Grammar class offers needed refresher
Sarah Leitner
Issue date: 9/17/09 Section: News
Grammar class offers needed refresher
Students filled all available slots in a course new to the college this semester: Elements of English Grammar.
"It's jam-packed," Assistant Professor of Education Daniel Coupland, who teaches the class, said. "There are 25 spots and 25 students."
The 200-level course meets from 11 a.m. Wednesdays.
"It's just a once a week class which is unique because it's only fifty minutes," senior Sarah Gil-lary said. "It's short on time, but it's perfect for college students because we don't need to spend three hours on grammar."
The first week, the class had an introduction to grammar. They then moved to the eight parts of speech, discussed how to identify them, and even how to diagram sentences. Students are also required to work outside of class and be prepared to work problems in class.
"I hand out an activity sheet, and students volunteer to do problems on the board," Coupland said. "I haven't had to choose a victim yet."
Anyone who would like to take the class can, Coupland said.
"It's the perfect kind of class for underclassmen, and I'm sure there are a number of seniors who wish it would have been available to them as freshmen," he said.
"I probably would've taken it freshman year if I could've," Gillary said. "It would have helped me in editing papers because you have to understand grammar. It's nice to get that refresher."
Coupland said three big groups take the grammar course: those that would like to be future teachers, those who have never had grammar before, and those who have had grammar but would like a solid review.
"I did not take a specific grammar class in high school, but we covered a lot of grammar, which I'm so glad we did because a lot of schools skip over grammar these days," Gillary said.
The professors want to help students adjust to college in any way they can, and they recognize that grammar is not always as strong as it should be, Professor of English Christopher Busch said.
"We, across the college, all have an interest in writing and helping students improve their writing," Busch said. "One thing that isn't methodically emphasized is basic grammar."
Though it has been treated mostly as an education class for aspiring teachers, the English de-partment members are thinking of getting a full-time chairman to oversee the grammar issues, Busch said.
"We all have degrees in literature and there actually is a Ph.D. in rhetoric and composition," Busch said. "And if we could get someone with that interest in grammar, I think a lot of people would be happy."
Even if there were a grammar chairman, there would be no need to have a grammar department, Busch said.
"We don't want to take time away from other things we want to do at a college level," Busch said.
Students filled all available slots in a course new to the college this semester: Elements of English Grammar.
"It's jam-packed," Assistant Professor of Education Daniel Coupland, who teaches the class, said. "There are 25 spots and 25 students."
The 200-level course meets from 11 a.m. Wednesdays.
"It's just a once a week class which is unique because it's only fifty minutes," senior Sarah Gil-lary said. "It's short on time, but it's perfect for college students because we don't need to spend three hours on grammar."
The first week, the class had an introduction to grammar. They then moved to the eight parts of speech, discussed how to identify them, and even how to diagram sentences. Students are also required to work outside of class and be prepared to work problems in class.
"I hand out an activity sheet, and students volunteer to do problems on the board," Coupland said. "I haven't had to choose a victim yet."
Anyone who would like to take the class can, Coupland said.
"It's the perfect kind of class for underclassmen, and I'm sure there are a number of seniors who wish it would have been available to them as freshmen," he said.
"I probably would've taken it freshman year if I could've," Gillary said. "It would have helped me in editing papers because you have to understand grammar. It's nice to get that refresher."
Coupland said three big groups take the grammar course: those that would like to be future teachers, those who have never had grammar before, and those who have had grammar but would like a solid review.
"I did not take a specific grammar class in high school, but we covered a lot of grammar, which I'm so glad we did because a lot of schools skip over grammar these days," Gillary said.
The professors want to help students adjust to college in any way they can, and they recognize that grammar is not always as strong as it should be, Professor of English Christopher Busch said.
"We, across the college, all have an interest in writing and helping students improve their writing," Busch said. "One thing that isn't methodically emphasized is basic grammar."
Though it has been treated mostly as an education class for aspiring teachers, the English de-partment members are thinking of getting a full-time chairman to oversee the grammar issues, Busch said.
"We all have degrees in literature and there actually is a Ph.D. in rhetoric and composition," Busch said. "And if we could get someone with that interest in grammar, I think a lot of people would be happy."
Even if there were a grammar chairman, there would be no need to have a grammar department, Busch said.
"We don't want to take time away from other things we want to do at a college level," Busch said.
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Red
posted 9/18/09 @ 1:43 PM EST
"It's the perfect kind of class for underclassmen, and I'm sure there are a number of seniors who wish it would have been available to them as freshmen,"
A-men. (Continued…)
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