I believe real life writing is also important, and can be done in a variety of ways. I used to get my high school students to write letters to the editor (which meant they had to read the newspaper!). My husband (also a LA teacher) came up with the idea of having kids write to companies for sample products, explaining that it was a school assignment and that the items were being used in a class auction (using play money that had been earned in class). In both cases, students were expected to learn and follow the appropriate letter format and use acceptable language conventions. Other real life writing experiences include -- notes to friends and family members, emails, chat rooms & boards, pen pals (online or snail mail), personal journals, letters of congratulations/thanks/complaint/concern, grocery or camping equipment lists -- anything that involves putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard.

Oral communication skills can be developed by talking a lot, of course -- playing with language to express oneself clearly, effectively, and appropriately. I think we can encourage this by expecting children to communicate for themselves (age appropriately). So often we do the talking FOR our kids -- at the doctor's, at the store, at the library, at clubs/activities -- wherever -- with the assumption that an adult can get the job done faster and more efficiently. We can be fostering our kids' oral communication skills by getting THEM to order the pizza, ask the librarian for a particular book, or tell the doctor what's ailing them. Putting them in situations where they need to talk is important because it gives them experience in communicating with others. Social opportunities are also good for this -- like visiting elderly people, participating in sports activities, and hanging out with friends and family. Then there's the more formal opportunities, like putting on puppet plays for neighborhood kids, acting in or stage directing a community play, participating in a talent show . . . the list could go on, but my dd is waiting patiently to use the computer!

I tend to think learning grammar is important, but have yet to determine how to actually STUDY it withOUT actually studying it (if that makes any sense!) As someone else said, learning another language is a great way to learn your own language's grammar -- and to me, that reinforces the idea that grammar is important. Knowing the parts of a car and how they work together helps us to drive more efficiently and effectively -- and knowing the parts of language and how THEY work together helps us to communicate more efficiently and effectively. However, I know that not everyone is meant to be an auto mechanic -- and neither is everyone meant to be a writer. (In fact, I recently heard an "expert" say that the human brain is not "geared" for reading and writing -- that it is a relatively recent phenomenon that we have expected EVERYONE to read and write well. Food for thought!)

I hope some of this has been helpful. As usual, the process of thinking it through here has been helpful to me!

-- Paula