Funner Grammar—Fresh Ways to Teach Usage, Language, and Writing Conventions, Grades 3-8

Viewing language as a human social phenomenon tied to history and culture and a tool for connecting with people in speech and writing, Wilde (curriculum and teaching, Hunter College, City U. of New York) explains how to teach grammar to students in grades three through eight by focusing on mechanics; words, tenses, sentences, and complexity; usage; language diversity and social justice; and linguistics. She views these topics from new angles, such as usage in social context, learning about the language of power, sign language, the use of "ain't," and the origins of the alphabet, and incorporates the Common Core State Standards and information teaching English language learners. There is no index. Annotation Ac2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Sandra Wilde, Ph.D., is the author of numerous Heinemann professional books including Quantity & Quality and Funner Grammar as well as the firsthand classroom resource Strategic Spelling. She is widely recognized for her expertise in developmental spelling and her advocacy of holistic approaches to spelling and phonics. She is Professor of Curriculum and Teaching at Hunter College, City University of New York. She is best known for her work in invented spelling, phonics and miscue analysis. She specializes in showing teachers how kids' invented spellings and miscues can help us work with them in more sophisticated and learner-centered ways. Looking at what kids do as they read and write is at the heart of Sandra's presentations and workshops. She can do lively keynote presentations that highlight the interesting things that we can learn by paying close attention to students' invented spellings and miscues, as well as workshops of varying lengths that focus on student-centered teaching of spelling and phonics. She has recently begun offering workshops that focus on understanding students' miscues as a guide to appropriate instruction, particularly for struggling readers. She lives in New York City. Sandra is quoted in this Huffington Post article about trends in grammar instruction in the Common Core era.