What is the importance of diagramming?

[momxnine]

My 13 year old asked me this and honestly, I don't have an answer. *I* love to diagram and think it's fun to break the sentence apart, but he sees no need. And for him, there probably isn't a need. He's not going into writing for a career and probably not even going to college. But if someone can give me a really good reason and purpose, I'd love to hear it.

[countrymom]

I have pondered this question myself and have come to the conclusion that diagramming is important because the skill of writing is important. I think no matter what path our children take (and I have a son who is more likely to end up in a technical trade school than traditional college), they need to be able to write. Writing is an often used and important skill, yet we have practically seen a demise of quality writing in recent decades. I work in the world of higher academia and it amazes me how often I see a document written up very poorly despite coming from a group of masters and PhD's. It seems odd to me when the statement is made, "make sure someone from the English division is on the committee to take care of the writing." Communication is important in so many aspects of our life and the skill of relaying our thoughts clearly and distinctly cannot be overlooked. I did a search and found a couple of quotes from Carrie in past threads that might be of interest so I have pasted them in. Hope that helps!

Diagramming leads students toward being able to rework a sentence, moving phrases and modifiers to form sentences with clearer meanings that more effectively communicate ideas. I was never a proponent of diagramming, and did everything I could to have my boys avoid it, as I thought it was an antiquated way of approaching sentence structure. But through years with Rod and Staff English, I have come to truly see the fruit and purpose of diagramming and realize it is a lost skill that actually is a mental-imaging type tool toward "seeing" how to write better, clearer sentences.

Blessings,
Carrie

I can understand the desire to have grammar be fun and exciting, as I was on that search myself with my oldest son for years. We did FLL 1&2, then a year of Easy Grammar while using Intermediate Language Lessons for writing, then a year of BJU English and Writing, and finished with part of a year of a "fun" program with cute books and workbooks to learn the grammar concepts. I finally discovered after all that search for fun that my son had retained very little grammar knowledge and no application. He did not see the need for grammar instruction or the reason it was necessary.

At that point I switched to Rod and Staff 4 with him when he was a 5th grader. I cannot tell you the difference in understanding within just a few days, literally. The way Rod and Staff presents their lessons truly speaks to the reason for knowing grammar and all things related to the study of English. It points out that since God himself chose to speak to us through the written word, it is very important for us to be able to convey ourselves in this manner well too. All throughout God's word, we find that specific wording, or the way things are phrased, or the word order makes a huge difference in our interpretation. This is the reason for studying diagramming, as it teaches all of those skills. It helps students visually see a sentence and its design, ponder the specific word choices, see the way things are grouped and phrased, and grasp the meaning. I have now switched my goals from looking for a fun program that entertains the children to one that provides purposeful, solid, specific, God-honoring instruction in English and writing that speaks to the heart of my children. A side benefit is that it also prepares my children well in so many areas regularly tested each year. We have been blessed to have found that within Rod and Staff.

[LovingJesus]

I agree with everything country mom and Carrie shared regarding diagramming.

My initial interest in diagramming actually came from reading The Little Town on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls. She has some very complex diagramming examples, when she takes her teacher's exam, at the end of the book. I was never given diagramming in school, and I could see the benefit of her knowledge in her writing. It made me realize that an element of education given in one room school houses had been lost. A lost element in modern day authors, whom do not not write as well as authors of previous generations.

When my oldest was in second grade I subjected him as the first born to both Primary Language Lessons and Rod and Staff English 2. I felt like I shouldn't be having him do both, but I could not decide between the two methods. I have never regretted for an instant picking Rod and Staff English 2 at the end of that school year. He is now in 5th grade, and my son who once fought all writing and the pencil when he was young honestly enjoys to write. The fruit though that I see comes from having laid a writing foundation with lots of diagramming through Rod and Staff. His writing is clear and concise sentences that are also highly descriptive. The diagramming in books 3 and 4 and 5 I know have a lot to do with his ability to write. The analytical skills of pulling sentences a part somehow helps the mind put them together when being required to write. His father is continually pleased with his writing samples for their clarity. I think that clarity comes through when a student is able to construct sentences that are grammatically correct.

I also agree that good writing is for everyone. Whether a construction worker filling out a job application or a form at a doctor's office or a PhD writing papers daily we all need to know how to communicate in the English language both orally and written. I do think diagramming helps strengthen a student's ability to do both.

[gardenmama28]

When I went to Bible School we were required to take a course called Hermeneutics - which is basically a course in how to interpret and understand the Bible clearly and accurately. We studied many things such as historical background and context, how to study greek words etc., but the bulk of the course focused on sentence diagramming.So many verses in the New Testament especially are very complex and compound, and diagramming is very useful in discovering what the main point of a verse or passage is. This is very important when studying books such as the Epistles, where Paul is forming complex arguments and explaining the faith. Just give that a try - take a long verse or passage from the Bible, and diagram that!!! Maybe they already do that in the Rod and Staff books - we haven't started them yet. But I think that diagramming really is a useful and valuable tool when applied to Bible Study.