Grrr - grammar - the one thing I always hated. I didn't really ever understand grammar in primary school. It wasn't until I went to secondary and had to learn lists of verbs that I gained a better understanding.
I was surprised by the simplicity of colour coding a text....however I feel I was using my own background knowledge of language to do this. It would be interesting to complete this with a child who doesn't know about verbs...could they break the sentence up? Or was I only able to attempt it because I knew about verbs? Was I bringing my prior knowledge - and was I even doing it correctly??
I can see this being very useful when critically analysing texts...however is that what I would do in class or with a group of EAL children? Would I do this before sharing a text with a child?
I would hope that a child would select a text that interests them - then if it is a text that stereotypes a culture that would form a basis of the conversation. A poor book can be used as a poor book to highlight similarities and differences. I wonder if that makes sense?
--This post was in draft form- I am just back from the final input and feel like adding that I don't think the time is there to break down a text using functional grammar before choosing to share it with a group of children. I feel you have to try and share a variety of texts and if it doesn't work then that becomes a discussion point with the young people.
I think I would love to see it in use in the classroom and find out a bit more about the impact it has had...I think it is like any idea - seeing it in practise is better than reading about it.
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