Celebrating the Sentence: Making Sentence Reading & Writing More Enjoyable

Stanley Fish has just released a new book called How to Write a Sentence and How to Read One.  Fish suggests that the best method to teach sentence construction is through examples and not memorization of grammar rules. 

NPR recently broadcasted an interview with Mr. Fish on Talk of the Nation which can be streamed here:

http://public.npr.org/anon.npr-mp3/npr/totn/2011/01/20110125_totn_03.mp3?dl=1

They have also included an article about the book which can be read here:
"Think You Know ‘How To Write A Sentence?" (includes streaming audio and transcript of the story).

http://www.npr.org/2011/01/25/133214521/stanley-fish-demystifies-how-to-write-a-sentence

As a teacher of English at a middle school, I never enjoy teaching sentence diagramming, subject verb agreement, subjects and predicates – basically most grammar activities.  Additionally, I’m sure I do not do a good job of it either.  Why?  Probably because my heart isn’t in the lessons, probably because I hated it when I was in school, and probably because it is just teaching a hard set of rules that are no fun to memorize.

This year I have been taking a different approach to sentence teaching.  The students have not been made to work out of a grammar book; I haven’t even brought a single book in the classroom.  Instead, we’ve been using the novels we read in class to look at examples.  Additionally, I’ve been bringing in great/interesting sentences I encounter in the wild from books, blogs, and magazines (as have my students).  Now according to Stanley Fish (who knows and thinks about sentences way more than I do), reviewing and studying others’ sentences is the best way to teach sentence construction.

He feels that by analyzing a sentence one can learn more about what you are reading and in turn begin to imitate those rules without necessarily memorizing all of them.   Below are a few lessons he uses when teaching. 

Stanley Fish Lesson Ideas (Teaching the Sentence)

One Lesson Idea

Start with a simple sentence: “Jim hit the ball.” The relationship is there: someone did something.  He then asks his students to do simple things and everyone in the class writes short students and the point is made: “there are innumerable contents that can fill the form, but the form is one.”  Students learn the form and thus can begin creating endless amounts of content based on that form.

Teach the form by having students look at examples first and then begin imitating that form. 

Another Lesson Idea

Look around the room and pick out 4 or 5 items.  Make a list.  Then take time to form as many sentences as possible containing all of those words. 

The discussion that follows is explaining that sentence relationships between those words.  When sentences fall apart it is because the relationship that are failing. 

Another Lesson Idea

Have students go through the poem “The Jabberwocky” by Lewis Carroll and substitute words for the nonsense words. 

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

As a result, the sentences will start to make better sense.  You then ask the students “what did you do” and “why did you do it.”  The hope is that they will begin to understand that the form is already present in these sentences and they can develop all types of content within that structure.  The students begin to understand “that form comes first, and content follows.”

A complete copy of Lewis Carroll’s poem “The Jabberwocky”   

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/jabberwocky/

These are just snippets of lesson ideas from the interview, I am sure the lessons are explained in greater detail in his book.

Mr. Fish’s approach can be summed up by this quote from the interview:

“I have my own formula, which is sentence craft - that is, learning what it means to put a sentence together - then leads to sentence appreciation; that is, admiration for the sentences that great authors have put together; and then leads to sentence comprehension.”

I never thought I’d be interesting in reading a book about sentences, but I am. I have already added this book to my Kindle queue.

Book Review: When You Reach Me

What is it about?
(This review might contain minor spoilers)

When You Reach Me is a charming story about Miranda, a 6th grade girl living in New York City circa 1979. When she is not at home, Miranda spends most of her days hanging out with her best friend Sal. When she is at home, she busies herself with the usual and unusual 6th grader routines, like helping her mother prepare to be a contestant on the $20,000 Pyramid. Miranda seems to enjoy her life and never stops to think twice about it, until everything starts to change. Seemingly out of nowhere, Sal stops hanging out with her, she is forced to make new friends, and, most alarmingly, she begins receiving strange notes that appear to be coming from the future.

If I had to categorize this young adult book, I’d label it a sci-fi, coming-of-age mystery that tackles themes dealing with growing up, friendship, and family. Yet, it really isn’t a sci-fi novel and it’s barely a mystery. Yes, there are sci-fi elements but I use that term delicately since so much of the novel is grounded in reality. Throughout the book, Rebecca Stead carefully references A Wrinkle in Time and casual conversations about time travel to ease the reader into the possibility of jumping back and forth in the space-time continuum. Likewise, she takes her time laying out the mystery across the entire novel. The result is a very compelling read.

Rececca Stead is very cunning in her ability to draw you in. The book is divided up into very short chapters (most with titles that mirror the $20,000 Pyramid categories – i.e. “Things You Keep in a Box”) and each chapter reveals just enough details to keep the reader curious. Her writing is like a well crafted serialized television show, she does not end with frustrating cliff hangers; instead, she continually entices the reader with snippets of information. Over time, the mystery builds and before you know it, you have fallen down her rabbit hole and are fully devoted to solving Miranda’s puzzling predicament.

Who is this book for?

I feel what separates great YA fiction from mediocre/generic YA fiction is its ability to appeal to both adults and children. When You Read Me does a wonderful job catering to both audiences. By setting the novel in 1979, and repeatedly referencing A Wrinkle in Time and the $20,000 Pyramid, it easily gives a frame of reference for anyone over 25 that enjoyed Madeleine L’Engle’s book as a child and/or was a sucker for daytime game shows. More importantly, the book is well written and the characters are authentic representations of real people.

Most likely, this book will be primarily enjoyed by middle school age students. The short chapters make the book accessible to your average middle school reader and the discussions about time travel or the abundant use of foreshadowing supply plenty of enticing content to keep your advanced readers interested.

So, there you have it. I really grew attached to this book, even though it can be read in just one or two sittings. When You Reach Me is an enjoyable story about growing up and learning what love, family, and friendship is truly about. I recommend picking up a copy for yourself, your classroom library, or diving in a getting a class set (I’ve already added this book to my summer reading list for rising 7th graders).