In the comment trail for my review on Junie B. Jones, Valorie and Rex each left a comment that sparked an idea in my mind for this blog. Thanks, guys!
Rex commented on the bad grammar used in the series, and Valorie replied that it was vernacular, and that many of the great classics were written using a vernacular. I would like to agree with both of you, and then to tell all of our readers the particular reason why I find this vernacular to be useful in my family.
As you have probably noticed, we’re a homeschooling family. Each day I have my children sit and read to me for a time, and my daughter frequently chooses to read Junie B. Jones. What a great opportunity it is for me to teach her grammar! As we read, my daughter will point out different ways Junie could have phrased her sentence that would have been more correct, and I help her refine her suggestions. Thus, reading time with my daughter becomes more than just reading – it becomes grammar, English, social skills, behavior science, etc, as we analyze what Junie is doing and how she could have made better choices.
The same argument applies to Captain Underpants. (There will be an additional blog about this posted today – keep your eyes out for it.) In the beginning of every book, there is a section written in comic book style that is supposedly written by the two main characters, who are boys, and it is replete with spelling mistakes. Captain Underpants being the reading material of choice for my eight-year-old son, we read the books together, and we use it as a spelling lesson. Nearly every frame has a misspelled word, and I ask my son to point it out. When he finds it, we then write it down the proper way. By making a game out of it, we have combined reading and spelling, and it holds his attention because hey, what’s cooler than a Super Hero?
So, Rex and Valorie, I agree with you both. It’s not good to model bad spelling and grammar habits, but it can also be valuable in teaching our children. I take it a step further, turn it into a school lesson, and have the best of both worlds.
Related Blogs:
Encouraging Your Children to Read