Real learning: grammar
Julie Bogart
So I got home from our homeschool co-op today and was greeted by my 16 yos asking me
the definition of the words "perfect" and "imperfect" when used in verb tense labels. He
quickly led me to the computer to show me the site he had spent the whole day studying -
a list of all the possible verb tenses and examples in English. He explained that while he's
been interested in Klingon (Star Trek language) for over a month now, that interest has
expanded to include the creation of any invented language. We went over the grammatical
terms for tenses but I was quickly out of my depth.
Then he wondered whether the "th" in "the" was voiced or unvoiced and what a "fricative"
is. Having studied five languages, I did have a little familiarity with these terms, but I
found the precision of his questions and the insight he had from his six weeks of interest
in Klingon to out strip even the smattering of knowledge I had.
The thing is, back when we were "schooling at home" he had done his "Winston Grammar"
with little interest and no retention. He hasn't studied any spoken foreign language. He
chose ASL instead. (Interestingly, don't get him started on the idea that American Sign
Language isn't a "real language." He became passionate about defending the lingistic
structure and grammatical nature of ASL when he heard some colleges don't consider it a
"foreign language." He's studied it for three years.)
Yet now through the natural process of following his own interests, he's looking at
grammar more deeply (at the structural level - the composition of how language develops)
than he ever would have using some grammar program.
This unschooling life is just too fun!
Julie
P.S. Have you all already seen School of Rock? There's another "unschooling movie" to add
tot he list! Especially if you are a big rock 'n roll fan like I am. :)
the definition of the words "perfect" and "imperfect" when used in verb tense labels. He
quickly led me to the computer to show me the site he had spent the whole day studying -
a list of all the possible verb tenses and examples in English. He explained that while he's
been interested in Klingon (Star Trek language) for over a month now, that interest has
expanded to include the creation of any invented language. We went over the grammatical
terms for tenses but I was quickly out of my depth.
Then he wondered whether the "th" in "the" was voiced or unvoiced and what a "fricative"
is. Having studied five languages, I did have a little familiarity with these terms, but I
found the precision of his questions and the insight he had from his six weeks of interest
in Klingon to out strip even the smattering of knowledge I had.
The thing is, back when we were "schooling at home" he had done his "Winston Grammar"
with little interest and no retention. He hasn't studied any spoken foreign language. He
chose ASL instead. (Interestingly, don't get him started on the idea that American Sign
Language isn't a "real language." He became passionate about defending the lingistic
structure and grammatical nature of ASL when he heard some colleges don't consider it a
"foreign language." He's studied it for three years.)
Yet now through the natural process of following his own interests, he's looking at
grammar more deeply (at the structural level - the composition of how language develops)
than he ever would have using some grammar program.
This unschooling life is just too fun!
Julie
P.S. Have you all already seen School of Rock? There's another "unschooling movie" to add
tot he list! Especially if you are a big rock 'n roll fan like I am. :)
Lisa H
<<while he's been interested in Klingon (Star Trek language)>>
Btw - I recall seeing a posting, sometime in the past two or three years, on some homeschool list that advertised a job opening in Maine for a person who speaks Klingon. A translator was needed to communicate with mentally ill patients who will only communicate in that language.
Lisa H.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Btw - I recall seeing a posting, sometime in the past two or three years, on some homeschool list that advertised a job opening in Maine for a person who speaks Klingon. A translator was needed to communicate with mentally ill patients who will only communicate in that language.
Lisa H.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
pam sorooshian
What is that website, Julie?
-pam
-pam
On Mar 29, 2004, at 1:32 PM, Julie Bogart wrote:
> So I got home from our homeschool co-op today and was greeted by my 16
> yos asking me
> the definition of the words "perfect" and "imperfect" when used in
> verb tense labels. He
> quickly led me to the computer to show me the site he had spent the
> whole day studying -
> a list of all the possible verb tenses and examples in English.
National Home Education Network
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Julie Bogart
--- In [email protected], pam sorooshian <pamsoroosh@m...>
wrote:
had listed the various verb forms for language creation with examples. Then he found a
website that had the IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) which we also looked at. I'll see
if I can get you some kind of link later today.
Ciao,
Julie
wrote:
> What is that website, Julie?I'll ask Noah later today. He was on some kind of bulletin board where one of the posters
>
> -pam
had listed the various verb forms for language creation with examples. Then he found a
website that had the IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) which we also looked at. I'll see
if I can get you some kind of link later today.
Ciao,
Julie