Grammar Questions

Is our class enough for the school year?

Yes...and no.

Grammar is very complicated, and the more I learn, the more I don't know. It is truly like wrestling a giant octopus, only slightly more fun. (Yes, I did use the "fun" word!) As soon as I get a grasp on 5 of the legs, three more smack me in the face. So is our class enough? No class is ever enough, but our class provides a depth and breadth of content and teaching strategies for years of instruction with increasingly complex text! Grammar is a life-long study, and every program you use will add to your depth of knowledge. I keep adding to mine. Which leads me to the next question.

What do we do that is different?

Our class teaches you how we teach kids, and in this way, it is very different. We teach kids the way we think is most functional—the way we witness having the greatest impact on their reading comprehension, writing and editing skills, and test scores. For instance, we do not start by teaching the parts of speech. That information is at best tertiary, and most likely quaternary to reading comprehension and writing proficiency. It is not primary or even secondary. Every year we meet kids who have all the parts of speech memorized, but they are still confused. (Who isn't? Make a sentence complex enough, and everyone begins to debate, even grammarians!) We meet kids who fill out pages of grammar workbooks, yet they still can't apply the information to their own writing. So about three years ago I started switching it up, prioritizing my teaching according to what kids need to know and understand. Then we work our way to parts of speech, as needed.

By the way, we have research to back us up! In my field of Speech-Language Pathology, we are always looking for evidence-based practice that improves syntax skills. It is still a wide-open field of study, but the right approaches are getting good results. I combine what I learn with what I witness when working with students—then I share it with you in our Grammar & Mechanics Educator Class and through our Grammar Bugs instructional program.

What products support our class?

In our Grammar & Mechanics class, you will receive a document we use for teaching, one that follows our scope and sequence. In addition, we created our Grammar Bugs products as supplemental resources, in response to educator requests. The more we work with the bugs, the more we see it is a new way to diagram sentences—a functional way—which has far greater meaning and stickiness for students than a bunch of dangling lines. 

How can I get my kids to use what they learn?

The answer to this question is further addressed in our other Supportive Writing & Editing Educator Class. We teach grammar first, but we show kids how to apply it to their writing as they progress! Through our online classes, we can show you how. Each class addresses key areas of teaching, laying a path to learning!