Author: Tamara Gershater

Publisher:

Published: 2009

Total Pages: 181

ISBN-13: 9781109358858

Research Question(s): In what ways will the teaching of appositives, adjectival phrases, and participial phrases through collaborative learning and context-based activities influence students' knowledge about these structures and the integration of these structures into their writing? (1) How will students' working collaboratively to write sample sentences using appositives, adjectival phrases, and participial phrases influence student achievement on grammar assessments? (2) How will student-generated visuals incorporating the definitions, sample sentences, and memory aids of appositives, adjectival phrases, and participial phrases influence student achievement on grammar assessments? (3) How will grammar lessons that are designed with less direct instruction and more collaborative learning impact student engagement? (4) How will context-based grammar instruction influence students' attitudes about learning grammar in the English classroom? (5) How will a structured sequence of practice with integrating the grammatical structures into students' own writing (through revisions and practice with new paragraphs) influence students' ability to use these structures independently? Research Activities: This research explores the use of various collaborative, context-based activities to improve grammar comprehension, grammar retention, and descriptive writing skills. It was designed to teach students syntactical structures to help enhance their descriptive writing and allow the students to work together and use grammar in the context of their own work. Context: This study occurred in an eighth grade Language Arts classroom located in a mid-sized rural town in Northern California. The class met twice a day during third and sixth period for extra Language Arts support. There were twenty-eight students in the class, all from low socio-economic backgrounds. Many of the students came from Mexico and have learned or are learning English as a second language. Their CST scores range from below basic to proficient, according to the California ELA Standards. Methods and Data: During December and January, the students participated in a sequence of structured activities, designed to address various learning styles and featuring group work and presentations, model sentences, visualization strategies, test preparation, and revision practice. The goals of these activities were to increase grammar conceptualization and to teach students how to integrate syntactical structures into their descriptive writing. Students took notes and wrote original sentences, worked in groups to integrate the new grammar into sentences and create relevant visuals, viewed multiple images to arouse creative descriptions, and imitated sample sentences that used adjectival phrases, appositives, and participial phrases. Lastly, students went through a revision process, enhancing their descriptive writing by adding adjectival phrases, appositives, and participial phrases. In order to determine the effectiveness of this intervention, students wrote two comparable descriptive paragraphs as pre- and post-achievement data. They also completed an attitude and self-assessment survey as pre- and post-attitude data to evaluate changes in their perspectives on grammar as it connects to writing. The surveys were also indicative of students' confidence levels with learning and using grammar in the ELA classroom. During the intervention, student work and observation notes were collected and a teacher journal was kept to follow progressions in student comprehension throughout the activities. Results: The results of this intervention showed significant growth in both students' writing and their attitudes toward learning grammar. In the outcome data assessment, twenty-five students attempted to incorporate appositives, adjectival phrases, and participial phrases into their writing for a total of 106 overall attempts. Of the 106 attempts, 82 attempts received a rubric score of 3, which means that the structure was used correctly and effectively enhanced the descriptive writing. Twenty-three of the 106 attempts received a rubric score of 2, which means that although the student attempted to use a syntactical structure, the use did not effectively enhance the description or may have been punctuated incorrectly. Only 1 attempt received a score of 1, indicating that the attempt did not fit the context of the description or was punctuated incorrectly. In the post-intervention outcome survey students also indicated that they felt more comfortable with grammar when it is taught in a variety of interactive ways. Students also said that they understand the connection between grammar and writing and recognize that appositives, adjectival phrases, and participial phrases are grammatical tools to help enhance description in writing. Grade Level: Eighth Grade. Data Collection Methods: Observation-student engagement/behavior, Observation-selective verbatim, Grammatical/Syntactical Assessment, Observation-teacher journal, Student reflections, Student work, Survey-attitude, Survey-self-assessment, Writing Samples, Assessment scores, Writing assessment. Curriculum Areas: English Language Arts, Writing. Instructional Approaches: Writing-conventions, Writing-description, Writing-revision, Collaboration/Teaming.