students make progress. I
> have the pleasure of "looping," meaning I teach students for two or more
> years in a row, and what I despaired of for my sophomores finally
> materializes in my seniors!
>
> I have not seen a response to Phil's comment that some time ago it was
> acceptable to write in either the present or past tense when discussing
> literature. Could someone, preferably a college instructor since that is
> whom I prepare my students for, respond to this comment?
>
> thanks for all your professional insights on this listserve!
>
>
>
> "Paul E. Doniger" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> I'm looking for advice: This year, many of my high school sophomores seem
> unable (unwilling?) to write about literature in the present tense. They
> discuss events in a novel, story, etc., only as past tense events. For
> example, a student wrote in one of his journals for Brave New World:I get
> students to think in the present and write "Bernard is ... he meets"
> instead? Has anyone else struggled with this problem? I'm looking for
> teachable moments, here.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Paul
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>
>
>
>
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