Course description

Knowledge of grammar and mechanics does not a good writer make. In fact, just the opposite may be true. Grammar instruction in schools too often undermines students' linguistic confidence, implicitly teaching them that they don't know how to talk, much less how to write "correct" English.

The overarching goal of this course is to be able to explain, in both grammatical and nongrammatical terms, grammar and conventions to middle- and high-school students and to give them practice in mastering these areas in liberating, rather than debilitating, ways. We need to be able to nudge them along in their natural development as writers, helping them to expand their stylistic inventories as they come to write ever more syntactically sophisticated sentences ... which in turn require more than a passing acquaintance with the written conventions of Edited American English (EAE), the written dialect used in educational, professional, civic, and journalistic writing. In short, we need to help our students increase their sentence fluency and improve their command of EAE grammar and surface conventions—Traits 5 and 6 of the Six Traits. These two traits are interdependent, and we need to teach them interdependently in the context of each student's own writing.

Our approach will be descriptive rather prescriptive. Instead of just learning THE RULES that supposedly tell us what's correct and what isn't (that's the prescriptive approach), we'll be working to observe and describe the grammars of different Englishes in various speech communities. . . as well as the "rules" that individual writers have apparently (and mistakenly) internalized. We'll also see that writers aren't so "individual" in the kind of errors of they make; in fact, "errors" are signs of developmental growth that all writers at the same stage tend to make.

And, yes, we'll be learning traditional English grammar, including word classes, sentence parts and patterns, clauses and phrases. But, at the same time, we'll also work on out how to teach Traits 5 & 6 with minimal or no grammatical terms.

We will accomplish these goals by first, and last, looking at our own writing, self-assessing our own patterns of surface error and the misconceptions underlying those patterns. Other major assignments will include constructing and teaching minilessons; reading, blogging, and participating in "fishbowl" discussions; and—as the culminating project—putting together a scrapbook of "living grammar," chockfull of examples and analysis of authentic sentences.

Goals

In addition to the goals stated or implied in the Performance-Based Competencies, by the end of the course, we will

improve our own sentence fluency and mastery of the written conventions of EAE in our own writing
identify patterns—patterns of error, syntactic patterns, and grammatical patterns—in real student writing
practice determining a writer's internalized "rules"
identify basic grammatical terms so we can understand the WHYS of conventions and syntax
explain to students in both grammatical and nongrammatical terms why certain punctuation, wordings, and sentences are grammatically incorrect or stylistically inelegant or simply unclear, given the specific media, audience, or context of a particular piece of writing
figure out how to teach sentence fluency and grammar/conventions in ways that will help—not hinder—students' writing in EAE, teaching them interdependently and within the context of each student's writing, individualizing instruction
explain to our future colleagues and administrators, citing research, why we're teaching grammar this way—and not with workbook drills.
know the major events and consequences of those events in the history of our language

Required Texts

Weaver, Constance, ed. Lessons to Share on Teaching Grammar in Context. Heinemann, 1998.
Fine, Edith and Judith Josephson. More Nitty-Gritty Grammar. Ten Speed Press, 2001.
Course Pack

Evaluation (see links online for details on each component)

25% Weekly Blogs

25% Minilesson

25% Living Grammar Scrapbook

25% Daily Grade

Point/Grade Scale

100-93 = A

92-90 = A-

89-87 = B+

86-84 = B

83-80 = B-

79-77 = C+

76-74 = C

73-70 = C-

Attendance

You can miss two class periods without penalty. It doesn't matter if your absences are excused or not: you are not here and therefore not contributing to our collective efforts. Every additional absence beyond the first two will lower your grade by three points. If you have more than five absences—for any reason—you cannot pass the class.

Tardiness

Two tardies count as one absence. You are considered tardy if I have already taken roll before you walk in. If you are late, it is your responsibility to see me after class that same day to have your absence is changed to a tardy in my book.

Late Work

No late work accepted—except at Barbara's discretion and then only in extreme cases on major assignments. Daily work cannot be made up.

A Word about English 202

Upon completion of this course, you'll be eligible to be hired as tutors for English 202, a course in EAE conventions.

WSU Disability Statement

I am committed to providing assistance to help you be successful in this course. Reasonable accommodations are available for students with a documented disability. Please visit the Disability Resource Center (DRC) during the first two weeks of every semester to seek information or to qualify for accommodations. All accommodations must be approved through the DRC (Admin Annex Bldg, Rooms 205). Call 509 335 3417 to make an appointment with a disability counselor.

Academic Honesty
All students are expected to act in accordance with the WSU policies on Academic Honesty found in the Student Handbook. These policies include falsification of information, fabrication of information, plagiarism, multiple submission, and various others. Information about these policies can be found in the Handbook. For additional information on the plagiarism, see this great site: http://www.wsulibs.wsu.edu/plagiarism/