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LING 450/550
Spring 2008
Dr. Cornelia Paraskevas
Office Hours: 8:30-9:50 M
1:50-3:20 W
1:30-3:40 Th
or by appt.
Maaske Hall 330
Phone: 838-8477 (office)
e-mail: paraskc@wou.edu
Texts: J. Hagemann, Teaching Grammar.
Kischner & Wollin, Writers’ Choices—Grammar to Improve Style.
The following websites:
www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/dick/home.htm
http://education.waikato.ac.nz/research/journal
Course Goals: The goal of the class is to explore the various ‘practical’ applications of
grammar (and syntactic analysis), and to see grammar as “an art for selection.”
Specifically, we will first map the territory: define grammar, examine its history, and
understand the development of grammar instruction and the concept of error. Next, we
will explore the ways grammar and writing are interconnected: using concepts such as
transformations and T-units, we will compare and contrast the grammatical structures and
stylistic devices used in various texts and by various authors in order to understand
sentence fluency/syntactic complexity (maturity) and craftsmanship in written texts of
various registers (fiction vs. non-fiction; personal ads, journalese, bureaucratese; e-mail
language). In addition, we will look closely at punctuation in order to understand its use
as a meaning-making stylistic device.
I believe that understanding the craft of language (i.e. grammar and style in the broadest
sense) is important to everyone interested in writing –teacher or writer. Because of that
fundamental belief, then, we will spend equal time looking at the craft of various texts –
analyzing what works (and why), what might work (and why)—as well as exploring
ways to teach others about syntactic fluency, craftsmanship and style.
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to
Define key grammar concepts
Examine fundamental beliefs about
language, grammar and writing
Understand the history of field and the
various approaches to grammar
Conduct corpus analysis of authentic
‘texts’
Syntactic development and maturity
As measured by
Readings; journals; exams
Journals; exams; assignments
Readings; journals; exams
Assignments; journals; exams
Assignments; journals; exams
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Syntactic fluency/style
Stylistic punctuation
Assignments; journals; exams
Assignments; journals; exams
Attendance: Attendance is required since the class is organized like a workshop with a
lot of collaborative activities. Because your peers count on you (and I depend on your
participation in class discussions), you can miss class only once (that’s a whole week). If
you choose to miss more classes, be prepared for a 10% lowering of the final grade.
Academic Honesty: Students are expected to adhere to all university guidelines
concerning academic honesty and avoiding plagiarism. Sanctions for dishonesty can
range from failing an assignment up to failing the course. See WOU Code of Student
Responsibility, sections 574-031-0030 and -0040.
Disabilities accommodation: Students with any sort of documented disability
should work with the Office of Disability Services [x88250/APS 405] in the first
two weeks of the term to develop appropriate accommodation arrangements for
this class.
Coursework:
Reading Logs: After completing the assigned reading, I want you to choose 3-4 points
that you found interesting. For each point, you will need to write a one-paragraph
reflection, drawing on your personal experiences.
Each entry should be approximately 3 pages long (8 ½ x 11).
Please have your entries done before coming to class since you will be sharing
ideas/comments/insights with your peers.
Florilegia: As part of your journal, I want you to keep a commonplace book—“a
notebook kept as a storehouse of materials to be remembered.” Once a week, copy two
sentences that show interesting use of punctuation and fluency (preferably one of each)
and briefly comment on the reasons you found those sentences interesting. Total length:
1 page
Please don’t concentrate on errors but on interesting choices writers of various texts have
made!
Bring those to class every time for in-class writing and discussion
NO LATE WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED UNLESS YOU HAVE MADE PRIOR
ARRANGEMENTS WITH ME (minimum 24 hrs.)
Short assignments: these are 2-3 pg. assignments; topics and due dates are listed on the
Tentative Schedule of assignments (30 points each). These are not polished pieces—
they are closer to graded homework.
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Out-of-class
-Grammar biography
-Handbooks/key grammar concepts
-Punctuation/background knowledge required
In-class
-Creating materials/handouts
Longer assignment: Stylistic analysis of your own writing. Details TBA
Graduate Students: In addition to the LING 450 assignments, you will need to do an
annotated bibliography of 3 articles (2 pgs. Total) and a review of a grammar textbook
(see me for details).
Grading: Short assignments 120 points; longer assignment 50 points; reading logs: 40
points; florilegia 20 points; presentations 10 points; grammar questionnaires 10 points.
Tentative Schedule of Assignments
(* indicates article is available in JSTOR; italics indicate the article is on e-reserve).
Readings/assignments are due on the day they are listed.
Short assignment #1: Grammar biography (due April 7)
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Ch. 1; Grammar vs. Usage; public vs. private grammar.
Haussamen “Public/Private Grammar”
http://www.sargent.nelson.com/grammar.html
Kischner chs. 2-4, Appendix B, C
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Kischner 5-11
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Ch. 2; History of grammar; history of grammar instruction; approaches
to grammar instruction
Kolln and Hancock “The story of English grammar in US schools”
Myhill, “Ways of Knowing”
http://education.waikato.ac.nz/research/journal (both Kolln and Myhill
articles are in vol. 4.3)
Ch. 3--Grammar Instruction/Grammar in Context
*Micciche “Making a Case for Rhetorical Grammar”
Hudson “Grammar for Writing”
www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/dick/home.htm
Create surveys for errors
Short assignment #2: Examine handbooks or state adopted texts at
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your authorization level: what key grammar concepts do they
include? What is the purpose of grammar instruction? What examples do
they use?
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Midterm Exam
Kischner 12, 13
Ch. 6; Understanding Oral and Written Language
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Ch. 5--Understanding error
*Hairston “Not All Errors are Created Equal”
*Connors “Frequency of Formal Errors”
*Beason, “Ethos and Errors”
Appendix A Kischner
Ch.8: Syntactic Maturity/Fluency/Development of children’s writing skills
Information packaging
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Ch. 8 continued
Corbett “Style”
Kilgallon “Sentence Composing”
Ch. 12, 13 Kischner
Bring own writing for stylistic analysis
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Ch. 7 Syntactic Punctuation
www.wou.edu/~paraskc/punctuation (chart)
Short assignment #3: Examine the punctuation section in state adopted
textbooks (for your authorization level): what specific grammar
knowledge is required to understand the explanations?
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Stylistic Punctuation
*John Dawkins “Teaching Punctuation as a Rhetorical Tool”
In-class work on your own writing (revising sentences based on
stylistic and punctuation analysis)
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In-class work: Creating grammar and punctuation materials (handouts
and assignments) in the context of writing
Debra Myhill, “Principled Understanding”
Longer assignment (Stylistic analysis of own writing) due
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FINAL EXAM: Presentation of handouts/materials
Presentation of stylistic findings. Grammar questionnaire (revision
and commentary)