Essay On Teaching Grammar Skills

Improved Essays
Section ONE
• Students will practice grammar skills and the teaching of grammar
Throughout discussions in class and reading our textbook, Grammar to Enrich and Enhance Writing, the most useful and reoccurring theme was that “teaching grammar in isolation from writing – that is teaching the grammar book instead of helping writers write – has been found again and again to have little if any positive effects on most students writing” (Weaver, 261). It is important that we as educators see the trends of teachers failing to deviate from the somewhat ineffective way in which they were taught, and break them by specializing our curriculum to our individual students. When teaching out classes, we have to take a step back and insure that we are teaching
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I thought it was interesting in chapter 1 of our textbook that they are shifting from using the statement, “teaching grammar in the context of writing,” to “teaching grammar in conjunction with writing,” in order to open up the possibilities even wider (8). I think this is also a great opportunity to develop vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension, due to the fact that students are immersed in writing to the point that they become comfortable with higher forms of literature. In chapter 15 of our textbook, Krashen and Allington were quoted stating, “Immersion enriches student thinking, helps build vocabulary, provides models of writing, and helps students become better speakers, readers, and writers” (Krashen, 2003; Allington, 2006; …show more content…
In chapter 15, the textbook states, “For our students to view themselves as writers, we must first immerse them in a literary rich environment connected to what we are studying” (266). It is so important that we give our students the opportunity to fail in order to build their own personal efficacy of who they are as writers. When discussing chapter 2 in class, we brought up the concept that content is more important than grammar when our students are first jumping into writing. While we should never give up and allow our students to make reoccurring mistakes, it is important that when producing their own language that they have the autonomy to try on some of the various grammar techniques in order for them to truly get the feel of what it means to write well. Just as there is a huge difference between watching someone riding a bike and actually taking part in riding, creating meaning throughout our students writing takes the same

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