Grammar Teaching Norms

 

Grammar Teaching Norms
English Language Arts - Amherst Regional Middle School

 

Text Box: “It’s not whether you teach grammar, but how you do it.” “It’s not whether you teach grammar, but how you do it.”

 


 

 

Overall Goal: To increase students’ clarity of communication and choices/tools student writers have available to them

 

·        Recognize that errors are part of growth (Shaughnessy, NCTE)

·        Use kids ’writing or familiar texts

·        Less is more: focus on just a few target concepts that you have tailored to your  students’ needs (Weaver, Noden, NCTE)

·        Use mini-lessons and direct instruction (Blaze, McFarland & Little)

·        Teach concepts in the context of authentic writing tasks (Hudson, Sams, Patterson, NCTE); production of language--not just analysis-- is important

·        Do word study: vocab development through word parts

·        Differentiate instruction—let kids who already know it skip ahead

·        Use humor!