3. WRITING NEXT (2007)
WRITING NEXT FOUND THAT TRADITIONAL GRAMMAR
INSTRUCTION WAS NOT EFFECTIVE AND CAN EVEN
HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON STUDENT WRITING
5. BIG IDEA: TEACH GRAMMAR IN CONTEXT
• ACCORDING TO A STUDY CONDUCTED BY FEARN AND FARNAN (2007), THEY FOUND THAT, “GRAMMAR
INSTRUCTION INFLUENCES WRITING PERFORMANCE WHEN GRAMMAR AND WRITING SHARE ONE
INSTRUCTIONAL CONTEXT” (P. 78)
• THIS IS ECHOED IN RESEARCH COMPLETED BY WEAVER AND BUSH (2006) AND ANDERSON (2006)
6. BIG IDEA: USE MENTOR TEXTS
• ANDERSON (2006) USES A METHOD THAT HE DESCRIBES AS “ZOOMING IN AND ZOOMING OUT”. HE
EXPLAINS:
ZOOMING IN ON A SENTENCE OR PARAGRAPH, I TEACH A CONCEPT SUCH AS COMMAS IN A SERIES.
WE LOOK AT EXAMPLES FROM BOOKS AND STUDENTS’ WRITING. WE PLAY AROUND WITH
COMMAS AFTER INTRODUCTIONS IN STUDENTS’ WRITING NOTEBOOKS. THEN WE ZOOM BACK
OUT TO THE ESSAY LEVEL ONCE STUDENTS SEE THE PATTERN AND APPLY WHAT THEY KNOW.
WE ZOOM IN AND OUT AS NEEDED (P. 29).
7. BIG IDEA: FUNCTION OVER DESCRIPTION
• FUNCTIONAL GRAMMAR TEACHES WHAT GRAMMARDOES
• DESCRIPTIVE GRAMMAR TEACHES WHAT GRAMMARIS
• WEAVER AND BUSH (2007) TAUGHT FUNCTIONAL GRAMMAR THROUGH STUDYING MENTOR TEXTS.
STUDENTS WERE ASKED TO IDENTIFY PATTERNS AND DISCUSS THE EFFECT OF THE GRAMMAR ON THE
WRITING.
8. INVITATION TO GRAMMAR STRATEGY (IGS)
• ANDERSON (2006) DEVELOPED IGS AS A WAY TO TEACH GRAMMAR IN CONTEXT BY FOCUSING ON THE
FUNCTION OF GRAMMAR THROUGH THE USE OF MENTOR TEXTS WITHIN A WRITING WORKSHOP MODEL
• INVITATION TO NOTICE
• INVITATION TO IMITATE
9. IGS FORMAT
DAY 1:
INVITATION TO NOTICE: MENTOR SENTENCES ARE COLLECTED FROM SHARED READING, TEACHER OR
STUDENT WRITING. STUDENTS ARE ASKED TO NOTICE HOW THE GRAMMAR CHOICES HAVE AN EFFECT ON
THE READER.
INVITATION TO IMITATE: STUDENTS ARE ASKED IMITATE THE GRAMMAR STRUCTURE. STUDENT SHARE
SENTENCES WITH CLASSMATES.
WORKSHOP: TEACHER USES STUDENT SENTENCES TO CONFERENCE WITH STUDENTS AS NEEDED
10. WHAT DO YOU NOTICE?
1. A. WE FINISHED UP IN THE KITCHEN. WE DRANK COFFEE AND TALKED.
B. “AFTER WE FINISHED UP IN THE KITCHEN, WE DRANK COFFEE AND TALKED.”
Day 1
2. A. I used the phone to call my mom and dad. I got in the car.
B. “Before I got in the car, I used the phone to call my mom and dad.”
3. A. I might not become president of the whole fifth grade. Would I ever run
my own company, bake cupcakes, or become a millionaire?
B. “If I didn’t become president of the whole fifth grade, could I ever run
my own company, bake cupcakes, and become a millionaire”
11. COMBINING SENTENCES
• USE A WORD ON THE LEFT TO COMBINE
THESE SENTENCE
1. THE DOG IS WET. WE WENT FOR A WALK.
2. IT MIGHT BE SUNNY TODAY. WE COULD
GO CAMPING.
3. I LOST MY TOOTH THREE DAYS AGO. THE
TOOTH FAIRY GAVE ME SOME MONEY.
Day 1
12. IGS FORMAT
DAY 2:
INVITATION TO NOTICE: MORE MENTOR SENTENCES AREPRESENTED PERHAPS INCLUDING ANOTHER LAYER
OR FUNCTION OF GRAMMAR BEING STUDIED.
INVITATION TO IMITATE:STUDENTS ARE ASKED TO IMITATE THE GRAMMAR STRUCTURE WITHIN THEIROWN
WRITING. STUDENT SHARE EXAMPLES WITH WRITING PARTNERS
WORKSHOP:ADDITIONAL CONFERENCES AS NEEDED
13. WHAT DO YOU NOTICE?
1. IF I HAD THE COURAGE TO MOVE TO A FOREIGN COUNTRY, CERTAINLY I COULD MUSTER
ENOUGH COURAGE TO WALK THROUGH THESE DOORS AND TRY TO MAKE SOME
FRIENDS.
2. CERTAINLY I COULD MUSTER ENOUGH COURAGE TO WALK THROUGH THESE DOORS
AND TRY TO MAKE SOME FRIENDS IF I HAD THE COURAGE TO MOVE TO A FOREIGN
COUNTRY.
Day 2
14. WHAT DO YOU NOTICE?
1. WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE ANIMAL SHELTER, I LOOKED AROUND FOR A CAT.
2. I LOOKED AROUND FOR A CAT WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
Day 2
15. YOUR TURN
•LOOK BACK THROUGH THE MEMOIRS YOU
HAVE STARTED
•FIND TWO SENTENCES YOU CAN COMBINE
OR ADD A NEW COMPLEX SENTENCE
Day 2
16. GRAMMAR TAUGHT
• SUBORDINATE CONJUNCTIONS
• CORRELATIVE CONJUNCTIONS
• COMMAS AND PARENTHESIS TO ADD INFORMATION TO SENTENCES
• SEMICOLONS
• ELLIPSES
17. Grade3 – BelowStandard(1 pt.) Grade4 – Approaching Standard (2
pts.)
Grade5 – Meeting Standard
(3 pts.)
Grade6 – Exceeding Standard (4
pts.)Avoidin
gRun-
onsand
fragmen
ts
There are many run-on
sentences and/or fragments.
There are a few run-on sentences
or fragments.
There are almost no run-on
sentences or fragments.
There are no run-on sentences
or fragments.
Complexandcompound
sentences
Uses coordinating and
subordinating conjunctions to
create compound and complex
sentences.
Uses coordinating and
subordinating conjunctions and
relative pronouns to create
compound and complex
sentences.
Uses coordinating,
subordinating, and
correlative conjunctions to
create compound and
complex sentences.
May also use relative
pronouns.
Uses a variety of conjunctions
and relative and abstract
pronouns for meaning,
reader/listener interest, and
style.
Punctuation
May have errors using basic
end-marks.
May have some significant
errors in punctuating complex
and compound sentences using
coordinating and subordinating
conjunctions.
Few errors with basic end-marks.
May have attempted more complex
punctuation to prevent run-on
sentences.
May have some errors in
punctuation when using
coordinating conjunctions,
subordinating conjunctions, or
relative pronouns to create
complex and compound
sentences.
Almost no errors with basic
end marks. Attempted to use a
variety of punctuation (such
as ellipses, parenthesis,
commas, and semi-colons) to
prevent run-on sentences.
Has few errors punctuating
compound and complex
sentences.
The student successfully uses a
variety of punctuation to
prevent run-ons.
Has almost no errors
punctuating compound and
complex sentences; chooses
punctuation to have an effect on
the reader/listener.
18. RESEARCH QUESTION
WILL INCLUDING IGS LESSONS WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF WRITING
WORKSHOP IMPROVE STUDENT GRAMMAR CONVENTIONS ON WRITTEN
ASSIGNMENTS?
20. AVOIDING FRAGMENTS AND RUN-ONS
PRE-TEST DATA
0
10
20
30
40
50
0 1 2 3 4
Student Performance Pre
Control Focus
POST-TEST DATA
0
20
40
60
80
0 1 2 3 4
Student Performance Post
Control Focus
Take Away: Both groups showed growth. Focus group performed better on the posttest compared to control
group.
21. COMPLEX AND COMPOUND SENTENCES
PRE-TEST DATA
0
20
40
60
80
0 1 2 3 4
Student Performance Pre
Control Focus
POST-TEST DATA
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
0 1 2 3 4
Student Performance Post
Control Focus
Take Away: Less growth for this criteria than others. Both groups grew. Focus group has about 30% at grade
level; control group has about 5% .
22. PUNCTUATION
PRE-TEST DATA
0
20
40
60
80
100
0 1 2 3 4
Student Performance Pre
Control Focus
POST-TEST DATA
0
10
20
30
40
50
0 1 2 3 4
Student Performance Post
Control Focus
Take Away: In general, control group maintained scores between pre and post tests. In contrast, the focus group
showed growth.
23. DATA SUMMARY
Growth Control Focus
No Growth Negative 27% 13%
0 27% 0 %
Low Growth +1 14% 25%
Moderate
Growth
+2 0% 29%
+3 27% 13%
High Growth +4 4.5% 4%
+5 0% 8%
+6 0% 8%
Control Focus
No Growth 54% 13%
Low Growth 14% 25%
Moderate
Growth
27% 42%
High Growth 4.5% 20%
Total
Growth
45.5% 87%
Overall, the IGS is an effective strategy for grammar instruction. The grammar instruction transferred to
student writing.
24. IMPLICATIONSAvoiding fragments and run-ons
• Both groups grew. Almost 90% of focus group
at or above grade level compared to about
65% for the control group
• IGS effective for this criteria
Complex and compound sentences
• Small growth in this area; majority of
students in both groups below grade level
• Break down skill into smaller parts to teach
with IGS strategy
Punctuation
• Control group maintained scores; focus group
grew
• About 50% of students in the focus group at or
above grade level on post test compared to
about 12% in the control group
• Small group instruction for punctuation
needed for students below grade level
Overall
• IGS is an effective strategy for grammar
instruction; grammar instruction transferred to
student writing
25. FEEDBACK AND NEXT STEPS
• WHAT ARE SOME WONDERINGS YOU HAVE ABOUT THE DATA SUMMARY AND THE IMPLICATIONS?
• DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL IMPLICATIONS TO ADD? PLEASE EXPLAIN.
• WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS DO YOU HAVE FOR NEXT STEPS?
• ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS
26. REFERENCES
ANDERSON, J. (2006). ZOOMING IN AND ZOOMING OUT: PUTTING GRAMMAR IN
CONTEXT INTO CONTEXT. THE ENGLISH JOURNAL, (5). 28.
CARNEGIE CORPORATION OF NEW YORK (2007). WRITING NEXT: EFFECTIVE
STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE WRITING OF ADOLESCENTS IN MIDDLE AND HIGH
SCHOOLS. NEW YORK, NY: GRAHAM, S., & PERIN, D.
FEARN, L., & FARNAN, N. (2007). WHEN IS A VERB? USING FUNCTIONAL GRAMMAR TO
TEACH WRITING. JOURNAL OF BASIC WRITING (CUNY),26(1), 63-87.
WEAVER, C., BUSH, J., ANDERSON, J., & BILLS, P. (2006). GRAMMAR INTERTWINED
THROUGHOUT THE WRITING PROCESS: AN "INCH WIDE AND A MILE DEEP". ENGLISH
TEACHING: PRACTICE & CRITIQUE (UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO), 5(1), 77-101.
