The politics of English

Recently, I read the results of a poll that stated roughly eighty percent of Americans use proper grammar when they write. I find those results faulty. I read so much of what others write and I can tell you that this statistic is horribly inaccurate. I don't think that anyone is trying to lie in this "research"; I believe that most people don't really know American English mechanics, grammar, punctuation, etc. to the extent they believe they do.

I know I am a stickler. All English teachers should be, right?

Quick assessment - Which sentence is correct?

1. She has more clothes than me.
2. She has more clothes than I.

#2. She has more clothes than I (have clothes).
It sounds so ridiculous. We often forget that colloquial speech has different rules and allowances. While it is perfectly acceptable to say #1, when it is written, we are supposed to take on a slightly more formal. Somewhere along the way, we lost that. Check out the OWL for more information.

I can remember correcting my friends' notes in middle school and high school. I usually did not return them, but maybe I should have. Perhaps I could have reached a few before their writing skills solidified.

The most fun part is that creative writing doesn't seem to require the formality, because writers try to create a voice that others can relate to. Who would want to purchase a book that is difficult to read and doesn't sound like a person telling a story? What I fear is that we have generations within our society that cannot switch between textbook writing and creative writing, so they miss some of the key elements that explain how we got to this point.


I spent a portion of the day today writing some political and method pieces for English teacher reform practices to comply with the educational reform that will take effect in August. I am fired up about the possibility of having to push my ideas at the state and national levels. I am considering putting together a presentation and lesson to take to the Michigan Council of Teachers of English events throughout the year. I have started networking with other English teacher activists. This could be the start of something much more substantial and sustainable for English teachers nationwide.

Some of the key ideas that I am fleshing out in my articles/methods seem so fundamental while others are delving into theoretical practices and hypothetical outcomes that I think I had better do some additional area studies at the K-12 level, as well as the college level.

I am collecting data from students, teachers, community members, and state representatives that pushed the educational reform.

Avenues of thought:

1. U.S. culture of intolerance of foreign languages in general society. Most people don't even follow the standards of American English. We are being lead by the younger generations who don't know how to spell 'you' because they've been writing 'u', etc. on the internet.

2. Teaching the changes in communication styles over the past 50 years and how that has shaped our language.

3. Need for more grammar at the primary level.

4. Helping other English teachers to teach grammar in context of already scheduled topics and plans, as well as in an approach that utilizing the multiple learning styles of each student.

5. Explaining the linguistics behind our language (the evolution and vowel shift from the middle ages and what it has done to communication and culture).

6. The need to teach more foreign languages at the elementary level so that students will learn root words in other languages (why do you think the Spelling Bee champs ask for the language of origin!?!)

7. Explanation of how to successfully integrated the whole language and phonetic approach to learning to stop creating educational gaps across the country and between generations.

8. Comparative studies of the language/grammar skills from all over the world (primarily in first-world countries)

9. Where technology is leading us - spell check, grammar check, dictionaries, auto-correct, internet/email language, the impact on research and writing skills with writing so widely available, etc.

I have a few other ideas, but I think I should pace myself this summer and first put forth some effort on those listed above.

This probably sounds so boring to you. I am just concerned about evaporating communication skills. We are overdue for a vowel shift in English, which usually eliminates a connection to literature and texts from centuries ago. Having a standardized language helps to keep it alive and well, while holding off major changes that will, inevitably, affect any civilization.