I really feel that to successfully teach grammar in an effective and meaningful way in the secondary school, teachers of writing must be able to hold the interest of their students. This is very difficult to do with subject matter that is notoriously dry or has a reputation for being boring and useless...grammar included. That was certainly the case when i was learning grammar and is, unfortuantely, my only prior knowledge of teaching grammar. However, it is essential that students learn grammar so that they can be successful writers, even in the simplest forms, upon entering adulthood and the workforce.
That being said, i think that connecting grammar to the kinds of writing that learners enjoy is essential in being able to hold their interest. Grammar is often taught strictly in the academic-essay context-- as we have seen in Harry Noden's Image Grammar, it doesnt have to be. I think that his metaphor for grammar being the essential technique of writing the way brushstrokes and style are the techniques of painting is a good lead in...using examples from interesting and colorful pieces of creative writing rather than the stereotypical "May I go to the store today?" examples are a great step in the right direction of holding students' interest when teaching grammar. It also may be good to allow them to bring in lyrics, poems, passages, comics, or magazines that they like and go through it to find out what grammar works and what doesnt within the piece.
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Noden's philosphy of grammar goes beyond providing better "content" for students to engage in however. How is his approach different than a traditional approach, or perhaps the way in which you were taught grammar?
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