The Sixth Trait: What Conventions Should We Teach, and How Should We Teach Them?

1. The Sixth Trait: What Conventions Should We Teach, and How Should We Teach Them? Barbara Winicki, Ph.D. Governors State University Illinois Reading Council Conference March 17, 2011

2. The Sixth Trait • Six Traits Writing (Spandel) • Ideas • Organization • Voice • Word Choice • Sentence Fluency • Conventions

3. English Language Conventions • Grammar • Usage • Syntax • Sentence-level mechanics • Punctuation • Capitalization • Paragraphing • Spelling • Use conventions to support ideas & voice

4. Does Grammar Always Mean Rules and Diagramming? There are several types of grammar. • The one associated with rules and diagramming of sentences is usually referred to a Traditional School Grammar (TSG). • TSG has been found ineffective in supporting students’ writing (Hillocks).

5. Types of Grammar Prescriptive Grammars, including TSG • Prescriptive grammars consist of sets of rules governing how one should speak or write. • They were developed in the late 18th century and were based on Latin.

6. 6 Grammar Superstitions: The “Never Never Rules” (Haussamen, 2003) • The dreaded sentence-ending preposition • The abhorred split infinitive • The contraction of ill-repute • Three little words: and, but, so • The impudent I • The unconscionable You

7. Types of Grammar Descriptive grammars • Descriptive grammars are designed to describe a specific language. • Two subtypes: Structural grammar and Transformational/Generative grammar

8. Types of grammar Structural grammar • Describes a specific language product (utterance or text) at three linguistic levels: • Phonological (sound/symbol) • Morphological (word & word parts that carry meaning) • Syntactic (sentence structures; word order)

9. Types of Grammar Transformational/Generative grammar • Transformational/Generative grammars are designed to describe the tacit knowledge native speakers have regarding production of sentences, etc. • Process is focus.

10. Arguments for TSG • Grammar instruction will decrease errors in mechanics and usage. • Grammar instruction gives teachers and students a common vocabulary for discussing writing. • The NCTE states, “It is important that writing that goes public be ‘correct’.”

11. But … • The problem with these arguments for TSG is “the rules of traditional grammar are COIK, clear only if known” (Hartwell, 1985). • “If the student understands the error he has made, the problem is not grammar but proofreading” (Hillocks, McCabe, & McCampbell, 1971).

12. Moreover … • The NCTE states, “Too much emphasis on correctness can actually inhibit [writing] development.”

13. So … • So what should teachers of writing do regarding grammar and other conventions? • Weaver (1996) states, “We might reasonably expect our efforts [in grammar] to succeed best in two areas:

14. Two Areas • “Helping students revise for ‘correct’ or appropriate and effective grammar, punctuation, and usage” • “Helping them develop sentence sense, expand their repertoire of syntactic structures, and employ an increasing variety of syntactic structures for rhetorical effect” (Weaver, 1996, p. 104).

15. Conventions in Context • The NCTE states, “All of the dimensions of editing are motivated by a concern for an audience.” • “Each teacher must be knowledgeable enough about the entire landscape of writing instruction to guide particular students toward a goal, developing both increasing fluency in new contexts and mastery of conventions” (NCTE, 2004).

16. What Teachers Should Know • Teachers need to know more than their students, including the “language about language.” • Teachers need to know how help students in five areas of conventions, according to Weaver.

17. Weaver, Teaching Grammar in Context “A minimum of grammar for the maximum benefits” (1996, pp. 142-143)

18. Weaver, Teaching Grammar in Context 1.Concepts of subject, verb, sentence, clause, phrase, and related concepts for editing • For example: • Punctuate sentences • I.D. fragments • Verbs agree with their subjects

19. Basic Grammatical Concepts Needed to Explain … No comma in compound sentence: • Subject • Verb • Independent clause

20. Basic Grammatical Concepts Needed to Explain … Comma splice • Subject • Verb • Independent clause

21. Basic Grammatical Concepts Needed to Explain … Sentence fragment • Subject • Verb • Independent clause • Dependent clause • Phrase

22. Basic Grammatical Concepts Needed to Explain … Lack of subject-verb agreement • Subject • Verb

23. Basic Grammatical Concepts Needed to Explain … Run-on or fused sentence • Subject • Verb • Independent clause

24. Weaver, Teaching Grammar in Context 2.Teaching style through sentence combining and sentence generating • For example: • Combine for compound and complex sentences • Use free modifiers (appositives, etc.) • Qualifying clauses

25. Weaver, Teaching Grammar in Context 3.Sentence sense and style through manipulation of syntactic elements • For example: • Moving adverbial modifiers • Using parallel grammatical elements • Active and passive voices

26. Weaver, Teaching Grammar in Context 4.The Power of Dialect and Dialects of Power (Language of Wider Communication) • For example: • Teach when and where dialects are appropriate (code switching) • Help students edit, especially for Status Marking Errors.

27. Weaver, Teaching Grammar in Context 5.Punctuation and Mechanics for Convention, Clarity, and Style • For example: • Punctuation not associated with other categories above. • Use of punctuation for rhetorical and stylistic effect

28. A Few Suggestions Help students … • Develop a writer’s conscience in editing • Read mentor bookslike writers • Focus on status marking errors • Develop code switching ability • Develop syntactic repertoires

29. Developing a Writer’s Conscience through Proofreading Basic Editing • Editing Marks • Editing Checklists • Proofreading • Daily Oral Language • Student Writing Samples • Peer Editing • No. NV Wrtg. Project

30. Proofreading Activities Peer editing activities(No. NV Wrtg. Project) • Writer: Prepare draft for editing. • Editor 1: Misspelled words • Editor 2: Punctuation • Editor 3: Paragraphing, margins, handwriting

31. Focused Proofreading for Usage • Woe Is I, Jr. by Patricia O’Conner (2007) • For example, homophones: • It’s or its • Who’s or whose • Your or you’re

32. Developing a Writer’s Conscience through Proofreading Advanced Editing • Wordiness problems • Dr. Margaret Procter (University of Toronto) • Examples: • Overuse of relative structures (who, which, that) • Doubling of words (mutual agreement) • Breaking the rules for effect

33. Reading Like a Writer:Mentor Books • Reading and analysis of texts that mentor young writers • Example: Punctuating dialogue • Olivia (Falconer) • Wemberly Worried (Henkes) • Waterman’s Child (Mitchell & San Souci)

34. Mentor Text Sequence • Read mentor text • Examine mentor text for examples of target convention • Whole class brainstorm the observed “rules” for convention • Small groups examine other texts to cross check rules • Whole class sharing and consensus on rules

35. Reading Like a Writer:Mentor Books • Example: Conventions for captioning • Non-fiction magazines: • Cricket group of magazines • Click, Ask, Muse, Cobblestone • Kids Discover • National Geographic Kids • Ranger Rick

36. Status Marking Errors • Hairston (1981) study • “If you encountered the sentences in a report or business letter, would it lower your estimate of the writer, and how much?”

37. Status Marking Errors • Nonstandard verb forms in past or past participle • (brung for brought) • Lack of subject-verb agreement • (we was for we were) • Double negative • (never has been no one) • Objective pronoun as subject • (him and Tom are)

38. Very Serious Errors • Sentence fragments • Run-on sentences • Non-capitalization of proper nouns • “Would of” instead of “would have” • Lack of subject-verb agreement (non-status marking)

39. Very Serious Errors (cont’d.) • Insertion of comma between verb & compliment • Non-parallelism • Faulty adverb form • Use of transitive verb “set” for intransitive “sit”

40. Status Marking Errors & Code Switching • Explaining Why It’s Important • Subjective Reaction Scale (Simmons, 1991)

41. Demonstrating Code Switching Importance • Simmons, E.A. (1991). Ain’t we never gonna study no grammar? English Journal • “Assume that your are the personnel director in charge of hiring all employees for a large factory and that the following sentences were each written by different people applying for jobs.”

42. Demonstrating Code Switching Importance • “Assign to each statement the letter of the job you think the applicant qualifies for.” • A. Communications director • B. Office worker • C. Salesperson • D. Factory supervisor • E. Factory worker • F. None of these

43. Subjective Reaction Scale • Examples: • I gave him $30 & he only gave me back $5. • I got so mad I told her to bug off! • George say he in trouble over that report.

44. Code Switching Activity • Patricia McKissack’s Flossie and the Fox • How would the dialogue sound if they were to exchange codes (dialect)? • Is either code wrong?

45. Flossie Meets Fox • “Top of the morning to you, Little Missy,” the critter replied. “And what is your name?” • “I be Flossie Finley,” she answered with a proper curtsey. “I reckon I don’t know who you be either.” … • “I am a fox,” he announced …. “At your service.”

46. Developing Students’ Syntactic Repertoire Simple sentence combining • Patty loves animals. • Patty works at the zoo. • Snowmobiling is a great winter sport. • Snowmobiling can be dangerous.

47. Developing Students’ Syntactic Repertoire Sentence Combining with WH Words (Relative Pronouns): • The student will be first in line. • The student is the quietest. • Gail went to the Cell. • Gail is a huge White Sox fan.

48. Developing Students’ Syntactic Repertoire Sentence manipulation • The world language program has been reduced because the school district’s budget has been cut. • Because the school district’s budget has been cut, the world language program has been reduced. • Alice is the best cook in the family, and she is only ten. • Although she is only ten, Alice is the best cook in the family.

49. Guidelines for Teaching Grammar (Sugrue & Bruce, 2005) • Engage students in writing, writing, and more writing. • Immerse students in good literature, including literature that is particularly interesting or challenging syntactically. • Teach relevant aspects of grammar within the context of students’ writing. • Introduce only a minimum of terminology. Much of this terminology can be learned sufficiently through incidental exposure as your discuss selected words and structures in the context of literature and writing.

50. Guidelines for Teaching Grammar (Sugrue & Bruce, 2005) (cont’d.) • Emphasize those aspects of grammar (as appropriate to writers’ needs) that are particularly useful in helping students revise sentences to make them more effective. • Also emphasize (as appropriate to writers’ needs) those aspects of grammar that are particularly useful in helping students edit sentences for conventional mechanics and appropriateness. • Teach needed terms, structures, and skills when writers need them, ideally when they are ready to revise at the sentence level or to edit.