Many Teachers Revisiting Grammar

The Hechinger Report (9/27, Zhao) reports that with the advent of the Common Core Standards, many teachers "are examining new ways to bring grammar back into the classroom. ... While grammar was one of the most-emphasized subjects during the 1950s, schools have shifted away from it since then, according to one study. 'There's plenty of research that traditional grammar instruction and diagramming sentences does not work,' said Sandra Wilde, a professor at Hunter College in New York City. When the Common Core standards are rolled out in 45 states in 2014, teachers will be expected to explicitly teach concepts like participles and infinitives, and students will be expected to explain usage of such terms."