This week revisits an old friend in data analysis. I have always been concerned with putting too much stock in data, because beauty is often in the eye of the beholder. My school district is data hungry, and I often question making decisions based on data returned in the form of surveys. In one sense, survey takers are often conflicted about having to take a survey, and consequently, results can be skewed. In another sense, I often wonder how the data is analyzed. The focus can often be misplaced, or areas are highlighted that ignore some obvious concerns.
What I have enjoyed with the Winns site is that the data seems a bit more black and white. Data based on standardized tests is hard to minipulate because of the uniformity of the test. With that said, my high school still finds a way to paint a picture that seems a bit too rosy for my taste.
As a language arts instructor, my focus has always been on making my students better writers. I have examined the data concerning student abilities in the areas of reading and language. As readers, my school has results that surpass or at least rival many schools. Language results, on the other hand, shows that we are woefully deficient. So I have to ask what causes my students to struggle in the area of language. My contention is that students have fallen behind in my district because grammar instruction is no longer emphasized in the classroom. Further investigation shows that many educators in my district claim to provide some form of grammar instruction for students, but when put to task, grammar instruction is more theory than reality. Some teachers incorporate small bits of grammar instruction, whereas other teachers avoid grammar like the plague.
From the data studied, I think it is fair to say that grammar instruction needs to be a priority in my district, and it is also evident that it should become very focused prior to the WKCE test during 10th grade. My department has decided to include formal grammar instruction during 9th grade, and to be continued throughout the high school experience.
I remember some national data that was gathered showing that grammar instruction didn't have an impact on student writing. I never saw the data, but read the conclusions with caution. I have always believed that there is a connection between grammar and writing abilitiy, and I think my high school's data supports my theory. I look forward to incorporating some "old school" grammar instruction at my school, and I will be curious to see what I think will be improvement in student scores in the area of language on standardized tests in the future.
I agree Ryan that grammar needs to be reintroduced in a formal way in the classroom. I'll jump back in time and say that many times I will write a passage and then scan and proofread to be sure that my message is clear both in content and in context. I believe that my grammar lessons have provided me the skill to make those assessments and write with clarity and conviction. I would further argue that with the informal writing of text messaging and emails, grammar falls by the wayside. In those text messages and emails that may be fine (depending on audience and intent) but when the grammar falls away in those venues - it also tends to fall away in other areas as well. I often get asked by students in science why it should make any difference to me if they use proper grammar? "I mean, it's just science, not English class" is the excuse. Finally, I'll end with the the old adage, "practice makes perfect". If we don't teach students to use proper grammar (and spelling and usage...) on a regular basis, they will have no opportunity to practice those skills and without practice, how can there be mastery?
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