Transfer of Learning

Grammar instruction has been a heated debate for over seventy-five years. Hundreds of articles and books have taken up the topic of grammar, argued the ¿correct¿ approaches to grammar instruction, and critiqued grammar instruction. There is a clear line of demarcation between two viewpoints: the grammarian and the anti-grammarian. Considering the sheer volume of decades of work, it is ironic that scholars are still at variance over the definition of grammar and its application to writing and the writing classroom. This study investigates the teaching practices in high school English classrooms, carefully observing the connection between the materials that the teachers are working from; their expectations and goals that they seek to meet; and finally, the execution of the material and expectations in their instruction. Further, it discusses the ways in which teaching practices may be at variance with the way in which students take in and retain knowledge into the college composition classroom.