Blog 8

As students, we have heard so many times that reading will make us better writers, but I never really stopped to think about why. Obviously, any piece of writing can serve as an example of what works or what doesn't, but I think if you read a really good piece of writing, and you enjoy it, you'll be much more excited about the idea of writing and what it can produce. The more positive associations you have with writing and the writing process, the more likely you'll be to actually engage in it yourself. And, whether it's intentional or not, you'll probably incorporate elements of the writing that inspired you.

I thought Smith's idea of the author, not the text, showing the learner was really interesting. "Authors - even dead ones - have this tremendous advantage over live teachers; they always proceed at the pace of the individual learner, and are able to repeat their lessons as often as the learner wants, without any coercion, embarrassment or punitive threat" (196). This makes sense but seems to totally contradict the idea I had of authors, especially textbook authors, being totally detached and far less personal than live teachers. I guess it depends on the author. Based on our discussions of voice, an author should be able to make that kind of connection.

The section on children, and adults, butchering the English language reminded me of a word my family now uses, in fun of course. My aunt, who teaches second grade, once had a student ask her how to spell "aposta," as in "I'm aposta do my homework when I get home from school." It seems silly, but it totally makes sense if you think about children trying to use what they hear without considering spelling rules. I've had experiences with my friends misusing words, but when they've grown up around other people who consistently do the same, there's really no way for them to know the difference until they encounter someone who doesn't.

I must admit, I cringed at the thought of reading an entire chapter about the teaching of grammar after recently writing an entire paper about it for my writing portfolio, but I think Hartwell makes a good point. People on either side of the argument should be informed and share points of reference. To me, the bottom line isn't whether grammar should be taught but how. I think there are ways to work it into everyday activities and existing assignments, which would make it seem less formal and detached for students.