1. The Sequential, Syntactic, Remedial Tutorial.
- Author
-
Vavra, Edward A.
- Abstract
Designed for students who have grammatical problems, the syntactic approach presented in this paper helps explain the process of revision, and should be used only after a student has written a draft. The paper suggests that the students' hypothetical objective can be to understand how every word in any sentence is syntactically connected to the basic sentence pattern, and explains the four-step approach, categorized according to prepositional phrases, subjects and verbs, subordinate clauses, and gerundives (participles). The paper lists the following advantages of this approach: (1) students work with only their own writing; (2) the approach emphasizes and helps define revision as a separate process, starts with a simple concept and expands, entails automatic review of all preceding steps, and focuses on what is right rather than what is wrong; (3) students study only those grammatical concepts directly related to their problems in writing, and experience an early sense of success; (4) students' work is easily and quickly checked; and (5) much of the instruction can be done through simple handouts. (EL)
- Published
- 1985