It is very difficult for young students to generalize an out of
context grammar rule and apply it to their own writing. If you
go over the syntax, very often the students, upon hearing their
errors, realize it is wrong and can sometimes fix it
themselves. But to do a grammar lesson is usually fruitless.
Even older students can do the grammar lesson and related
activities, but will fail to apply it to their writing.

This is what scaffolding is all about. Giving them the support,
not doing their work. There is a difference.

On 6/06/09, Karoleigh wrote:
> I have my first graders draw a picture of what they want to
> say first. This could also be done with K and 2, or even
> higher. Once they've drawn a picture of their prompt, I have
> them verbally describe it to me. Then I have them write about
> it. If you want a paragraph of five sentences, then it's a
> good idea to encourage them to draw a bunch of details in the
> picture.
>
> I don't teach grammar a great deal, especially to my
> newcomers. Kids need to hear it spoken a lot before it begins
> to make sense to them in writing.
>
> On 6/05/09, Hermione wrote:
>> My fellow teachers and I are having a discussion about the
>> best way to approach the teaching of writing to ESL
> students.
>>
>> Here is an example piece of writing produced by an ELL:
>>
>> A. Birthday Robbery
>> one day there was party a Birthday Party.
>> It was Mr and Mrs Smiths Sons Birthday he was twelve
>> They invited all the friends fo their son and their parnets.
>> By the way the boy who's Birthday was his name was Keith.
>> two of his best freind were there too named peter and jhon.
>>
>> Teacher A says the best thing to do is to conference with
>> the student, and model the correct grammar and syntax for
>> him with the hopes that he will begin to see the correct way
>> to write his own ideas and this will be more meaningful and
>> create a lasting impression because you are using HIS
>> writing and HIS ideas. Teacher A says that as you make
>> corrections, you explain why you are making the correcting
>> such as, "When we want to show that somebody owns something,
>> we put an apostrophe here, as in 'Son's birthday."
>>
>>
>> Teacher B says to directly teach the grammar rules outside
>> of the student's writing and hope that he translates this to
>> his own writing. Teacher B says that if you do what teacher
>> A says, then you are "writing the paper for him."
>>
>> What do you think?
>> Hermione

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