Bob Patrick has a question:
I am writing to the PLC because I think I have an insight, but I am also writing because this is a group of people I would trust to tell me that this is just insanity.
It’s Friday, the last day of exams and the semester. All my work is done. I’m off for the next 16 days. I’ve read all of my “student reviews” where they answer three questions for me: what has helped, what has not helped, and what one thing would you change so that it would help you acquire Latin more? I’ve made notes on what they told me. And, I’m in major reflection mode.
We all know (on this PLC) that teaching explicit grammar does not advance language acquisition. We also know that down the road, when it comes to output about which student want/ need to edit their own work, knowing the rules of grammar and having time to apply them is helpful. We also know that teaching and test grammar has no lasting value.
That’s the preamble. Here’s what I think is the insight.
- Teach them explicit grammar when they ask for it, and when everything in you just says–I have to show them this. Pop up grammar, yes, but occasional explicit grammar sessions as well, under the above conditions. Likely more in the upper levels than the lower. Still – use great self-restraint. We are not normal, and they are. We want to help normal students advance in the language.
- Tell them that whatever notes they want to take on this explicit grammar they can use when you do relaxed writes or extended writes. That’s how grammars are used, and they are creating their own little grammars–personalized grammar if you will.
- Don’t ever test them over it. Period. Teach it. Never test it.
I almost ran off the road when that hit me today. I can teach them all the grammar I want (under the above restrained conditions), and let them take and use all the notes they want to, and I won’t EVER test them on it (again–because I have in the past).
Insanity? Insight? Thoughts?
Bob
Robert Patrick, M.Div, PhD
NBCT-Latin
Metro-Atlanta, GA