Why Richbaub's Grammar?
Richbaub’s grammar materials are the most thoughtfully developed and practically minded grammar and mechanics instructional tools ever developed.
The Grammar Dilemma - important, but squeezed for time
Although widely regarded as a bedrock of quality language instruction, grammar and mechanics are topics afforded only a small slice of instructional time in the modern reading and writing-heavy ELA curricular landscape.
It is, therefore, incredibly complicated to develop a meaningful yet practical scope and sequence of grammar and mechanics instruction for today’s ELA classrooms.
If one begins with a conventional grammar textbook as a guide, full of everything one might ever want to know about grammar, one must deliberate about the most important concepts to cover, lest grammar and mechanics consume too much instructional time. Where does one begin? What are the most practical concepts for middle school students to know?
Many dedicated teachers instead take an “as needed” approach, collecting and creating mini lessons to address grammatical and mechanical shortcomings only as needed. As a result, grammar instruction is sporadic, and students' understanding is, naturally, shallow and fleeting.
A New Approach - practical & developmentally appropriate for middle schoolers
Richbaub's grammar materials go beyond the thought of “What is there to know about grammar?” because such an approach is not practical in today's reading and writing-focused approach to teaching English.
Richbaub’s’ grammar materials are NOT simply a collection of grammar worksheets to provide “hit and run” grammar instruction.
In developing Richbaub's grammar materials, the three most-heavily weighed considerations were:
How much time can and should a middle school teacher devote to teaching grammar and mechanics in a class which also covers reading, writing, and vocabulary?
What can students at the middle school level actually digest when it comes to grammar? In other words, what is developmentally appropriate?
What grammar, in regard to middle school writing, is most practical for middle school students to know?
In short, Richbaub’s grammar materials are the most thoughtfully and practically-minded grammar and mechanics instructional tools ever developed.
The Results - smart & streamlined for students and teachers
A more developmentally appropriate and more realistic scope
In each book the scope of knowledge covered is not exhaustive and not overwhelming. Concepts have been selected based on what is practical and digestible for the middle school mind in the context of today’s ELA classrooms.
A more developmentally appropriate sequencing
The sequencing of Richbaub's grammar lessons and practice exercises pays close attention to where middle school students are developmentally as well as where they are in their knowledge of grammar. In addition, important concepts are built upon and reinforced throughout to solidify learning.
Concepts have been ordered with an eye on what makes sense to the middle school mind, not on what makes sense to the mind of a sophisticated grammarian.
In short, Richbaub's grammar resources...
work for students because they are specifically designed for their developmental level
work for teachers because they're designed not to dominate instructional time, but rather to easily fit beside the reading, vocabulary, and writing instruction within today's ELA curricula
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