NCTE continued: Finding a Place for Grammar

Grammar has never been my strong suit. I really didn't learn the parts of speech until I began learning a foreign language - it finally made sense then. When I read the in the NCTE program that Amy Benjamin and Joan Berger were hosting a presentation titled "Teaching Grammar: What Really Works" I knew I had to be there!

Amy Benjamin started with this analogy: Most people use a hammer and nails to fix things, but you can also use them to BUILD things. Using grammar to build meaning - give writing detail, depth and dimension. Wow! That makes sense!

She focused on prepositional phrases, adverbials and appositives (just what I needed.) She explained and showed how these grammar elements give info about where and when, what kind or which one - providing details depth and dimension. Varying where they appear in the sentence structure also has a way of providing depth and dimension.I love how she used examples from authentic texts, and now while reading independently, prepositions, adverbials and appositives jump out at me.

My Aha moment with Joan Bauer came when she talked about creating a grammar calendar...(why didn't I think of that!) We have developed curriculum calendars for reading and writing - why not grammar? She outlined a simple plausible schedule that wouldn't overwhelm me or the kids:
Sept - simple and compound sentences

Oct - Adverb Clause

Nov - review above

Dec - Adjective Clauses and Appositives

Jan - continue Adj Clauses and Appositives

Focusing on one or two concepts a month is definitely doable.

Looking at grammar in small chunks and in context makes sense and works!