Restricting grammar instruction to situational and individual contexts has become the standard “best practice” in the field of composition studies. However, this presentation will show that following grammar instruction with a discourse analysis assignment can give students the tools to come to a deeper understanding of their own writing tendencies

LoBue, Nan S

English

Georgia Southern University: Digital Commons@Georgia Southern

Georgia Southern University Digital Commons@Georgia Southern Student Success in Writing Conference Mar 11th, 9:00 AM - 9:50 AM Discourse Analysis: A Bridge between Grammar Instruction and Writing Practice Nan S. LoBue Georgia Southern University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/sswc Recommended Citation LoBue, Nan S., "Discourse Analysis: A Bridge between Grammar Instruction and Writing Practice" (2016). Student Success in Writing Conference. 56. https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/sswc/2016/2016/56 This presentation (open access) is brought to you for free and open access by the Conferences & Events at Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. It has been accepted for inclusion in Student Success in Writing Conference by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. For more information, please contact digitalcommons@georgiasouthern.edu. Discourse Analysis: A Bridge between Grammar Instruction and Writing PracticeNAN S. LOBUE,GEORGIA SOUTHERN UNIVERSITYPrepared for the Student Success in Writing ConferenceMarch 11, 2016Coastal Georgia CenterSavannah, GeorgiaWhy Teach Grammar?Traditional Arguments in FavorThe study of grammar…“is important because language is the supreme human achievement that deserves to be studied as such”(Weaver 7).“…can be an important vehicle for learning to study something the way a scientist does” (Weaver 7).“…will help students score better on standardized tests that include grammar, usage, and punctuation” (Weaver 8).“…will help people master another language more readily” (Weaver 8).“…will help people master the socially prestigious conventions of spoken and/or written usage” (Weaver 8).“…will help people become better users of the language, that is, more effective as listeners and speakers, and especially as readers and writers” (Weaver 8).Arguments AgainstStudies arguing that the study of formal grammar does not improve writing skill“have appeared in increasing numbers in the last half of this [20th] century. A sampling includes studies by DeBoer (1959), Meckel (1963), Elley et al. (1976), Falk (1979), Tabbert (1984), Hartwell (1985), and Sanborn (1986)” (Noguchi 2).Definitive View within the Field“In view of the widespread agreement of research studies based upon many types of students and teachers, the conclusion can be stated in strong and unqualified terms: the teaching of formal grammar has a negligible or, because it usually displaces some instruction and practice in actual composition, even a harmful effect on the improvement in writing” (Braddock et al. qtd in Noguchi 2, emphasis mine).Why Teaching Traditional Grammar Doesn’t Work“Much of what is traditionally taught—identifying parts of speech and their functions in sentences, kinds of verbs and sentence types, and so-forth—has little relevance to writing itself” (Weaver 102).“The grammatical system is so complex that it is not easily learned or well learned” (Weaver 103).“Many students find the formal study of grammar boring; therefore, they do not really learn it” (Weaver 103).“The grammar, even when learned, is not applied in writing situations where it would be appropriate” (Weaver 103).Traditional grammar texts equate learning with practice and habit formation. This theory of learning may apply to taking tests but not to application in writing (Weaver 103-4).Current Accepted Best Practice:Teaching Grammar in ContextGuidelines“Engage students in writing, writing, and more writing” (Weaver 141).“Immerse students in good literature, including literature that is particularly interesting or challenging syntactically” (Weaver 144).“Teach those relevant aspects of grammar within the contexts of students’ writing” (Weaver 144).“Introduce only a minimum of terminology, much of which can be learned sufficiently through incidental exposure” (Weaver 144).“Emphasize (as appropriate to writers’ needs) those aspects of grammar that are particularly useful in helping students revise sentences to make them more effective…[and]…in helping students edit sentences for conventional mechanics and appropriateness” (Weaver 145).“Teach needed terms, structures, and skills when writers need them, ideally when they are ready to revise at the sentence level or to edit” (Weaver 145).“Reserve a thorough study of grammar for elective courses or perhaps units” (Weaver 144).WRIT 2430: Essential Grammar for Writers (an elective)This course is taken by students who can be grouped into categories:Remedial WritersFuture Language Arts teachers“Word Nerds”WRIT 2430 assignments includeTraditional grammar instruction (including tests)Several short personal essaysDiscussions/readings on linguistic theoryPresentation of grammatical “nemesis”Discourse analysisDiscourse AnalysisAssignment asks students to look closely at a piece of their writing to help them recognize how they typically write. While the assignment asks them to draw conclusions about their writing from one “typical” piece, we do acknowledge that style, voice, syntax varies greatly depending on the rhetorical situation.Students are asked to complete the following steps:• Select one of the three pieces of writing that they have completed already.• Choose a paragraph or section of the piece that they want to work with (at least 250 words). • Copy this paragraph or section into a Word document, and number each sentence, allowing plenty of room.Students then analyze the paragraph or section based on the following items:• the types of sentences by structure (simple, compound, complex, compound-complex)• the type of main sentence verb for each sentence (action or linking)• the voice of the main sentence verb for each sentence (active or passive)• the sentences that have examples of these introductory structures before the subject of the sentence (Dependent Clause, Participial Phrase, Infinitive Phrase, long Prepositional Phrase of 5 words or more)They then write a brief account of what they see, answering the following:• Does the paragraph have little in the way of sentence variety because the sentences almost all start with the subject?  • Does the paragraph rely a lot on linking verbs rather than action verbs?  • Does the paragraph suggest that they rely heavily on simple sentences?  • Do they make heavy use of the passive voice?Last, students are required to revise the selection they analyzed. Style is affected by the writer’s purpose, audience, and genre and that passive voice and linking verbs are grammatically correct structures.However, I encourage students to use sentence variety, varied openings to sentences, action verbs rather than linking verbs, and active voice rather than passive voice most of the time.  Student sample for analysisMy fantasy is a simple one, and yet it is the biggest dream of mine that I have ever had. I want to be a teacher, and I have wanted to be a teacher since third grade. My fantasy is to have my own classroom and have the freedom to teach my students my way. I want to use what I have learned as a student myself and pass on my passion of learning to students. I have wanted to be a teacher for so long that I cannot imagine myself doing anything else. It is surreal to me that my fantasy actually gets to come true and will come true within the next few years. I want to teach reading and language arts which have always been my favorite subjects in school. I want my students to be enthusiastic about reading and find what they enjoy in a book.My comments on original pieceWell, it’s really nice that someone has a realistic fantasy. I’m also so glad that you are motivated by a passion to teach. I see so many kids turn to an education major because other things they have aspired to did not work out.Your writing is clear, but I’d like to see you work on developing more sentence variety. Try to use introductory phrases and clauses now and then, for example.Student Reflection after Discourse AnalysisIn my section I see that most of my sentences have linking verbs or forms of to be and not many action verbs. I notice that most of my sentences either start with “I” or “My fantasy” which gets repetitive, and none of my sentences have examples of introductory structures. I have a lot of simple sentences with compound subjects which make it seem like they are complex when they are not. I see now that although this paper sounded fine when I submitted it the first time, it needed a lot of work and revision before its final submission.Thank Youto Phyllis Dallas, Georgia Southern colleague, who designed this assignmentWorks CitedNoguchi, Rei. Grammar and the Teaching of Writing: Limits and Possibilities. Urbana, IL: NCTE, 1991.Weaver, Constance. TeachingGrammar in Context. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 1996.Student work used by permission.

Discourse Analysis: A Bridge between Grammar Instruction and Writing Practice

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Discourse Analysis: A Bridge between Grammar Instruction and Writing Practice

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