How Hawkes Learning Elevated Our Students’ Grammar Mastery

When it comes to strengthening student confidence in Grammar Foundations, nothing speaks louder than the perspective of an instructor who has lived the challenges and found a solution that genuinely works.

In this testimonial, we spotlight Professor Lisa Arter's firsthand journey implementing Hawkes Learning’s Grammar Foundations courseware in her ENGL 1410 course at Southern Utah University. Professor Arter's story offers an honest, practical look at how Hawkes transforms the way grammar is taught and learned.

"The curriculum is beautifully scaffolded and supported with excellent examples. The online platform is amazing!"

Explore the Curriculum

Students enter college with little or no grammar knowledge - even as English majors. Creating a grammar class that was at a beginning level but didn't "teach down" to tertiary students was vital. Additionally, I didn't want to spend the class just lecturing and having them think they understood and then do poorly once they left.

Using a modified flipped classroom for Grammar Foundations has worked very well. The curriculum is beautifully scaffolded and supported with excellent examples. The online platform is amazing! I love that I can set a proficiency level and the software analyzes a student's trouble spots and gives them more questions to work through in those areas. I also like that the certification quizzes quit once a student can't reach the proficiency score and automatically takes the student to needed review areas. This lessens frustration from students "failing" repeatedly.

What Does Implementation Look Like?

First, I have my students do the paper textbook, utilizing it as a workbook.

They bring the book to class each day and my "lectures" are based on a brief review of the homework and answering the questions students have. This way, the Q&A is targeted. I then have them work on more examples while I move through the class and mark off their work from the homework. I don't grade it - just participation for percentage completed mixed with their Q&A participation. They then know what areas to practice more through the software and take the certification quiz at home. Chapter tests are done in class.

Starting with section 2, I introduce sentence diagramming.

We work problems in class as this serves as a constant reminder of the parts of speech in section 1 and supports the learned syntax in section 2. Sections 3 and 4 are organized the same way: homework before class, Q&A to work through any questions from that, check it off, diagram some days and then proofread short texts to review and support.

Finally, I add an etymology TED Talk and paper.

Students research the etymology of their name and a chosen word. They submit a paper, utilizing all they've learned in the class (this is heavily graded on mechanics, style, organization) and give a 5-minute TED Talk on what they've found out about themselves and their chosen word. Students truly enjoy this and end the course with an engaging project.

"Scores are up! Students are engaged with the material and feel the success because of this scaffolding. They don't forget early material as they see it repeatedly and in increasingly real-world contexts. I love teaching this class!"