Alta Wehmeyer

What kind of place the world would be if everyone possessed advanced grammar skills? This sounds like quite a loaded question. In most classes at the beginning of the academic year, I meet students who did not study with me previously, and if I ask them what they know about grammar, their answer invariably showcases that they do not even have command of the most basic—the different parts of speech.  Answers like 'a noun is a person, place, or thing' are ingrained and a trained automatic response that sounds like we are off to a good start, but that is mostly where grammar brilliance ends. A solid understanding of what grammar is, the benefits it holds, and why it even matters remain obscure to them. At this point I plant grammar seeds as an attainable skill with promise that those who dig in can expect abundant life-long growth and rich rewards.

Why students do not excel in grammar studies have many reasons, but Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development plays a cardinal role in this pursuit. I have experienced 'tiger parents' who expect junior to become a grammar god long before the student is in this proximal zone. Speeding though levels of a set curriculum without deep understanding has no value. You can train all you want but the rewards will not manifest other than a confusion of trying to remember what the part of speech for a certain word may be instead of knowing how it functions in its particular occupied spot in a sentence. Most curricula start by teaching 'parts of speech' in a set order with identifying, labeling, or fixing it. My approach eliminates erroneous thinking and focuses on reasoning.

I mentor and inspire learners to first read and understand the context, then think, followed by verbalizing how they understand what is happening. Practicing their reasoning skills in this manner sets them up for a deep love and solid understanding of the intricacies of grammar. 

Past students who sat for the SAT, ACT and CLEP exams attain superior scores and attribute this to the way they were mentored. This is to always think critically because it is the foundational gateway to everything else. Grammar skills are easily attainable at any age. Knowing grammar transforms all thinking and communication regardless of form.

Study grammar perceptively because it is the bedrock that facilitates concrete progress. At times it might feel like you are turning it upside down, but this is exactly what is required. Having command of grammar will change you life beyond just writing—it is a form of critical thinking!

Alta

June 16, 2023