30th Annual Student Research Conference
Teaching Grammar: Altering Student Attitudes Through Contextual Learning
Julianne L. Dworak♦
Dr. Rebecca Dierking, Faculty Mentor
Students loathe grammar; even the word grammar stirs up negative emotions. As Kenneth Lindblom states in an NCTE article, “English teachers have a reputation for making people feel bad about themselves. Inevitably, the source of that bad feeling seems tied to attitudes about grammar and spelling” (94). This study reports on students’ attitudes and abilities regarding grammar. This phenomenological study took place in a suburban, Midwestern high school junior ACT preparation course. Students participated in research-based lessons that focused on teaching grammar in the context of reading and writing while connecting to their lives outside of the classroom. Data consists mostly of open-ended surveys filled. In addition, a teacher journal, teacher observations, and student work are also used as data. A typological analysis is applied to the data to investigate how students’ attitudes and abilities were altered through such lessons.
Keywords: Grammar, Research, Attitude, Ability, Qualitative
Topic(s):English MAE Intern
English MAE Intern
English
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 102-3
Location: MG 1090
Time: 8:30