Good Grammar [Grades 6-12]

Joyful and Affirming Language Lessons That Work for More Students

First, there were the rules. Then, there was a reckoning. And now, this: Resonance. This is the book that I needed as a young writing teacher. It's a gift to me now, many decades later. Good Grammar affirms and invites us to express our identities. It helps us find our place, our people, and our purpose in this world. Matt Johnson is offering such healing and hopeful ideas here.

In Good Grammar, Matt Johnson once again proves that he knows what writing teachers need: a boots-on-the-ground, practical guide to teaching what matters in language instruction in a way that matters to students. This book makes grammar warm, welcoming, and do-able for teachers and students alike.

In Good Grammar, Matt Johnson pulls off a small miracle: he shows teachers how to incorporate grammar and language study in meaningful and effective ways while connecting the lessons to the larger issues of culture and craft through the use of diverse and compelling mentor texts and methods. This is the book on grammar, language, and great teaching that teachers have all been looking for – and can use as an essential guide for our students and ourselves. 

Turns out, writing and grammar are fun! Good Grammar demonstrates again and again that joy is found in the composition of words. This book is jam-packed with playful yet important grammar lessons, inviting students to explore the writer within while honoring the language they use every day.

Every ELA teacher under the sun, if they are honest with themselves, wants to get better at teaching grammar. Specifically, we want to teach grammar in ways that stick permanently in our students’ brains. We also want our students to know the “why” behind grammar rules, and even to feel empowered by this knowledge. My friend Matt Johnson has written a book that does all this and more. Good Grammar gets right down to business. It is packed with practical lessons, examples of student writing, and plenty of Matt’s thoughtful commentary and reflections. It is a valued addition to my professional library, one that is already dog-eared, highlighted, and overall well-used.

The lessons in this book had my mind crackling with ideas to use in my classroom! It blends what we know about joy and motivation with what we know about language and how to teach it in ways that are fresh, well-researched, and practical. Good Grammar is the book we've been waiting for to transform the most frustrating part of English class into something that truly helps our students to grow.

Good Grammar is the grammar, language, and style course we all need.  Matt Johnson delivers a thoughtful and joyful exploration of language education, emphasizing empowerment and inclusivity. Through step-by-step lessons that invite play and experimentation, students are encouraged to embrace their unique voices while gaining a deeper understanding and value of grammar.

Matt Johnson's ideas came to me at the perfect time. I was looking for ways to reinvigorate my writing unit just before our state exams, and I found his approach refreshing because he makes grammar instruction about opportunity rather than error. Good Grammar’s lessons are arranged in perfect sequential order, making them easy to implement and easy for my students to grasp.

Not since Constance Weaver has there been such a thoughtful and comprehensive conversation about grammar.  Reading Matt Johnson’s book is like watching over the shoulder of a master teacher at work, demonstrating so many ways grammar knowledge improves a writer’s craft.