Faculty Research

I will also continue to examine data that identifies characteristics of the student population the Writing Center serves: grade level, major, ethnicity, language spoken at home, the course for which the tutoring was needed, and material covered in the tutoring session. These data are a significant indicator of the area of influence of the Writing Center.

Another area of my research is to correlate student success with Writing Center workshops. To determine if these workshops have any impact on student success, I will track student comments and evaluations of these workshops and I will personally call student attendees to follow-up on the impact of that workshop on their academic success.

The data I collect from tutoring sessions and workshops will validate that the Writing Center continues to improve academic performance and grades of upper division and graduate students at SJSU.

The collection of data is an on-going process which will continue throughout the academic year. I will compile my findings in a report to be presented to the Writing Requirements Committee in September 2009, and to any other SJSU administrator or committee interested in the success of the Writing Center. This research will be of use to other Writing Center faculty and staff; therefore, I also plan to publish my research in a writing center journal.

Grammar Instruction and its Value in University Composition Courses

Michelle Hager

Objectives

• To prove that there is a need for grammar instruction in the composition classroom.
• To prove that freshman composition instructors must be trained to teach grammar.
• To demonstrate effective ways to teach grammar in the freshman composition classroom.
• To promote teaching methods which are both engaging and valuable to the student learning process.

Procedures

This project will assess the value of teaching grammar in the freshman composition classroom. I will assert that many instructors do not teach grammar in college English courses for two primary reasons: (1) they mistakenly believe that the majority of students have grasped the material already (since it is taught in earlier grades); or (2) they have not been trained to teach grammar effectively and in a way that will engage students.

After I conduct interviews and compile data to prove these assertions, I will suggest methods for teaching grammar to college students. In addition to the benefits of formal grammar exercises (such as those found in writing handbooks), I will demonstrate that it is crucial to teach grammar in the context of students' own writing and to use direct examples from their writing to improve composition. Since some college composition teachers are resistant to grammar instruction, I will demonstrate that grammar can be taught in short segments, and, in fact, these brief lessons are the most effective since they allow the instructor to teach other necessary topics and better hold the attention of the students.

Sample Interview Questions

A significant portion of my research will be discussing grammar instruction with writing instructors from SJSU and other California universities. The following list includes some possible interview questions:

• Background information, including the following:
• How long have you been teaching?
• What classes do you teach?
• What is your current opinion about teaching grammar in the college composition classroom?
• If you teach grammar in your classes, what type of instruction do you utilize (lectures, handouts, handbooks, activities with student writing samples, etc.)?
• If you teach grammar in your classes, why do you believe that it is important?
• How would you describe the writing level(s) of your students?
• What are the most common writing problems that you see in your students' writing?
• If you do not teach grammar in your classes, why do you exclude the topic from your instruction?
• If you do not teach grammar in your classes, is there anything that might convince you to change your teaching practices?
• Can you provide some "success stories" based upon your teaching of grammar?
• Can you provide some sample materials from your instruction?

After gathering the data from interviews, I will conduct research, and I will examine the findings of published authorities on the subject. I will then write my own report on the topic, proving my assertion that grammar is a necessary component of university composition courses. My report will prove the need for this type of instruction and suggest ways that it can be achieved successfully in the classroom.