If you are taking time away from your child's reading to teach him the mechanics of writing — other than the ones I outlined here — before he is in middle school, you are almost certainly wasting your time.
For instance, if you are trying to get a third- or fourth-grader to learn the parts of speech, just stop.
It is not worth it and takes time from reading. You can play MadLibs if you want, but do, do notice that you have to explain the parts of speech each time.
Maybe your experience is different from mine. Mine is that I think it's fun to play that game, but it does not teach grammar to a developmentally unready child. (The older child will be beyond knowing what an adjective is. A sixth grader can and should memorize all the prepositions, so MadLibs is still just for fun.)
The learning process should include lots of spontaneous writing that they come up with from their imaginative play. It should include some writing that you encourage with that light touch of yours: Letters, notes, limericks, newspapers, skits.
And it will include imitation: Copying, dictation, and the Franklin method, which I will discuss in a later post.
You hire tutors, you invest in curricula, you rant, you go to conferences (both parent-teacher ones and writing ones that cost money).
Now, it's true that one needs to know how to write a thesis statement, eventually.
It's not true that an eight-year-old needs to do this, or can be made to learn by means of a stern program of drilling. It's not even clear to me that a fourteen-year-old can, unless by intuitive familiarity with habits of good expression. That is to say, more by accident than intention. I am convinced that in such cases, drawing attention to the technique of exposition will stifle the ability if the experiment is conducted too early in the development of the main goal, which is having something to say.
Elite schools have developed the ability to cull such talented students, but their methods are often mistaken as prescriptive rather than what they are, which is diagnostic.
Anyway, if your child is not an upperclassman in high school, you have plenty of time to figure things out.
Instead of worrying right now about whether the five-paragraph essay is in there somewhere, to be brought out by force if necessary, just work on getting him to write a good, solid, interesting sentence.
Yes, that is all.
A good sentence.
Can that be the goal for this year?
I think so.
Without further ado, I will highly recommend that you find yourself a copy of Warriner's Grammar and Composition. They come in First through Fifth Courses, and there is a Warriner's Grammar and Composition Complete Course that you can throw at your upperclassman if you are post-panic.
The First Course will provide you with lots to go on for your middle-schooler. It has exercises in the context of lessons, without over-stepping into mindless drilling. It's a good example in a textbook of how, if you approach a subject with intelligence, you don't need to pound away.
When used in conjunction with good (old, classic, exciting, formative) literature, your Warriner's will provide the necessary workout to strengthen sentence-writing muscles. The information in these texts will seep into your child's brain and never be lost.
And just let your younger children off the grammar-drill treadmill.
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*For the shortcomings of Strunk and White, check out this essay, and don't miss the author's response to a critic. I wouldn't toss it, but he has a point.
Regarding British manuals, I will just say that we are in America and need to learn American usage. If you have internalized The Chicago Manual of Style and somehow just can't get enough of usage manuals in general, then by all means enjoy Eats, Shoots & Leaves or your Oxford what have you.
But if you are not clear about the American thing, you will only be confused and sadly led astray by beginning with these books. You will not be helpful when your children are placing quotation marks amongst other punctuation. You will commit misdemeanors against American usage –I would like to say crimes but am attempting to moderate my voice. You will spell things with extra u's. You will doubt the look of “criticize” and “skeptical.” You will be priggish without being correct. (If you live in the UK, ignore all this.)
Leigh says
I have just a couple of questions regarding the Warriner’s texts. Is there a general rule for how often they should be used? Every year from 7th through high school? Should every exercise be completed? Sorry for what may seem silly questions. 🙂 Thanks for all you share.
Leigh
Leila says
Leigh, you can do what seems to work for your kids. I like to use one of the lower levels for 5th, 6th, or 7th grade, which is around the age that is optimal for absorbing all the rules, memorizing prepositions and parts of speech, etc. There really aren’t a lot of things that are good to read for a literature class, as we usually conceive it, at this age, so it’s better to give them lots of free reading and then focus on grammar.
I also like the highest level book for review as a senior.
But it can also work to do a little every year. I think doing a whole book every year is overkill.
I do think that all or nearly all of the grammar exercises should be done at some point. The books also have a composition element that can be dipped into.
Hope this helps!
Leigh says
Yes, thank you!
Leigh
Jamie says
I happened upon course 1 and 2 at a used booksale today! Thanks for letting me know about them so I could be on the hunt!