I find that diagramming sentences is one great way to teach grammar. Does anyone else still use this method?

Answer 1

Yes.  Being able to identify the parts of speech helps students understand how and when each part is used to form clear and concise sentences to convey true meaning of the statement, question, sentences, paragraph, etc.  I taught my GED students the importance of knowing what goes where so that they can both read with understanding and properly write and speak for their studies and careers.  When one knows how to form coherent sentences with proper grammar, he or she is more likely to taken more seriously.  I explain to them that what we say is often different from how we are to write.  We often speak less formally than we write. Diagramming sentence is like putting the pieces to a puzzle together.

Answer 2

Oh yeah, I use it all the time in my teaching and tutoring too! The craft of writing is so important--whether it is a text, social media post or comment, email, sentence, paragraph, essay, article, published book, you name it! Parts of speech are key to diagramming sentences correctly and craftily as well. I remember learning how to diagram sentences and identify the parts of speech therein back in elementary and middle school. It's stayed with me all these years and now I pass on the teaching-learning craft unto my pupils--as both a teacher-tutor, and published author three times over.

Keep up the great teaching on your part! :)