GRAMMAR TIP OF THE MONTH:
CONJUNCTIONS! WHAT'S YOUR FUNCTION?!
To teach grammar or not to teach grammar? That is the question! Although the answer varies, I believe that grammar will come naturally when learning to read, write, speak and listen in a new language. However, there are certainly times when direct and explicit instruction of grammar has its place.
CONJUNCTION- What's Your Function??!!! I believe that one beneficial skill of reading, writing, and speaking is for English learners to understand the value and uses of the CONJUNCTION. Like many kids in the '90's, I first learned to love the conjunction via "School House Rock," which was a catchy tune to explain the uses of those little words! I hope these tips & activities will give you some good ideas of how to incorporate these tiny words into your lessons to improve students writing, reading, and speaking fluency! |
conjunction practice activities
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5 best online resources
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What the research says...Here are a few thoughts from the experts on grammar…
Martha Kolln, Author of Grammar Alive! states: "Our students need to learn the structure of their language in a conscious and systematic way, starting with basic sentences. … Students should understand the form and function of the various elements, those that are required and those that are optional. They should understand the movable elements; they should discover the way that punctuation works to combine and separate the elements; they should understand modification and subordination... "This kind of conscious knowledge gives writers the confidence to experiment, to try new stylistic devices, and to appreciate their own linguistic expertise. And this description of grammar should be grounded in that linguistic expertise, whether they are native speakers of English or second-language learners." Constance Weaver, author of Grammar for Teachers: Perspectives and Definitions (NCTE, 1979), believes that students should be able to play with their sentence structures, and editing. "It's a gradual process, not instant perfection." Rei R. Noguchi, author of Grammar and the Teaching of Writing: Limits and Possibilities (NCTE, 1991), says that teaching grammar doesn't always improve writing: "Good grammar can contribute to good writing, but grammar is only one part of writing, not the whole. As it is traditionally viewed and taught, grammar can contribute most in the area of style but very little in the areas of content and organization, areas that have far more influence in improving overall writing quality. . . . " We need language instruction that connects more directly and significantly with writing improvement or, as I have been arguing, principles rather than just rules." *These resources were found through the National Council on Teachers of English Association (NCTE)* |