Writing and grammar are branches to one tree they both have different types of information that are contained in them. Ever since humans developed the ability to write they’ve mostly been focusing on making grammar the primary factor in teaching. As explained in Bad Ideas About Writing: Teaching Grammar Improves Writing by Patricia Dunn, she goes on to point the main attributes that are affecting student’s ability to write and how research has shown what classes are lacking in that department. Another issue that corresponds with Dunn’s information is The Atlantic: What Happens to Students When Their Professors Are on Welfare by McKenna, Laura, which adds on the reasons why most students’ writings aren’t as profound. Laura explains in her articles how most professors who teach are limited to the spaces and time they have to teach students. Bringing this case to light it affects why most teachers would focus more on grammar then effectively teaching it in a way that would help develop writing skill as well. By making the students write more than they are doing now it will show that when you write more you begin to gain a better understanding of what you’re doing

For anything to improve you have to focus and work hard on it. Dunn’s article exposes the holes that most schools are trying to cover up which is the development of writing through the teaching of grammar. She states in her article, “Research has shown that isolated grammar exercises are among the worst uses of time in a writing class.” (Dunn 145). Isolating any certain part of a subject won’t cause anything to improve. When teachers are teaching a subject they also have to keep in mind the other factors that affect a subject which could be grammar. The factors are what make it what is. Other than isolating it why not break each into different parts and then at the end of the day combine them to see what has formed. In Laura’s article, this idea would contradict itself because time is of the essence and it must be used wisely. Laura says “Adjuncts readily admit they cannot support students outside the classroom, such as when students need extra help understanding an assignment….. even if they had the time to provide these services, many colleges don’t provide their adjuncts with office space” ( Laura 9th paragraph). Adjuncts in this case are professors who are hired into schools but are limited to the things they can do, compared to fully employed university instructors. Most of these professors work part-time and even some work full time, but the accessibility that they have are low. In response to Dunn’s argument of isolating grammar, this adds on to that. Showing how limited time could cause the teacher to teach less and have little to no time to go over the writing part of a grammar class. In response to the better idea provided about breaking each part and then combining them. A solution to limited time would be to form groups with the students and tell each one to write a response to how the other formatted their sentence or paragraph. Each day students will look at another student’s work. To maximize this idea would be to tell the students to not worry too much about the grammatical errors and see how the mistakes made could improve the format of the writing. Even when professors are able to effectively teach grammar that will improve writing there will be factors that limit them from fully teaching it, whether it’s the given time or communication between student and teacher. 

           Being able to effectively teach grammar in a way that improves grammar may not seem easy, but through research, a way can be found. Taking each bad idea and finding new ways to change it into a better idea. From Dunn’s and Laura’s articles many solutions can be found and seen from the argument that they presented mostly seen through Dunn’s argument. She made claims that gave solutions to teaching grammar like, “One way to improve writing is to stop looking for a better way to teach grammar. To improve writing, find a better way to teach writing.” (Dunn pg 144). Using grammar as a stepping stone to learning new ways to teach writing can be seen as a solution to making a better idea.

 Dunn Patricia A. “Teaching Grammar Improves Writing” in Bad Ideas About Writing. Edited by Cheryl E. Ball and Drew M.
Loewe, 144-149. Web. https://textbooks.lib.wvu.edu/badideas/

McKenna, Laura. “What Happens to Students When Their Professors Are on Welfare.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 26 May 2015, www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/05/the-cost-of-an-adjunct/394091/.