[EDLING:487] Grammar Is Imperative Under No Child Left Behind

[Francis M Hult]

http://www.ed.gov/news/newsletters/extracredit/2004/11/1122.html

Grammar Is Imperative Under No Child Left Behind

The following are excerpts from a recent article in The Baltimore Sun
(Nov. 21, 2004) highlighting the importance the school system is placing
on grammar in the classroom.

"Carroll County's (MD) English teachers are dusting off their grammar
books as part of the school system's effort to bolster students' writing
and reading skills.

"For nearly four decades, grammar instruction was discouraged in school
systems across the nation…But in a back-to-basics move, school officials
are emphasizing the need for students to learn grammar as the key to
developing strong writing skills.

"'Students need to have the type of skills for written communication that
are going to keep people from judging them inaccurately,' said Brian
Wienholt, supervisor of middle school reading and language arts. 'If
students have poor grammatical skills on resumes or applications, people
will judge them as lacking intelligence. Unfortunately, that's the
reality."'

"English teachers, who gathered recently for a professional development
session on grammar instruction, learned about 'teaching the new grammar,'
….

"The Board of Education recognizes that grammatically correct writing is
essential to student success in school, in the workplace…according to the
board's policy statement….

"In the mid-1980s, the National Council of Teachers of English officially
discouraged grammar instruction, she said. The council has since begun to
retreat from that position.

"Kolln points to the federal No Child Left Behind Act, state assessments,
and their emphasis on testing to measure achievement as a key reason for
the resurgence of grammar instruction…."

"Jayman said that while students might do better on standardized testing
because of the county's efforts, the bottom line is 'they're going to be
better communicators. They need to be able to speak and to write, to
communicate for a wide variety of audiences,' she said. 'People do judge
us by the way we communicate.'"

For the entire article, please clink on the link:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/carroll/bal-ca.grammar21nov21,0,10
53547,print.story?coll=bal-local-carroll