Grammar for Writing South Hampstead High School Susie Wilson Teaching and Learning Co-Ordinator – Research Lead Teacher of English, Latin and Classical.
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Grammar for WritingSouth Hampstead High
SchoolSusie Wilson
Teaching and Learning Co-Ordinator – Research LeadTeacher of English, Latin and Classical Civilisation
s.wilson@shhs.gdst.net
Encouraging a relationship for students with grammar acknowledging: Grammar as a part of writing as making
sense. Grammar as it occurs in the real world of
literature. Grammar as something we talk about when
we talk about our own writing. Playfulness as a powerful force. Justifying your choices as key to awareness
of effect.
Debra Myhill, G4W, Exeter Uni.
Hmm, where do we start with the objectives we choose to teach in English at KS3? Make a list of the most complained about errors? Take an index from a textbook and work through it? Stick to just what we know how to do best? Use a National Curriculum list? Split up grammar into nonsensical Nat Cur levels? Consider which elements are independent or
dependent? Follow the foci already established in another
language?
Grammar across Latin and English
As endorsed by Debra Myhill !
Based on first language acquisition principles – absorption and awareness raising of grammar through rapid, extensive reading and investigation of language patterns in context.
Driven by story, discovery and context, so grammar knowledge becomes the means of making sense of what we already want to know.
Annoys some by delaying full introduction of cases and grammatical constructions, but very helpfully
introduces the elements of basic of sentence construction bit by bit, methodically.
Cambridge Latin Course – wot I learnt last year…
When the learner has mentally repeated the thinking process, in a meaningful way, three times or more, a good memory is formed.
The only element in common across a large number of studies which was replicable outside particular classrooms.
The entire net of information needed for a concept must be repeated.
Cambridge Latin Course attempts this cyclically. Repetition across subjects would also do it…
Graham Nuthall on Repetition
Dependent and independent learning If it’s independent, you can learn it any time,
anyhow (usual research about learning applying!) But if it’s dependent, you won’t master it until you
know the pre-requisites, which may be either dependent or independent
E.g. the alphabet order you can learn on its own. But you can’t use an alphabetical index until you know the order of the alphabet
So students arguably need to learn smaller or base functional grammar blocks before larger ones
Madeline Hunter – Mastery Teaching
Across one year – for us at present both Y7 and Y8 So that teaching in English tracks teaching in Latin English teachers able to use Latin metalanguage Grammar for Writing method in English, so that we
explore the effects of grammar in context and using it ourselves to create great writing, learning grammar along the way
Students have a consistent experience discussing sentence construction and grammar function in both subjects, as a tool for helping them make sense
Mapped objectives – CLC + what we might need in English
SHHS Planning Principles – Myhill + CLC + Nuthall + Mastery
Start small and build up – mastering concepts and choices > surface knowledgeBe honest about complexity from the start - no oversimplification e.g. verb = doing wordFocus - don’t waste time explaining a concept when experiencing it later works betterBe authentic – use real texts at all times, since they contain the necessary complications Employ accurate metalanguage usefully, but do not define, test or foreground over effectUse continuity across subjects, tracking investigation along other learning (Latin + MFL)Revisit the same grammatical construction repeatedly over time, with gaps between
CLC Stages 1-4Nouns and verbs
Subject, verb, objectSentences =
subject+main verbFull stops and capitals
NEED TO DO THIS BEFORE COMMAS
BECAUSE COMMAS ARE ABOUT CLAUSES NOT PAUSES
Added opportunities in English e.g.
moods: declaratory, exclam
atory,
interrogatory…
Need to wait to introduce in English
what has become clear in Latin?
Lines Composed Upon Westminster Bridge, Wordsworth. Read poem in excitable way, staring out across London from the 7th floor of your new building to rapt kids.They then
wonderingly mouth the nouns, one by one in a circle… Teacher asks who is doing what in this poem, which elicits discussion of the poet’s attitude, how the landscape and
the light seem to take over the activities of the poem and perhaps also use of the terms subject and object to distinguish the passer by from the city
On yellow paper, students select 3 favourite nouns or noun phrases – teacher uses some Latin equivalents too? They trade their nouns according to connotation value We all share and wonder some more at the useful specific connotations of nouns – the multitude of ‘things’ brought to
mind by them Then we identify verbs and notice that several are used as adjectives e.g. ‘glittering’. We notice how they animate the
landscape. – teacher references where nouns usually come in Latin sentences, with some examples. Students pick some verbs they like and write them on blue bits of paper Students then in small groups compose a new poem out of their yellow and blue bits of paper (with necessary
additions to make it make sense), concentrating on what they can bring to life. We all share some and wonder some more, commenting on the effect of the noun verb combos
Students then stare out of the window again/visualise and make lists of nouns/noun phrases, followed by some vivid animating verbs
Students then individually write their own poems, trying to bring a familiar landscape to life and to create awe and wonder through the combination of nouns and verbs
WARNING CHALLENGE – MAKE YOUR POEM FIT INTO GRAMMATICAL SENTENCES OR SEGMENTS ONCE YOU HAVE IT BEGINNING TO FORM INTO SECTIONS OF TEXT
Homework: post it on VLE to share (berate students who do not do so with careful attention to punctuation ; ) or revert to acrostics / adjectives ).
Follow up: students write whole sentences of their poems onto long strips of paper they then bend round to form lines of a poem/ cut up and re-postion, whilst maintaining full sentence grammar, or knowingly flouting this. This occasions discussion of the difference between a sentence and a line of poetry and elicits justification of the relationships between noun phrases and verbs, plus revision of subject, verb object.
Example 1 – Lines composed on the 7th Floor out of noun phrases and verbs
The soul of the cityLying open to the world.The clouds float the river By the domes of the sun.
Deeper is the silence,Bare yet sweet.The cool of the smoke On the breath of the moon.
The city (lines composed on the 7th floor)
Georgie C., Y8
The city is a jigsawwith edges and curvesA stone jungle of grey towering over the worldFumes pour out of carslike blood from a woundWhispers of green shout to be heardStill yet so franticsilent yet boomingWhen life seems to freezethe city keeps moving
A less punctuated, but more noun and verb heavy poetic exploration…
Imogen K., Y8
Lines half composed from the 7th floor-
The floor wears reflections, bright white garments.Mirroring the subtle changes of the ocean above.The clouds project their changing emotionsrapidly onto my surrounding canvas.Roads and buildings are tightly woveninto the uneven fabric of a conscious city.The advantage of heightbrings with it a stark view.So many signs of life.Yet no signs at all of those responsible.
The real deal…
Jane B., Y8
Locate two characters in a play who speak in co-ordinating sentences and find 5 examples for each.
Locate two more who speak mainly in sub-ordinating sentences and find 5 examples.
E.g. The Crucible Mary Warren and Giles versus Judge Danforth. The co-ordinators are simple but truthful and the sub-ordinator abuses his power and is complex but ultimately unjust and deluded.
Requires prior understanding of simple sentences formed out of subject and main verb, with perhaps object.
Example 2 – co-ordinating or sub-ordinating sentences character study
Have the girls surprised you in any way, for example by mentioning knowledge from other subjects, or being better or worse informed about grammar than you had realised?
Not sure how successfully they joined up dots between Latin and English.
In any one class it is possible to be surprised by the sophistication of one student and the lack of understanding shown by another. I find classicists tend to talk with confidence about clauses and tenses.
Although I have not deliberately planned these lessons for years 10 and 11, when grammatical concepts have come up, I have been impressed by those studying Latin. They tend to be the students who are capable of discussing language structures with precision.
They have cottoned on quickly... I also hope their increased awareness will help in their own writing.
What have teachers noticed from Latin in English?
Time for planning Time for teaching – no need for relentless lessons,
but does need to build up and be revisited Teachers’ grammar knowledge Old habits die hard… How to assess progress How to mark How to support within Latin How to support in other subjects as yet unlinked…
Issues arising…
Keep it fun and engaging Refine list of objectives, tracking much more simplified foci
across several subjects, but staying functional Track repetition of objectives and optimum revision/recurrence Somehow, someone to integrate grammar lessons into English
SOWs tracking Latin SOWs (somewhere over the rainbow) Dept to save lesson plans in one place, to share! Provide time for planning – together / individually Agree common language across subjects e.g. co-ordinating/sub-
ordinating? Focus on subject, verb, object sentence unit analysis? Provide time for teaching each other grammar Tackle the assessment and marking behemoth – how do we and
they know how they are getting on?
To Do…
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