What’s the point of form if it doesn’t function?

I don’t keep my love of the Swedish theme park, IKEA, a secret. I love milling through fake rooms, imagining how my big family could fit into small spaces. I love a Swedish meatball and that Dime cake as much as (or even more) than the next person. I know that many do not likeContinue reading “What’s the point of form if it doesn’t function?”

But seriously, what is Happening?

I once heard two people discussing how to eat a mango. One person was revealing with some enthusiasm to the other that they had just figured it out. “Just cut the cheeks off,” they exclaimed, “and then cut into them horizontally and vertically, Then pop the squares out!” I could tell by the way thatContinue reading “But seriously, what is Happening?”

Do you want some context with that?

“Chicken.” “What?” “Chicken” This was the discussion that my husband and I had tonight. My husband is sitting on the sofa watching TV and I am in the next room working on my laptop. Sufficed to say I have little, to no idea what he is talking about. Had he drifted off to sleep andContinue reading “Do you want some context with that?”

Are verbs just doing words?

If I had a dollar for every time I heard verbs being described as doing words… You get the idea. The traditional grammar language of verbs that classifies words is very restrictive. This has lead to many educators (and I will raise my hand as guilty) describe verbs in an overly simplistic way. So, isContinue reading “Are verbs just doing words?”

Where to now? Functional grammar in the classroom.

I struggled at writing “correctly” in school. I loved writing, but I struggled with the editorial skills of punctuation, paragraphing and spelling. I remember writing a speech one day (Yep, you better believe it, I was in the debating team! First speaker rocks!), and I recall the freedom that came from writing a text thatContinue reading “Where to now? Functional grammar in the classroom.”