Grammar for sentence combining Wednesday, January 25, 2012 - 11:03

Grammar for sentence combining is an accessible guide for literacy tutors outlining the principles of sentence combining; an aspect of grammar teaching that has been proven to improve the quality of learners' writing through research carried out by the book's author, Dr Maxine Burton.

Although sentence combining is not a very familiar term in UK literacy teaching, Dr Burton's research (Progress for Adult Literacy Learners, 2007-08), found that it is an effective teaching strategy for adult learners, both in terms of their writing progress and their increased confidence.

Published by NIACE, Grammar for sentence combining, explains the basics of sentence structure and conjunctions, providing literacy practitioners with the knowledge that empowers them to confidently deliver effective teaching of writing skills. The guide is written with the requirements of the Core Curriculum in mind, making it an essential reference book for adult literacy practitioners, teacher training courses and continuing professional development.

Dr Maxine Burton said:

"Within this one book the literacy tutor will find three useful sources of information: a clear account of some of the most helpful principals of English grammar; guidelines for using the strategy of sentence combining in the classroom; and a detailed mapping of the strategy and underpinning grammar to the Adult Literacy Core Curriculum."

Dr Maxine Burton is a visiting research associate at the Institute of Education, London. She is an experienced adult literacy practitioner and trainer, and linguistics teacher. She is the author of several adult literacy handbooks, including the NIACE publication Phonetics for Phonics: Underpinning Knowledge for Adult Literacy Practitioners.