Teaching Grammar simplfied - Steve Peha blog post from Edutopia

Teaching Grammar: There Has to Be a Better Way (And There Is!)

By Steve Peha

5/23/11

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Editor's Note: Steve Peha is the President of Teaching That Makes Sense, an education consultancy based in Carrboro, NC. He writes regularly on education policy on The National Journal Education Experts Blog. His work has also been featured in The Washington Post, DropoutNation, EdNews, and The Carborro Citizen. He is the author of three books on teaching: Be a Writer, Be a Better Writer, and Reading Allowed.

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Grammar instruction is making a comeback but in all the wrong ways. The purpose of learning grammar is to produce well-formed sentences. But mastering the Latinate content of traditional grammar instruction has little to do with achieving this goal.

To help kids master sentence structure, I describe sentences with simple English words, not unfamiliar Latin words. I won't claim to have invented this approach; it just made sense to me when I began dealing with grammar problems in the classroom early in my career.

In my experience, this approach helps kids learn almost instantly how to write well-formed sentences. And because it's so simple, I can start it with primary kids and ELL students with limited English proficiency.

Every Writer Serves a Sentence

Take a look at this sentence:

On a bitter-cold winter morning, Malcolm Maxwell, a young man of simple means but good intentions, left the quiet country town in which he'd been raised and set off on the bold errand he'd been preparing for all his life.

Like all sentences, this one is made up of parts. In this system, there are four kinds of sentence parts:

1. Main Parts These parts contain the main action of the sentence: "Malcolm Maxwell,...left the quiet country town in which he'd been raised,...." (Notice that I don't have to call this a "main clause" or refer to a "main verb".)

2. Lead-In Parts These parts lead into other parts, especially main parts: "On a bitter-cold winter morning,...." (Notice that I don't have to worry about what Latin grammatical function this "phrase" performs. Is it "adverbial", "adjectival", "prepositional"? Who cares? Certainly not the kids!)

3. In-Between Parts These parts fall in between other parts. They feel like a slight interruption: "…a young man of simple means but good intentions,…." (Notice that I don't have to call this a "non-restrictive phrase or clause" or worry about things like "direct or indirect objects"; I can also avoid "subordination" here and when working with Lead-In Part as well.)

4. Add-On Parts These extra parts convey additional information about other parts: "…and set off on the bold errand he'd been preparing for all his life." (Notice that I don't have to worry about "compound, complex, and compound/complex sentences", nor do I have to explain "appositive constructions.")

Using this system, I can describe our model sentence like this: Lead-In + Main + In-Between + Main (continued) + Add-On.

New sentences can be created by combining different parts in different ways. To make longer sentences, more parts can be added. But it's surprising how effective we can be with just a few.

Six Simple Patterns

Here are six of the simpler patterns typical of those I use as models to help kids construct their own:

1. Intro + Main As class began, Mr. Funston dreamed of a winter vacation.

2. Main + Add-On He stared blankly at the blank faces of his students, convinced that he had nothing whatsoever to teach them.

3. Main + In-Between + Main The Lesser Antilles, he realized, would be the perfect place for a warm winter hiatus.

4. Main + Add-On + Add-On He saw himself on the beach, baking in the midday sun, enjoying tasty snacks and refreshing beverages.

5. Intro + In-Between + Main Ten minutes later, having dismissed his students early to lunch, he surfed the Net for a cheap trip to the West Indies.

6. Main + In-Between + Add-On Mr. Funston leaned back in his big teacher chair, forgetting about the twelve pounds he'd put on at Thanksgiving, and immediately tumbled backward into the October bulletin board he'd neglected to take down.

It Works in Reading, Too

By analyzing and describing sentences kids read, and using those patterns as additional models, students develop a robust repertoire of well-formed structures. I also use the system to teach combining and inversions.

I'm amazed at how well kids communicate by mastering six simple two- and three-part patterns like these. There are, of course, many more complicated structures I will teach them. But if they can learn these six, they'll be on their way.

This simplified sentence structure system is the spoonful of sugar that makes the medicine of traditional grammar go down. When students create and analyze well-formed sentences, they have a meaningful context for the mastery of concepts that might otherwise seem arcane.

This is only part of the sentence skills curriculum I teach. For a more complete view, see some word choice lessons, here for sentence structure lessons, andpunctuation lessons. Since grammar is the study of sentence construction, focusing on the sentence, in a way that doesn't depend on explicit grammatical knowledge, is the key to teaching an otherwise difficult set of concepts successfully to groups of diverse learners.

For a quick overview of major research studies going back to the 1930s on the inefficacy of traditional decontextualized grammar instruction, consult Chapter Two of Constance Weaver's "Teaching Grammar in Context".

© 1995-2011 by Teaching That Makes Sense, Inc. Used by permission. For more free teaching materials, visit Teaching That Makes Sense.

Senator Patty Murray says Literacy and LEARN are essential

Published Online: May 11, 2011

COMMENTARY

Literacy Education: The Foundation for All Learning

By Sen. Patty Murray

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There is a lot of talk these days about making sure that the United States remains competitive in the 21st-century global economy. Government officials and the business community are working on ways to create and maintain jobs in growing industries, and policymakers and others are trying to figure out how to make sure our schools are effectively preparing our students for the jobs of tomorrow.

These efforts certainly need to continue. But as a former preschool teacher and school board member, I know that if students don’t have a strong foundation in reading and writing, there is very little else we can do to help them succeed in the modern world. Literacy needs to come first, and it needs to get the strong and consistent support from the federal government that it deserves.

Every teacher and administrator understands that literacy issues are a serious concern. Unfortunately, they see it every day. Too many students are struggling in classes, not turning in homework, and falling further and further behind.

It is a terrible thing to see a child struggle like that, and it’s happening far too often. More than 8 million students in grades 4-12 read below grade level. Only 32 percent of America’s 8th grade students, and roughly the same percentage of 12th graders, meet standards for reading “proficiency” for their grade level, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

And this problem is even worse in low-income areas. Among low-income 8th graders, just 16 percent read at a proficient level. And in a typical high-poverty urban school, approximately half of incoming 9th graders read at a 6th or 7th grade level.

This is simply unacceptable. Children who are not at least modestly skilled readers by the end of 3rd grade are far less likely to graduate from high school. And we all know the devastating effects of not having a high school diploma on students’ future career prospects.

Unfortunately, however, the federal commitment to literacy education has been inconsistent and, frankly, inadequate. In just the last few years, federal literacy funding declined from almost $540 million in fiscal year 2008 to $147 million in 2009, up to $200 million in 2010, and then down to absolutely nothing in 2011.

This doesn’t make sense. How can districts, schools, or teachers plan their literacy programs when they have absolutely no idea how much support they can expect from the federal government? It’s not fair to them, and it’s not fair to the students who desperately need for these programs to work.

So I feel very strongly that the federal government needs to be a strong and consistent partner in literacy education. I worked closely with teachers, administrators, policy experts, and advocates to put together legislation that would make this a reality, and I was proud to recently introduce the product of that work, a bill called the Literacy Education for All, Results for the Nation, or LEARN, Act.

My bill would provide $2.35 billion in grants to fund state and local school-based literacy programs. This is a serious investment, but I believe it is one well worth making. First of all, there is the moral issue: Every child deserves to know how to read and write. But I also think that if we don’t take literacy seriously, we will end up facing far greater costs down the line in the form of reduced economic output from students who could have earned more and paid more taxes if they knew how to read and write, higher safety-net spending for their families, and, unfortunately, increased use of the criminal-justice system.

“I feel very strongly that the federal government needs to be a strong and consistent partner in literacy education.”

These grants would be used to fund literacy education at all grade levels, from birth through high school graduation. I have heard from so many parents and teachers who have told me stories about students whose reading and writing fell behind in their early years, and who were then never able to catch up. So the LEARN Act specifically dedicates resources for literacy instruction and high-quality support on a continuum across all ages and developmental and grade levels.

My bill would make sure that the federal government can be counted on to be a strong partner to states and local districts by providing resources needed for new as well as existing literacy programs. It provides states with the flexibility to make their own decisions on selecting district grantees based on student need and reading-test scores. And it makes sure these programs are held accountable for their outcomes by requiring a rigorous national evaluation that includes stringent conflict-of-interest restrictions for programs’ peer-review processes.

The LEARN Act would also enhance the role of states in improving literacy instruction by supporting state literacy-leadership teams composed of literacy experts and relevant stakeholders tasked with developing comprehensive state literacy plans that build upon promising practices already being implemented in many states.

Since I know how important teachers are in literacy education, my bill also provides high-quality professional development for instructional staff and school leaders so they can stay on the cutting edge and continue their outstanding work teaching our students.

And finally, it would ensure that literacy education is strong where it is needed most by targeting funding to low-income schools and schools with low literacy levels, and by providing additional support to address the specific learning needs of struggling readers and writers, including English-language learners and students with disabilities.

To sum up, the LEARN Act proposes a new comprehensive federal literacy program to make sure students have the literacy skills to succeed in school and their future careers. It will help ensure that high-quality literacy instruction starts early and continues through high school for students who need extra support. And it fills a critical void at an important time, as so many states and districts across the country face especially tight budgets.

Here in Congress, we are working to reauthorize and reform the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to guarantee that it is actually working for our students and schools. I urge my colleagues in Congress to take up this fight with me, to ensure that the students of today, who will be the workers of tomorrow, have the literacy support they need to succeed.

As a mom who proudly remembers my own children learning how to read and write, I believe strongly that every child deserves to be able to discover the joy of opening up a book and diving into a story. And in the 21st century, literacy is no longer a luxury, it’s an absolute necessity to succeed in school, in future careers, and in life.

Patty Murray is the senior U.S. senator from Washington state. She is a Democrat.

Finishing the Year Strong

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Finishing the School Year Strong

By Larry Ferlazzo

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This article is adapted from Helping Students Motivate Themselves: Practical Answers to Classroom Challenges by Larry Ferlazzo, just published by Eye on Education.

A teacher thinks: State testing is done, the weather is getting nicer, and we are all getting spring fever. There are six or seven weeks left of school and students are easily distracted. It’s even hard for me to stay focused. I don’t just want to "coast." What can I do?

Those last few weeks of school can be challenging, and it is understandable that both students and teachers would be tempted to "slack-off" a bit. However, it is important for the future of our students that we actually "step up" the quality and intensity of what is happening in our classrooms during that time period.

Nobel Prize winner Daniel Kahneman tells about an experiment done in the 1990’s when two groups of patients were given colonoscopies. One group "finished" when the procedure was completed. The other group stayed a while longer, believing the procedure was continuing when in fact it had ended—so the pain was gone or reduced dramatically. The first group described the procedure afterward as much less painful than the second group did, even though both groups had recorded similar levels of pain during the procedure except for the extra time provided the second group. Kahneman uses this example to explain that we have an "experiencing self" and a "remembering self."

The "remembering self" is comprised of the one or two "peak" moments we have had in a situation combined with how it ends (this is known as the "Peak/End Rule"). It is the remembering self that tends to stick with us and the one we use to frame future decisions.

From this perspective, what occurs in the final weeks of our classes will have a huge influence on how students feel about—and make future decisions related to—learning, schooling, the subject you are teaching, how they might feel about future teachers (and how they might feel about future male or female teachers, depending on your gender), showing leadership in a class, etc.

This time near the end of the year provides us the opportunity to help students finish strong, with a peak or two to remember as well. I have previously shared ideas on what we can do on the absolute last day of school. Here are a few suggestions on things we can do for students and ourselves during the final weeks.

Introducing the Idea of a Strong Finish

Students can reflect on these two questions, turning their answers into posters that can be hung around the classroom as reminders and shared with each other:

• What are three things you can do to help finish the school year strong academically?

• What is one thing you can do to help your classmates finish the year strong academically?

Students’ own unit plan: Have small groups of students identify a topic in which they have a high-degree of interest, prepare a full-fledged unit instructional plan on the topic, and then teach a portion to the class or to another small group. Allowing students to assume the teacher's role can be a strong motivator near the end of the school year. Students should use whatever engaging instructional methods have been previously used in the class.

Other cooperative learning projects: If a student-created unit plan does not sound like a good idea for some reason, other cooperative learning lessons and strategies, including problem-based and project-based learning, can be a good alternative. Here's my list of best sites.

Field trip—real and/or virtual: A local, or not-so-local, field trip can always be an energizer. Learning activities in the days leading-up to the trip that are specifically related to the trip—followed by reflections afterward—can provide a good week’s worth of engagement. Sometimes a "real" field trip can be challenging logistically and financially. But thanks to Web 2.0 technology, you can now have students create their own virtual field trips. There are many free websites that will let users easily create virtual field trips. Students can use these applications to visit places online, describe them, and show them to their classmates.

Other technology projects: In general, the end of the school year is a great time to take the leap and try out more technology integration in your classroom. Engage students with learning experiences that are a good fit with digital tools and techniques. Create online projects for "authentic audiences" where people other than the teacher can see and comment on them.

How Can Teachers Stay Energized?

The previous suggestions relate to how we can help our students stay focused. What can teachers do to keep their own teaching energy turned up? Here are a few ideas that are modified versions of what community organizers (I was one for 19 years) are often urged to do when they are feeling "burned-out":

Work fewer hours: By this time of the year, "throwing time" at school doesn’t pay dividends. Cutting back on outrageous work hours per week can often result in feeling more energized in the classroom.

Read a stimulating book: Finding an intellectually-stimulating book (or article) on teaching and learning might get you excited to try out some new things—even though it’s the end of the year.

Watch an intellectually stimulating video on the Web: Watching one of the numerousshort and thought-provoking videos on the Web from sites like TED Talks, The Big Think, Ignite, Big Ideas Fest or Pop!Tech is another option. These videos are free and showcase presentations by people who are doing some of the most "cutting-edge" thinking and working in the world.

Write something useful for other teachers: Whether it’s a blog post or a lesson plan to be shared (or something else), forcing yourself to craft something public can keep your mind sharp.

Make a point to eat lunch—individually—with teachers you don’t know well, but are impressed with: It can be energizing to meet with another teacher and learn why they chose this profession, what they’ve discovered about teaching and learning, what gives them energy, and to hear their "story."

Though we generally think of the word "end" as a conclusion, we should keep in mind it comes from the Greek word anti, which means "before." While we might think we're concluding the school year, we are really—much more importantly—setting students, and ourselves, up for what comes next.

Larry Ferlazzo teaches English at Luther Burbank High School in Sacramento, California. He writes a popular blog for teachers and is the author of three books. He also supportsa blog that shares ideas and resources to improve the school-parent relationship.

WEB ONLY

First Amendment Freedoms Essay Contest.

http://nieonline.com/chicago/2011FAFpromo.cfm

First Amendment Freedoms Essay Contest.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and Greenberg Traurig, LLP, in partnership with Chicago Tribune News In Education and The Mash announce the 2011 Our First Amendment Freedoms art and essay contest for students in grades 7 through 11. Students are asked to submit an essay or create a work of art that best addresses the following question: Describe or portray how one or more of the five freedoms in the First Amendment personally affects your daily life.

First Place winners in each grade category (7-8 and 9-11) will receive $1,000. Second place winners will receive $250. The classroom teacher with the most entries will be invited to the awards dinner and will receive $100. The school with the most entries will receive an Anti-Defamation League's A World of Difference(R) Institute educational workshop. Only one entry per student per category

Moonwalking with Einstein

This weekend, I finished Joshua Foer’s recent book, Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything. It’s a really enjoyable book with the author’s own training to compete in the U.S. Memory Championship serving as the main structural element. Lots about expertise and how memory and learning are intertwined. There were several things that made my teacher-brain perk up. Here’s a sample of things that made me think of student writers and student readers:

· Experts see the world differently. They notice things that non experts don't see; They home in on information that matters most, and have an almost automatic sense of what to do with it.

· In "deliberate practice"- you deliberately develop strategies for keeping out of the autonomous phase and in 'cognitive phase’ of skill acquisition. Amateur musicians spend practice times playing music, pros work thru tedious exercises or focus on specific, difficult parts of pieces.

· "When you want to get good at something, how you spend your time practicing is far more important than the amount of time you spend... to improve we must watch ourselves fail, and learn from our mistakes"

· Practice failing, says expertise expert K. Anders Ericsson... put yourself in the mind of someone far more competent at the task You're trying to master, and try to figure out how that person works through problems. For example: Ben Franklin used to read essays by great thinkers and try to reconstruct the author's argument according to BFS own' logic, then check

Let me know if you want to borrow the book!

This weekend, I finished Joshua Foer’s recent book, Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything. It’s a really enjoyable book with the author’s own training to compete in the U.S. Memory Championship serving as the main structural element. Lots about expertise and how memory and learning are intertwined. There were several things that made my teacher-brain perk up. Here’s a sample of things that made me think of student writers and student readers:

· Experts see the world differently. They notice things that non experts don't see; They home in on information that matters most, and have an almost automatic sense of what to do with it.

· In "deliberate practice"- you deliberately develop strategies for keeping out of the autonomous phase and in 'cognitive phase’ of skill acquisition. Amateur musicians spend practice times playing music, pros work thru tedious exercises or focus on specific, difficult parts of pieces.

· "When you want to get good at something, how you spend your time practicing is far more important than the amount of time you spend... to improve we must watch ourselves fail, and learn from our mistakes"

· Practice failing, says expertise expert K. Anders Ericsson... put yourself in the mind of someone far more competent at the task You're trying to master, and try to figure out how that person works through problems. For example: Ben Franklin used to read essays by great thinkers and try to reconstruct the author's argument according to BFS own' logic, then check

Let me know if you want to borrow the book!