Grammar

Grammar is an essential skill that all students need to learn in order to successful academically. However, how much pressure should we put on it? Do we really want to subject our students to "countless hours on unsatisfying grammar exercises?" (Dean 87. 2001) I think that there has to be a better way. I believe that sometimes the terms use in grammar are confounding, and often turn students away. However, in Dean's article she uses a different way to approach the topic of grammar. She asked the students to tell her what was wrong in the sentence, and they seemed more apt to participate. When they told her what was wrong with the sentence she explained how the grammar worked in language that accessible for her students. it is obvious that grammarand standard English are an essential tool to achieve academic success. however teachers need to find exciting ways to present the topic, so that students will not shut out the information but embrace it.

Useful website:

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=30857&clcid=0x409

At this site a teacher can make grammar fun. On this site a grammar games and vocabulary for all ages. I remember relishing the opportunity to get to play games like where in the world is carmen san diego and oregon trail. However, why let the social studies class have all of the fun? Bring the fin back to grammar and English and watch your students improve.

useful website

http://www.teachingmedialiteracy.com

At this website viewers can see numerous projects/lessons that were created by our cohort utilizing various media sources. So, if you want to jazz up your lesson plan and encourage engagement or reduce the "participation gap" then maybe try one of these lessons.

A & P for South West

media literacy

It is essential that students gain media literacy in all of their high school classes. It seems that many students are more engaged with activities that allow them to use different forms of media. In the reading by Beach, the teacher was having a difficult time engaging the students in ELA classroom. The teacher wanted the students to share their ideas, interpretations and reactions to literature that was assigned for class. The teacher was aware that wikis, blogs and podcasts could be the answer to her dilemma. As teachers, it is essential that multimodel ways of teaching are implemented. The teacher decided to have her students go into the computer lab one day a week for blogging. She had her students write a blog about something that the students found interesting in the weeks readings. Blogs are a liberating space where students don't have to worry about form or any sort of structure (like the five paragraph essay). In the blog, students were able to share their ideas more freely and the teacher got a lot more from her students. the students also shared their work with others and responded to at tleast three other student blogs. Students had found a place "in the blog" to react and interact with others. As Beach says, "students can share their writing in a broader way then in the days when the printed word processed documents and exchanged them in class" is not the era that we are now in. Students need to have the opportunity to share their work in a variety of ways. So, teachers... get hip to the blog and other forms of media literacy! You will have more engagement and more involvement from your students.