ERIC Number: EJ1087798
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1081-3004
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Available Date: N/A
Responsible Grammar Rebels: Using the Hunger Games Trilogy to Teach the Intentional Sentence Fragment
Simmons, Amber M.
Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, v59 n4 p387-395 Jan-Feb 2016
Building off of students' interest in popular apocalyptic/dystopian literature, this article explores how passages from Suzanne Collins's "The Hunger Games" trilogy aided in teaching students how to successfully rebel against traditional grammar rules, looking at fragments as intentional stylistic choices. Employing the values of systemic functional linguistics, students embraced the view of grammar as a set of choices made by the author to construct meaning rather than a set of rules, as evidenced by student discussion and writing samples. This reflective practitioner piece suggests that after engaging in the learning activity, students' use of fragments indicated an ability to control the English language and understand of the complexity and nuance of language and structure. Furthermore, the use of fragments added style and depth to students' writing and did not detract from the clarity of their prose or the integrity of their responses to writing prompts.
Descriptors: Teaching Methods, Novels, Student Interests, Grammar, Learning Activities, English, Language Usage, Sentences, Writing (Composition)
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
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