Preface
The Teacher’s Grammar Bookis designed for students who are preparing to be-
come English or language arts teachers, as well as for credentialed teachers
who want to know more about grammar. Most grammar books focus on termi-
nology. Some add a discussion of the connection between grammar and writ-
ing.The Teacher’s Grammar Book,however, is different. Certainly, it treats
terminology thoroughly, but it is far more than just a list of grammar terms. It is
not a handbook and was never intended to be one.The Teacher’s Grammar
Bookwas designed to offer an easy-to-use guide to teaching methods and
grammar and usage questions, a combination that has not been readily avail-
able before. In addition, it provides an overview of English grammar that is in-
formed not only by historical developments in the field but also by a variety of
pedagogical, research, and philosophical issues that underlie grammar and our
efforts to understand grammar, language, writing, and teaching. Out of this
wide-ranging exploration emerges the view that a teacher’s choice of grammar
reflects philosophical and pedagogical orientations that influence both the con-
tent and the methods of language arts instruction.
The Teacher’s Grammar Bookgrew out of my experience teaching grammar
and composition methods courses to education students since 1981. What I dis-
covered early in my career is that large numbers of prospective teachers do not
feel confident about their knowledge of English grammar. They experience a
certain degree of anxiety as a result. Most have recognized that they will be re-
quired to teach grammar—and they aren’t happy about it. Many have had bad
experiences with grammar in the past. They “didn’t get it,” or, sadder still, they
“just didn’t like it.” Nearly all are surprised when, a few weeks into my gram-
mar courses, they discover not only that they are “getting it” but that grammar is
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