Read below for a list of frequently asked questions, or go to the TeacherTalk section for a more current and ongoing discussion of Grammar Graphics.

Q: How much classtime do I need to allow for the program?

A: You can easily do this in 15-20 minutes. Incorporate it for an anticipatory set --- two sentences for editing, two coding, one coded model. This is similar to any form of Daily Oral language.

Q: My system has adopted a required language curriculum. Can I still do Grammar Graphics?

A: Use it as your "first thing you do" procedure. Have it on the board when the class comes in. Use it as the set for your required language lesson. It's great for teaching run-on sentences. Put a run-on sentence on the board as a model and have the students code it. They will quickly see what is wrong with the sentence. So coding becomes an editing device.

Q: How long will a kit last?

A: The kit I am using now is 6 years old. When the shapes lose their "static cling" due to humidity or lack of humidity, just get a mister filled with water. Give the shape a little shower and it will stick like glue! I know of a teacher who puts her shapes between wax paper over the summer so they stay fresh. Another teacher I know puts them back on the original backing so they don't get wrinkled

Q: Is there inservice training available?

A: Yes! We provide half-day and full-day training. Full day also includes writing assessment tips and power writing methods. Grammar Graphics is the ground level cornerstone for a solid written language program. When students learn the basic patterns of the language, they become good writers. (No one will give you money for identifying an adjective) You have to know how to use those adjectives effectively. Grammar Graphics teaches that.

Q: What grade levels is the program appropriate for?

A: The program is currently being used for students from first grade up through college. Yes, we did say college. They are using GG to teach teachers how to teach grammar.

Q: I know Grammar Graphics is great for beginners and remedial programs. Has it ever been used for gifted?

A: Oh yes! The codes just get more difficult. Gifted students were in on the development of the program. They love to create codes for their partners to crack. Once we had the Great American Code-Off. The 5th grade classes were divided into teams. Students were timed writing paragraphs, compound sentences, even clauses. They loved it.

Q: Grammar Graphics WORKS for the regular classroom. How about ELL?

A: The ELL class in the original pilot was doing interjections in August. Grammar Graphics continually enforces use of the articles a, an, and the, benefiting students whose primary language does not include these important little words. The program also helps ELL students learn the patterns of the English language; for example, adjectives before nouns vs. adjectives following nouns as in the French pattern. Grammar Graphics gave them a great base for written language.

Q: I can see that Grammar Graphics is fun, but will it raise my test scores?

A: Yes, students showed as much as a 20-point gain in language score on the State Tests while reading scores were unchanged. (Click here to view classroom support data)