Middle School Grammar Help Needed!

I have concluded that the schools don't even attempt to teach grammar anymore so that it will be mastered for the long term. They describe grammar, they give out worksheets ABOUT grammar, but they don't give ANY worksheets so the students can actually practice grammar. In other words, let's figure out how to do grammar in a conceptual manner and, voila, every kid will be able to create sentences in the "correct" manner.

HELP!

I found www.aleks.com to fix the problems with math, but I'm looking for a program like this to help with grammar. I could get out my old Katharine Gibbs Handbook of Business English, but it doesn't come with any worksheets. Furthermore, the hierarchical model of aleks combined with the ability to have instant feedback just works! And if you get the concept by getting it correct five times, Aleks moves you onto the next concept so no one is doing mindless rote because it moves as quickly as the individual moves.

Anyone have any ideas?

Comments

[tom linehan]

http://singaporemath.com/english.htm#Grammar%20for%20Students%20Order

http://www.speakspeak.com/html/d3_resources_grammar_practice.htm

http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/grammar.htm

These may help.

[Stephanie]

Hi, thanks for posting about your troubles with Sprint. My husband has gotten over 50 text messages in 2 days from an unknown sender - it's very frustrating. I think your experiences might help us get through to Sprint.

[Catherine Johnson]

Hi--

We're in the same boat at Kitchen Table Math (and here at home), and I've done a fair amount of research. I think I've found what I need (although I'm still thinking about it).

This summer I'm using Don Killgallon's book Sentence Composing. I've written a post about it here - includes some research into "sentence combining."
http://www.kitchentablemath.net/twiki/bin/view/Kitchen/SentenceCombining

Don Killgallon's website is excellent. He explains the theory of sentence composing, and tells how it's done.
http://research.umbc.edu/~killgall/

Last but not least, here's an online worksheet on sentence composing: http://www.wonderfulwritingskillsunhandbook.com/html/worksheet.html#top

[Catherine Johnson]

I have a question about ALEKS.

Does it use distributed practice?

In other words, does it circle back to review & re-assess concepts the student has mastered?

We're probably going to use it this summer.

[Catherine Johnson]

hi again --

quick followup: the Don Killgallon book didn't work for us.

We're trying to use Genevieve Schafer's Steps to Good Grammar.

Here's the Amazon blurb:

Even though the author states that this book mainly covers grammar from most seventh-grade English books, the four 8th grade Language Arts teachers at my school (myself included) have unofficially adopted this grammar book as part of our main curriculum (200+ eighth grade students). The teaching guides and reproducibles are very easy to follow. Each sentence part is explained in separate units in an analytical, systematic, repetitive, and cumulative method to ensure student understanding. I highly recommend this book!