Using Mentor Text to Using Mentor Text to Teach Grammar in Teach Grammar in

ContextContext

Using Mentor Text to Using Mentor Text to Teach Grammar in Teach Grammar in

ContextContextBen BaileyBen Bailey

Lake Michigan Writing Project 2013Lake Michigan Writing Project 2013

Who I am• Sixth-grade teacher going into my

8th year with my own classroom• Teach Science, Reading and ELA• Spent several years as a

reporter/editor• Went back to school for certification• Masters in Education

Why this is important to me

• Noticed a need with my last class• Something I get excited about• Want to teach it correctly

What would you name this punctuation mark?

Invitation to write• In the next few minutes, write

about a time that you really understood how grammar is supposed to be used (either in a lesson, something you read, individual instruction, or some other way)

What doesn’t work• Spent a lot of reading time

Constance Weaver• Her meta-analysis shows that

having grammar lessons doesn't work

• Worksheets not tied in to writing• DOL correct-alls

Studies show no correlation

• In 1936, the Curriculum Commission of the National Council of Teachers of English recommended that "all teaching of grammar separate from the manipulation of sentences be discontinued ... since every scientific attempt to prove that knowledge of grammar is useful has failed."

• Macauley, 1947• DeBoer, 1959• Elley, 1976• McQuade, 1980

Mechanically Inclined• Gives lessons and strategies for

teaching grammar in context• Ties in with writing workshop• Handbook in back so teachers can

understand what is going on• There are lots of pictures, charts,

and visuals.

Philosophy• Normally writers' craft and

mechanics taught independently• Combine the two to create• Grammar is really part of the

author's craft, so teach it that way

First time• Always told "teach grammar in

context"• Didn't know what that looked like• Jeff Anderson helped me "get it!"• Went to class the next day and

applied what I learned at conference• Kids loved it!

Instructional filters• How is the mechanics issue also a

craft issue?• How can I look at it in the context of

literature?• Can I quickly turn kids back to their

writing, so they can be on their way to becoming independent revisers, crafters, and editors?

• -- Jeff Anderson, Mechanically Inclined

Teach, not mention. Teach, not correct.• What have I done to teach the pattern?• Have I immersed students in correct

models? Visually and orally?• Did I post an example?• Have I demonstrated how to use the

pattern in my own writing?• Have I modeled how to correct this error?• Is the item on the class's editor's checklist?• Is the error important enough to warrant

doing all the work to teach it?

Image Grammar• While Anderson focuses on grammar,

Image Grammar by Noden follows a similar pattern for all aspects of writing

• Genres, voice, rhythm, organization, as well as grammar, and much more

• Offers concepts and many strategies to help students gain/show understanding.

• Noticed some links for sources no longer around, but does come with a disk

Show vs. TellHe stared at the bag, then at the idol in his

hand. Then he was aware of a strange, distant noise, a rumbling like that of a great machine set in motion, a sound of things waking from a long sleep, roaring, and tearing and creaking through the spaces of the temple. For a split second nothing happened. And then there was a faint whirring noise, a creaking sound, and the walls of the chamber seemed to break open as giant metal spikes, like the jaws of some impossible shark, slammed together in the center of the chamber.

Painting pictures

Text from Raiders of the Lost Ark by Robert Campbell

http://youtu.be/0gU35Tgtlmg

Overview of each• Writing is noticing• Invitation to

imitate• Author's word and

phrase palette• Becoming

intentional• Reinforce • Editing

• Writing as seeing• Painting with

basic brush strokes

• Combining strokes

• Create an Artist's Palette

• Copyedit

http://youtu.be/i3RYOawNITs

http://youtu.be/i3RYOawNITs

My synthesis• What do you notice?• Invitation to imitate• Scavenger hunt• Creating• Editing

Major differences• Anderson thinks

it’s OK to talk about grammar: to mention, define, discuss, organize, and chart.

• Noden thinks it’s OK to look at the concepts, see what is happening, and use them.

• Not a great need to give everything a name

What do you notice?

20 Most Common Errors

• 1. No comma after introductory element• 2. Vague pronoun reference• 3. No comma in compound sentence• 4. Wrong word• 5. No comma in nonrestrictive element• 6. Wrong/missing inflected endings• 7. Wrong or missing prepositions• 8. Comma splice• 9. Possessive apostrophe error• 10. Tense shift

20 Most Common Errors

• 11. Unnecessary shift in person• 12. Sentence Fragments• 13. Wrong tense or verb form• 14. Subject-verb agreement• 15. Lack of comma in a series• 16. Pronoun agreement error• 17. Unnecessary comma with restrictive

element• 18. Run-on or fused sentence (comma

splice)• 19. Dangling or misplaced modifier• 20. It's versus its error

What’s important to you?

Highlight or star the items on the list, created by Connors and Lundsford, 1988), that are important to your students. What is an area that you see needs improvement in your students' writing? Jot down some of the strategies that you use in these areas.

What it looks like• Almost like an enriched vocabulary

lesson• Presentation slide on board when

students walk in• Chart nearby where teacher and

students add examples• Sentence strips around the classroom

from each student.  

What do you notice?His room smelled of cooked

grease, Lysol, and age.- Maya Angelou,

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.

Take a few minutes to write down what you notice.

Invitation to imitate

Jim's truck smelled of McDonald's, coffee, and dirt.

Take a minute to write your own sentences modeled after this one. Write your favorite on a sentence strip or post at http://greatsentences.blogspot.com/

What do you notice?Black sheep, Black sheep, what do

you see?Brown Bear, Brown Bear,

What do You See? -Bill Martin Jr./Eric Carle

Our family went to Orlando, Florida, on April 5, 2012.

Daily Dose• Get students to look at good writing• Looking at whole text or skimming

is not intentional enough• Connect to patterns• Think about its effects• Suppose author's intent• Play with it and see what happens

How would you punctuate this

sentence?

Kai and Amel go to the store with Mary Jane Beth Ann and Billy Bob

It is not DOL• DOL and correct-alls put bad examples

in front of students• No focus, too many things to find

Do continue the discussions, dig deeper• Compare to previous examples• Correct pseudo-concepts or over

generalizations• What happens if we (take comma out,

change word, change order)?

Some ideas for mentor texts

• Eats, Shoots, and Leaves• Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do You See?• Boy by Roald Dahl• The class novel• Create your personal sentences• Any books the students are reading!• Noden has many strategies for using mentor

texts in his book.• Web sites

Creating during freewriting

There are some guidelines• Keep writing• Experiment with spelling,

punctuation, and grammar• Go where the writing takes you• Be specific• As Goldberg says,"You are free to

write the worst junk in America." Allow things to emerge.

Data Pool

Author’s palette• Examples of mentor texts

– Great sentences– Great grammar– Vivid verbs– phrases

• Their own collection• Intentional collection (Scavenger

Hunt in own reading, world)

Example of work from today

• His room smelled of cooked grease, Lysol, and age. Notice

• His locker smelled of, bubble gum, Axe, and gym. Imitate

• Jim’s truck, smelled of coffee, McDonald’s, and dirt. Daily Dose

• He enjoyed camping in a tent, riding his bike on the trails, and sleeping in until noon. Scavenger Hunt Example of Author’s Palette

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Active VerbsPeekingClawssparkled

Smart Similes…a face like a Chinese doll chiseled from hardwood… (page 3)

Naming NamesReceiverGolden Gate Parkchandelier

Awesome AdjectivesFrigidMeatySprawling house

Example of Author’s Palette

Editing• Checklist is organic• Creates independent editors• Needs modeling• “Express Lane” editing

 

Express Lane Edit• After creating, make it quick/easy• Add to Editor’s Checklist• Think about shopping

– Few items– Express Lane– Quick– Receipt

Express lane checkout• Could be the day’s writing• Could be from earlier in notebook• Could be from a friend• Focused• Check out:• Receipt: How do we own it?

How do I know it worked for me?

What do you notice?Permann, a 24-year-old optometry

student at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, was selected for one of those popular shooting contests; make a layup, free throw, 3-pointer and half-court shot in the allotted time to win a prize – 24 seconds, in Sunday's case, and $50,000. -- USA Today

What do you notice?

In order to walk away with $50,000, which holds as much value as a million dollars to a struggling college student, Permann had to make a layup, free throw, 3-pointer and half-court shot in 24 seconds to win the prize. -- Blacksportsonline.com

Bibliography

• Anderson, Jeff. Mechanically inclined. Stenhouse, Portland, Maine. 2005.

• Dorfman, Lynne R. and Rose Cappelli. Mentor texts: teaching writing through children’s literature, K-6. Stenhouse, Portland, Maine. 2007.

• Noden, Harry R. Image grammar: using grammatical structures to teach writing. Heineman, Portsmouth, New Hampshire. 1999.

• Weaver, Constance. Teaching grammar in context. Heinaman, Porthsmouth, New Hampshire. 1996.

• Weaver, Constance. Lessons to share: on teaching grammar in context. Heinaman, Porthsmouth, New Hampshire. 1998.

http://youtu.be/YLO7tCdBVrA