Away With Formality: Breaking Grammar Rules in Order to Teach Them

All students are expected to write in some form or manner, primarily to demonstrate their understanding of a topic or writing genre. Teachers commonly use writing assignments to check for understanding or as an end-of-unit assessment, and within each writing genre there are grammar and mechanics requirements. These conditions are needed to allow a writer’s thoughts to make sense and to efficiently convey their desired particular tone, which in turn affects a reader’s understanding.

Despite this need, formal instruction of grammar and mechanics has been found to be ineffective when taught out of context, and as a result, it is no longer required in United States schools. Matthew Johnson’s Edutopia article “Grammar: The Skunk at the Garden Party” provides an overview of the history of teaching grammar and mechanics.

For approximately half a century, researchers have suggested that formally teaching grammar in classrooms can have an injurious impact on student learning. Despite this understanding, students still need to be able to use the grammar and mechanics that are unique for any writing assignment they’re tasked to complete. In this blog post, I’ll suggest some ways to incorporate these strategies into a few writing genres. 

Use Evidence-Based Practices 

My recommendations for pedagogy and curriculum incorporate evidence-based suggestions, including what Johnson and Shawna Williams-Pinnock both cite in their Edutopia articles: teaching in-context mini-lessons, using published mentor texts as models for students, and utilizing shared whole class texts for exploration. The National Council of Teachers of English–supported site ReadWriteThink provides educators with lessons and resources supporting grammar that incorporate inquiry into published mentor texts. Some of my favorites include “The Passion of Punctuation,” “Choosing the Best Verb: An Active and Passive Voice Minilesson,” and, among many others, “Polishing Preposition Skills through Poetry and Publication.”

Editing can take place at any time during the writing cycle; teachers can choose the best pedagogical moment(s) to learn and practice a specific strategy. Debra Myhill, a leading researcher of grammar and writing, suggests an evidence-based pedagogical approach of teaching small, bite-sized lessons by way of explicit instruction, using the mnemonic LEAD (link between the rule and specific writing assignment; using example(s) to describe the skill; authenticity via sharing published texts that utilize the skill; and discussion of said rule). Using LEAD as a guide can help teachers incorporate the small, relevant lessons needed for a specific writing assignment. 

Published Authors Break the Rules Too! 

As stated above in the description of Myhill’s mnemonic LEAD, using published examples of grammar and mechanics rules is powerful. Published writers misuse and break grammar rules all the time (Jane Austen: double negatives, William Faulkner: no punctuation, Shakespeare: ending sentences with prepositions)! Doing so has the effect of making their writing more vivid and relatable.

This understanding, that thoughtful breaking of grammar and mechanics rules is a writerly choice, can be an exciting and encouraging incentive for students as they break the rules. Have students learn rules that they can break and then have fun within genres that typically fall under creative writing but are also authentic forms of communication.

Teach the Components of Sentence Use

Students can learn the basics of complete and run-on sentences; Grammarly has great resources for this task. Flash fiction is a writing genre that can be very appealing to middle and high school students for its brevity: Works of this type rarely exceed 1,500 words.

The iconic Antiguan-born writer Jamaica Kincaid has published many short texts. “Girl” is one of her earlier stories, originally published in The New Yorker in June 1978. After thoroughly unpacking its content and theme, students can be supported in recognizing how Kincaid used many forms of run-on sentences, as well as other choices, to effectively relay her desired tone and message. 

While CommonLit has a helpful lesson plan for “Girl,” I created my own lesson on run-on sentences, the purpose of flash fiction (concise, complex, and complete storytelling), and Kincaid’s background with explanations of culturally relevant terms that she used. 

using Fragmented Sentences with Infographics and Speeches

Infographics are a form of communication that primarily utilize thematic graphics and visual data to convey a specific tone and message about a topic. Social media, which is all about fast delivery of information, is full of infographics because they allow for quick and easy understanding.

Campaign speeches are necessary for candidates running for any kind of elected office. C-SPAN Classroom’s “Introduction to Historic Campaign Speeches” introduces students to the purpose of speeches and then guides them in analysis of the tone and pacing of a collection of presidential speeches.

Though infographics and speeches differ in genre and purpose, they are both forms of communication that rely heavily on bold, fragmented sentences to sway viewers. My students have enjoyed creating infographics that are capable of communicating a message about an important topic through the use of color scheme, thoughtful placement of visuals, and salient data representation.

Add Smart-Device Communication and Visuals in a Short Story Unit

My students have been delighted to include technological communication in their written assignments. Many published writers have begun incorporating communication via text message, FaceTime, and direct messages. I think students should be given the same opportunity. The young adult anthology of short stories Totally Middle School contains Katherine and Jordan Paterson’s short story “TBH I Need Help!!” This short story is exclusively a text message and FaceTime exchange between two cousins, one of whom just started their academic year at a new school.

Published authors have also begun incorporating visuals such as comic strips, artwork, and more into their stories. Nicola Yoon’s book Everything, Everything is peppered with illustrations. Students will relish the opportunity to find meaningful places to add digital communication into their writing.

Strategies for effectively implementing proper grammar and mechanics into writing projects can feel like an intimidating task. Identifying opportunities for students to learn the grammar rules by breaking them can be fun, rewarding, and reflective of the practices many authors currently use.