Interviewers: Kasey McKinzie, Michaela Worcester
Interviewee: Robin Murphy
Date: September 03, 2008
Time: 1:00
Kasey and Michaela state Mulroy's claim. They ask Murphy if she agrees. She does not. They ask why. This is, apparently, the magic word that unlocks Pandora’s box. After this word slipped out, here is what ensued...
Robin Murphy does not believe there is an actual decline in grammar instruction. After all, secondary school teachers are required to teach it and Kasey and Michaela are required to take it. She would like to see grammar become less prevalent since it has nothing to do with actual composition skills. She then goes on to say Mulroy must be in a "dream sequence" if he actually believes his claim to be true because of the reality of writing classroom instruction. Mulroy makes it too easy. The problem isn’t that simple. Murphy agrees that there is a definite decline the interest of grammar instruction, but not in the practice of grammar instruction itself. As far as Mulroy himself, Murphy muses over the fact that his primary qualifications are in Literature theory, not in composition theory. So why is he talking about grammar composition? Hmm. Murphy then begins to explain in an even more detailed description the battle between lit. theorists and people who focus more on content and composing skills. This leaves the interviewers with an even deeper understanding (dread) of the controversies within the English speaking/writing/grammar composing world. Great.
The next day, after the interview was supposedly concluded, Kasey logged into Facebook, only to find her wall had been abused by Murphy's rant on grammar use in composition. In this post, she explains that grammar will most likely never disappear from composition classes because it’s easy to use as an assessment tool, but it’s not a legit way to access WRITING.
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5 comments:
Wow, I don't want to make Murphy mad.
the movement that came in composition after the process movement.
I'd like to claim that I love all things lit theory. My experience in grad school and with lit heavy profs as an undergrad is that they didn't value composition theory. As a result, many of them chided their students for the lack of grammar skills and assessed writing based on grammar.
So, I questioned Mulroy's authority as a grammarian. I also questioned his research, which seemed dated at my brief glance.
In the end, I didn't read his text. So, in reality, there goes my authority on his authority.
You didnt read it? Lucky...
note: I heard a teacher in Horace Mann today talking about grading by grammar. I believe the lecture was about there, their, and they're. Riveting. I'm just saying. It's happening.
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