Hogwash & Humbug

I was told the other day, that "they've" done studies which show that grammar work in class is unproductive. And, spelling is also apparently ineffective. Kids learn more about grammar and spelling from reading, so their time is best used with literacy. Apparently, even though they are in early grades, and they're focused mostly on decoding, kids are able to see grammatical structure in the language that they read. And, they can duplicate it in their own writing. It's just like magic!

I grew up and attended elementary school during the 1970's era of whole language. We didn't study grammar, and we didn't worry too much about spelling. I loved reading. I spent a great deal of class time doing reading activities. And, we worked on penmanship a lot.

Unfortunately, only one teacher in all of my years taught me grammar. Mrs. Mendes was my 7th grade English teacher. None of my high school teachers did. We just read novels, poems, and watched movies. In college, I had to take a remedial English class. Apparently, many of the freshman English classes became remedial, after all of the whole language students arrived with terrible writing skills.

In 7th grade, I started taking French. We tackled vocabulary, spelling, and grammar. It is through middle school French, that I learned the mechanics of the English language for the first time. Then, I headed off to high school French. We spent a lot of time reading dialogues, and practicing our speaking. My French regressed. In college, I got back on track. We were assigned 100 words to learn per week. And, we dug deep into learning the patterns of French. By year two, I was able to start reading novels. My teachers demanded essays. And, I even started dreaming in French.

I realize that our brain acquires language through reading. But, it just isn't enough. When grammar and spelling are lacking, writing greatly suffers. So, "they" may have done studies, but to be honest, I've done personal study. I know that grammar is beneficial. Studying spelling helps students to see the patterns of English (which, by the way are often irregular and difficult). Many elementary school students are learning English as a second language. They need the grammar and spelling support, just as I needed that explicit instruction in French class.

This is my 21st year in the classroom. Kids that have explicit, systematic grammar and spelling instruction have the tools they need to speak and write well. They know how to express themselves in complete sentences. It's like painting with a fine sable brush, compared to finger painting.

Rant over.