Blog #6 Language Acquisition & Language Learning
My Personal Experience
The topic of language acquisition and language learning has fascinated me for years. Currently, I teach Spanish and speak Spanish at home even though I live in the United States and English is my first language. I began learning Spanish in high school with a model that definitely followed a language learning methodology. The instruction was delivered in English and we learned about the language. We read some passages in Spanish and memorized dialogues. We took tests on grammar and we studied verb conjugations. I didn’t take Spanish my Senior year in high school or my first year in college, so I forgot a lot. At that time, I didn’t identify with the speakers of the language much. Oddly, one of the few things I retained from two years of high school Spanish was “limpia para brisas” which means “windshield wipers.”
I remember being in line at a Cinco de Mayo celebration with a bunch of Spanish speakers and feeling very out of place.
Something drastic began to changed when took Spanish my sophomore year in college. My motivation for taking the first two classes was to prepare me for a short-term mission in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. I was going with a team of college students to teach vacation Bible school along with the young adults in the pueblos we visited. At UCSC, they used an immersion methodology. The Immersion method combined elements of language acquisition and language learning. The professor used photos, pictures and physical objects to show us things instead of translating. We could not really much on English (except for our knowledge of language) to learn Spanish. I needed to make a lot of hypotheses, confirm or refute them and take the language in context. Of course, we did use a textbook and we learned formally about the grammar, syntax and spelling of Spanish.
When I went to Mexico, suddenly I had to apply what I learned in a social context. I also lived with three different Mexican families in three villages. Although I struggled and went through different stages of culture shock, I remember in our last week in Yucatan understanding a sermon for the first time. It was like the clouds had cleared. Something came over me after that summer. I got an insatiable desire to learn Spanish and to hang around Latino people. I continued to take classes to learn the language, but I also looked for opportunities to speak with Hispanic people, volunteer or work with them. I think that the psychologist, Guiora has a point about the “language ego.” “Older learners who acquire a second language and speak with little or no foreign accent are often people who admire and identify with people who live in a country where the language is spoken” (Freeman & Freeman, 2004). I was an older learner (in the formal operational stage) and I suddenly could relate to the speakers of Spanish after living and working with them for six weeks. I felt accepted by them and I felt like a member of their “group.” I think this is a significant part of becoming fluent in a second language- feeling like you are a member. The fact that I associated with people who shared similar beliefs allowed me to be member of their cultural group despite the fact I was still acquiring the language and this transferred eventually to becoming a member of the larger group of Spanish speakers.
I am an usual breed. When I was a teen, I would have never dreamed that I would be bilingual or that I would teach Spanish. I taught my children my second language as their first language. I spoke to them exclusively in Spanish and developed a social context for them through a Spanish language pre-school so that they would develop Spanish early and acquire it naturally before formal instruction. So, I have observed and been an active part in their process which has been different than my own. It was an experiment. It was an experiment that I do not regret and that has been very successful. My only disappointment is that they currently don’t have many peers to speak Spanish with in the community that we are in presently. I have felt a salmon, swimming against the current, to make gains in their language acquisition without the supportive context (outside of the home) they had when they were young. Yet now, in a Cinco de Mayo celebration, I feel like one of the participants and I may be even one of the organizers!
Essential Linguistics: What You Need to Know to Teach
by David Freeman &Yvonne Freeman
In chapter 2 of this book, there is an activity on page 48 to identify activities of students or teachers as following a language learning (L)or a language acquisition (A)model. Below, I will make a two column analysis of each activity. In the second column, I will justify my decisions for their classifications.
(I had a few formatting issues with the columns...sorry.)
Student activities:Look up words in the dictionary This is a formal, analytical activity.
and provide definitions (L)
Make a Venn Diagram to compare It is language learning because
two stories (L &A) it is formal and analytical. It is
language acquisition because
it gives an opportunity for students to
express their ideas & reflect their understanding about ideas
in a greater context.
Practice sounding out words.(L) It is conscious, formal practice.
Read in a round-robin fashion. (A) Round-robin is a structured reading experience,
but the learner has no control over
what he may be asked to read.
The reader needs to have “learned” to
read well before having success in this activity,
but the activity itself isn’t a learning activity.
Correct peers when they make
a mistake during reading (L) This is conscious activity which requires
analyzing correct syntax and vocabulary.
Identify words on a big book page This is a directed, school-type of activity which re-
that start with the same sound. (L) qures breaking down words into parts.
Group cards with classmates’
names classified by first letter The activity requires analyzing graphemes.
or last letter. (L)
Write rhyming poetry and then This requires phonemic awareness brought to
discuss different spellings for a formal, conscious level through spelling and
The same sound. (L) then analyzing spelling in a formal way.
Ask the teacher how to spell This involves a preoccupation about correct
a word they don’t know. (L) form.
Read a language experience Language experience writing ex-
story they have created with a presses natural oral language production.
teacher. (A)
Work in pairs to arrange words This is a learning experience developing familiarity
from a familiar chant into sentences. with syntax.
(L)
Divide words into syllables. (L) This requires consciously analyzing words.
On a worksheet, draw a line to the
picture that starts with the same sound. (L) This is a formal exercise in phonemic aware-
ness.
Make alphabet books on different topics.(L) Requires formal learning of the alphabetic
. principal and phonics
The teacher’s activities
Preteaches vocabulary (L) Formally teaching out of context
Does shared reading with a big It is context embedded. Formal
book. (A) learning may have contributed to
accurate decoding, but it could be a natural
shared literacy activity.
Makes sure that students read First, it is learning activity because
only books that fit their level. (L &A) the child is limited to being exposed to books
Only at a certain level. It could still be be an acquistion activity because in reading a lot of
spontaneous language learning occurs, the the books provide context and could be in the zone zone of proximal development of the learner.
Has students segment words into A formal learning experience.
phonemes. (L)
Asks students to look around the room
and find words that start with a certain letter. (L) This requires formal, analytical phonemic awareness skills.
Uses decodable texts (L & A) Both. The texts may be structured for language
learning.The texts also may allow children to advance in in their zones of proximal development in a lnatural natural (although controlled) way through
comprehensible input.
Sets aside time for SSR (A) Informal, natural, self-selected reading
Teaches Latin and Greek roots (L) Requires formally analyzing language.
Has students meet in lit circles (A & L) The spontaneous conversation that emerges around literature creates an language acquisition experience. Some lit. circles are highly structured and require specific linguistic tasks. Under those circumstances, they would be learning experiences.
Conducts phonics drills (L) Formal language activity invoking memorization.
Chooses predictable texts (L & A) Aids in children acquiring the language more easily.
May be formalizing the reading experience.
Teaches students different compre-
hension strategies (L) Metacognative & analytical
Does a picture walk of a new book (A) Doesn’t control language. Provides context for understanding & developing background knowledge & personal connections to a text.
Uses a variety of worksheets for different
skills. (L) Formal school activities.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Creating Classroom Experiences to Increase Reading Comprehension for ELL Students
EDRG 604 Blog #5
The background knowledge that readers bring to the text they are reading helps them interpret the text, make connections to the text and ultimately, influences their comprehension of the text. This is an important factor (in addition to language development) that teachers of students learning English as a second language must consider. Let’s just take a look at a few common children’s books and see what kinds of background knowledge and cultural influences might affect comprehension. Then, let us consider ways to enhance that understanding.
The first book I will be looking at is a popular Dr. Seuss book entitled, The Cat in the Hat Comes Back. This book occurs on a snowy day. The setting begins in the snow. The kids are shoveling snow. The cat arrives wearing skis. Consider that you are a teacher of students from Cambodia, El Salvador, Vietnam and Mexico. They live in California in an urban environment and they have never seen snow. What could you do as a teacher to help them increase their experience and background knowledge in order to relate to this? One idea is to rent a snow machine…no, forget that, it is far too expensive. Well, the next best thing to a real experience is pictures. You could show a movie or clips from U-tube showing people shoveling snow and skiing. You could bring in physical objects like skis and shovels. The children could do actions like lifting up the shovels to feel how heavy they are. This would help them understand how difficult the task the children are doing is. This might also help them understand why the mess the cat is making is such a problem. They could try on skis. This would not only provide a visual, but a memorable experience. Virtual snow is now available inexpensively at places like Lakeshore (the learning store). In addition, children who have lived in the snow or visited it could talk about their experiences. When we can’t experience something directly, hearing about another’s experience does create some background knowledge even if it isn’t as powerful as one’s own experience. After these activities that you’ve created as an instructor, you’ve affectively increased the language learner’s experiences. This increases comprehension. The reader can now relate more than ever to the situation in the book.
Another concept (& vocabulary word) that may be unfamiliar to an English language learner is the idea of stains. Everyone has them, but maybe they haven’t talked about them. This becomes a big issue in the story when the cat gets a pink stain on mother’s dress. The teacher could show a stain on her clothing and talk about conventional ways to remove it. The class could even have a stain day in which they wore their favorite stained clothing! Or, a science experiment could be created to find the best way to get out a particular stain (Say, of punch or coffee). This would create a great opportunity for comprehensible output. This would help commit the concept to memory!
The next book we will examine is Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. Almost every kindergarten or first grade class I’ve visited has read this book at one time or another. One concept which might be challenging for language learners is that “wild” has two meanings. It could mean untamed or it could be to act crazy. Max’s mother calls him “wild” and then he threatens to eat her like a real wild animal. This results in his punishment of being sent to his room without dinner. Suddenly, his room really goes wild. It grows grass and becomes a forest on the edge of an ocean. One thing an instructor could do is to create a Venn Diagram with wild “untamed” on one side and wild “crazy” on the other and list and discuss the differences and similarities. In a similar way, contrasting a “tamed” animal and an “untamed” animal would be good to clarify the concept of “tame.“ This word is used when Max tames the wild things towards the end of the story. This would be best after reading the book because the book itself creates some background knowledge on the topic. A sophisticated teacher might even investigate which animals are tamed in their students’ countries of origin and then discuss what they are like tame and wild.
In the book it says, “Let the wild rumpus start!” when the wild things (monsters) come out. The concept and vocabulary word “rumpus” would be foreign to language learners (as well as most of the class). Through the illustrations of the book and physically acting out a rumpus, the concept would be understood. I’ve seen this worked out in a first grade class. They actually made masks with glow in the dark paint on paper bags and then, to some teacher-selected music danced in the dark! This book is fairly simple and many children can relate to it because they have all misbehaved and been disciplined at some time. None-the-less, discussing what their parents do when they misbehave would help the children make text-to-self connections. It would also be a good scaffold for a journal entry. A prompt could be provided such as: “When I misbehave…..“ or “When I am wild, my parents….”
The background knowledge that readers bring to the text they are reading helps them interpret the text, make connections to the text and ultimately, influences their comprehension of the text. This is an important factor (in addition to language development) that teachers of students learning English as a second language must consider. Let’s just take a look at a few common children’s books and see what kinds of background knowledge and cultural influences might affect comprehension. Then, let us consider ways to enhance that understanding.
The first book I will be looking at is a popular Dr. Seuss book entitled, The Cat in the Hat Comes Back. This book occurs on a snowy day. The setting begins in the snow. The kids are shoveling snow. The cat arrives wearing skis. Consider that you are a teacher of students from Cambodia, El Salvador, Vietnam and Mexico. They live in California in an urban environment and they have never seen snow. What could you do as a teacher to help them increase their experience and background knowledge in order to relate to this? One idea is to rent a snow machine…no, forget that, it is far too expensive. Well, the next best thing to a real experience is pictures. You could show a movie or clips from U-tube showing people shoveling snow and skiing. You could bring in physical objects like skis and shovels. The children could do actions like lifting up the shovels to feel how heavy they are. This would help them understand how difficult the task the children are doing is. This might also help them understand why the mess the cat is making is such a problem. They could try on skis. This would not only provide a visual, but a memorable experience. Virtual snow is now available inexpensively at places like Lakeshore (the learning store). In addition, children who have lived in the snow or visited it could talk about their experiences. When we can’t experience something directly, hearing about another’s experience does create some background knowledge even if it isn’t as powerful as one’s own experience. After these activities that you’ve created as an instructor, you’ve affectively increased the language learner’s experiences. This increases comprehension. The reader can now relate more than ever to the situation in the book.
Another concept (& vocabulary word) that may be unfamiliar to an English language learner is the idea of stains. Everyone has them, but maybe they haven’t talked about them. This becomes a big issue in the story when the cat gets a pink stain on mother’s dress. The teacher could show a stain on her clothing and talk about conventional ways to remove it. The class could even have a stain day in which they wore their favorite stained clothing! Or, a science experiment could be created to find the best way to get out a particular stain (Say, of punch or coffee). This would create a great opportunity for comprehensible output. This would help commit the concept to memory!
The next book we will examine is Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. Almost every kindergarten or first grade class I’ve visited has read this book at one time or another. One concept which might be challenging for language learners is that “wild” has two meanings. It could mean untamed or it could be to act crazy. Max’s mother calls him “wild” and then he threatens to eat her like a real wild animal. This results in his punishment of being sent to his room without dinner. Suddenly, his room really goes wild. It grows grass and becomes a forest on the edge of an ocean. One thing an instructor could do is to create a Venn Diagram with wild “untamed” on one side and wild “crazy” on the other and list and discuss the differences and similarities. In a similar way, contrasting a “tamed” animal and an “untamed” animal would be good to clarify the concept of “tame.“ This word is used when Max tames the wild things towards the end of the story. This would be best after reading the book because the book itself creates some background knowledge on the topic. A sophisticated teacher might even investigate which animals are tamed in their students’ countries of origin and then discuss what they are like tame and wild.
In the book it says, “Let the wild rumpus start!” when the wild things (monsters) come out. The concept and vocabulary word “rumpus” would be foreign to language learners (as well as most of the class). Through the illustrations of the book and physically acting out a rumpus, the concept would be understood. I’ve seen this worked out in a first grade class. They actually made masks with glow in the dark paint on paper bags and then, to some teacher-selected music danced in the dark! This book is fairly simple and many children can relate to it because they have all misbehaved and been disciplined at some time. None-the-less, discussing what their parents do when they misbehave would help the children make text-to-self connections. It would also be a good scaffold for a journal entry. A prompt could be provided such as: “When I misbehave…..“ or “When I am wild, my parents….”
Sunday, January 16, 2011
What strategies do we use when reading in a second language?
EDRG 604 Blog #4
Imagine that you read a text in another language in which you aren't yet fluent. What strategies would you use to decode it? This is exactly what I am reflecting on in this blog. I am fluent in English and Spanish and I have always wanted to learn Italian, but I only know a few words and phrases in Italian. (I am probably a level one terms of fluency (out of five) in Italian.) I dove into reading in my unfamiliar language. I read college level text designed for language learners and I turned open to an article in lesson 20. It was entitled "Sciopero Generale."
In retrospect the strategies that I used to gain meaning from this article were:
1) Use picture cues
2) Utilize cognates to transfer knowledge from Spanish or English to Italian.
3) Make hypothesis and confirm those or reject them as I read.
4) Finally, to seek a fluent speaker of the language to help me.
Now, I had no idea what the first word in the title meant. The second word is a good cognate for "general" in Spanish or English, so I assume that it had the same meaning. I looked up at the picture above the title and I saw adults holding flags and a banner that appeared to be from a union or organization. They were in front of a building that could have been a government building or university with classical arquitecture. It appeared to be some kind of demonstration. This photo was helpful to give me some background knowledge about what the article. I saw some acroynms "CGIL", "CISL" and "UIL" on the banner which further reinforced my idea that this was a demonstration advocating for some unions, professions or universities. So, at this point, because of a cognate in the title and the photo, my conclusion is that the article is about something general which provoked a demonstration by an organization.
As I read through the article, I immediately recognized other cognates. Some of them were "secondo," ""mese," "governo," "decisa," "protesta" and "lavoratori." I assumed their meaning because I my understanding of Spanish to be "second," "month," government," "decision or decisive," "protest" and "laboratory." This confirmed my idea that the picture captured some kind of protest and maybe it had something to do with the government and something to do with a laboratory. Laboratory might also refer to some kind of a practical experience in a class. The strategy I was relying upon at this point was primarily my understanding of cognantes. None-the-less, there were only enough cognates to give me a vague gist of the meaning of the article.
The next strategy that I employed to gain understanding was to make hyphothesis and to confirm or reject those hypothesis based upon further reading. Here were some of my hypothesis mid-way through the three paragraph article:
*Are these university students and professors protesting about something?
* If so, are they protesting to the government?
* What are they asking for?
*Does it have something to do with a laboratory or classes?
* What do they want to gain from this protest?
While continuing to read the article, I still relying almost exclusively on my understanding of cognates to gain meaning from it. It appeared to be talking about chaos ("caos") and alot of people (multa gente). This confirmed my idea about a protest. Then it took a twist which added new information using words like "trasporto" and "automobili." Was it talking about transportation and cars? Did this protest have something to do with transportation?
The final paragraph didn't answer my questions or appear to clarify the situation. It seems that the author went to a "bar" and had a "caffe" which I understood to mean to go to a cafe and have a cup of coffee. It mentioned "emergenza" which I assumed to be an emergency and "confusione" which I interpreted as confusion. So, I decided that my next strategy would be to find a fluent Italian speaker to clarify the article for me.
While leaving you hanging about the meaning of this article, let me say that I did learn a few things as a language learner. First, it is an advantage to have some language transference in the form of cognates. It helped that English and Spanish have many latin-based words. These could be tranferred to similar words in Italian. Second, it was nice to have a photo. There was only one and more photos would have even aided in my understanding. At the adult level, it is unlikely outside of television or a language acquisiton to get more visual information, but that certainly would have helped me confirm or reject my conclusions. Third, it was a good idea at the beginning and mid-way through the reading to make educated guesses in the form of questions. With more information, I might have been able to confirm or refute them better. My final conclusion is that discussions with a fluent speaker of the language are essential for developing understanding.
Imagine that you read a text in another language in which you aren't yet fluent. What strategies would you use to decode it? This is exactly what I am reflecting on in this blog. I am fluent in English and Spanish and I have always wanted to learn Italian, but I only know a few words and phrases in Italian. (I am probably a level one terms of fluency (out of five) in Italian.) I dove into reading in my unfamiliar language. I read college level text designed for language learners and I turned open to an article in lesson 20. It was entitled "Sciopero Generale."
In retrospect the strategies that I used to gain meaning from this article were:
1) Use picture cues
2) Utilize cognates to transfer knowledge from Spanish or English to Italian.
3) Make hypothesis and confirm those or reject them as I read.
4) Finally, to seek a fluent speaker of the language to help me.
Now, I had no idea what the first word in the title meant. The second word is a good cognate for "general" in Spanish or English, so I assume that it had the same meaning. I looked up at the picture above the title and I saw adults holding flags and a banner that appeared to be from a union or organization. They were in front of a building that could have been a government building or university with classical arquitecture. It appeared to be some kind of demonstration. This photo was helpful to give me some background knowledge about what the article. I saw some acroynms "CGIL", "CISL" and "UIL" on the banner which further reinforced my idea that this was a demonstration advocating for some unions, professions or universities. So, at this point, because of a cognate in the title and the photo, my conclusion is that the article is about something general which provoked a demonstration by an organization.
As I read through the article, I immediately recognized other cognates. Some of them were "secondo," ""mese," "governo," "decisa," "protesta" and "lavoratori." I assumed their meaning because I my understanding of Spanish to be "second," "month," government," "decision or decisive," "protest" and "laboratory." This confirmed my idea that the picture captured some kind of protest and maybe it had something to do with the government and something to do with a laboratory. Laboratory might also refer to some kind of a practical experience in a class. The strategy I was relying upon at this point was primarily my understanding of cognantes. None-the-less, there were only enough cognates to give me a vague gist of the meaning of the article.
The next strategy that I employed to gain understanding was to make hyphothesis and to confirm or reject those hypothesis based upon further reading. Here were some of my hypothesis mid-way through the three paragraph article:
*Are these university students and professors protesting about something?
* If so, are they protesting to the government?
* What are they asking for?
*Does it have something to do with a laboratory or classes?
* What do they want to gain from this protest?
While continuing to read the article, I still relying almost exclusively on my understanding of cognates to gain meaning from it. It appeared to be talking about chaos ("caos") and alot of people (multa gente). This confirmed my idea about a protest. Then it took a twist which added new information using words like "trasporto" and "automobili." Was it talking about transportation and cars? Did this protest have something to do with transportation?
The final paragraph didn't answer my questions or appear to clarify the situation. It seems that the author went to a "bar" and had a "caffe" which I understood to mean to go to a cafe and have a cup of coffee. It mentioned "emergenza" which I assumed to be an emergency and "confusione" which I interpreted as confusion. So, I decided that my next strategy would be to find a fluent Italian speaker to clarify the article for me.
While leaving you hanging about the meaning of this article, let me say that I did learn a few things as a language learner. First, it is an advantage to have some language transference in the form of cognates. It helped that English and Spanish have many latin-based words. These could be tranferred to similar words in Italian. Second, it was nice to have a photo. There was only one and more photos would have even aided in my understanding. At the adult level, it is unlikely outside of television or a language acquisiton to get more visual information, but that certainly would have helped me confirm or reject my conclusions. Third, it was a good idea at the beginning and mid-way through the reading to make educated guesses in the form of questions. With more information, I might have been able to confirm or refute them better. My final conclusion is that discussions with a fluent speaker of the language are essential for developing understanding.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Oral language and the reading process
Blog #3 EDRG 604 Regis
What is the relationship between oral language and the reading process?
Oral language is foundational for literacy. Without comprehending oral language, it is impossible to read. Oh sure, one can read by sounding out words and understanding the graphophonic relationships to pronounce language. But will meaning be made in the process? No. In order to glean meaning, an understanding of oral language proceeds comprehensible reading.
What about those who can read in their second language without being able to speak fluently? Often, when individuals learn their second language in a traditional fashion, their comprehension of written language exceeds what they can produce. This is due to two factors. First, they are tranferring their literate skills from English to their second language. This is most likely when reading in a Germanic or Romance language. This transference is very limited or non-existent with languages that have different written systems like Chinese or Arabic. Second, the receptive understanding of written language without the ability to produce reflects receptive fluency. Receptive fluency proceeds oral production. Just think about small children learning language. Babies respond to verbal commands and demonstrate understanding with their actions way before they can talk. This is also true of older children and adults acquiring their second language. A language student may have learned a lot about language, but may not have had the opportunities to produce language to the degree necessary to acheive fluency. As I understand it, language is developed in the following stages: receptive (auditory), oral, and then written (as reflected in reading and writing). This highlights the importance of opportunities for oral language production to increase reading comprehension. Reading is a perfect opportunity to develop more fluency. Talking about reading can help scaffold understanding and bring learners one step further in their zone of proximal development. Even if talk isn't centered around the reading itself, developing intentional situations to inspire learning around topics related to reading is crucial for making meaning. Whether the reader is reading in his first language or second language, social interaction can aide in comprehension and actually develop oral fluency at the same time. Reading can also create an "excuse" to encounter further concepts and vocabulary which develop fluency.
What is the relationship between oral language and the reading process?
Oral language is foundational for literacy. Without comprehending oral language, it is impossible to read. Oh sure, one can read by sounding out words and understanding the graphophonic relationships to pronounce language. But will meaning be made in the process? No. In order to glean meaning, an understanding of oral language proceeds comprehensible reading.
What about those who can read in their second language without being able to speak fluently? Often, when individuals learn their second language in a traditional fashion, their comprehension of written language exceeds what they can produce. This is due to two factors. First, they are tranferring their literate skills from English to their second language. This is most likely when reading in a Germanic or Romance language. This transference is very limited or non-existent with languages that have different written systems like Chinese or Arabic. Second, the receptive understanding of written language without the ability to produce reflects receptive fluency. Receptive fluency proceeds oral production. Just think about small children learning language. Babies respond to verbal commands and demonstrate understanding with their actions way before they can talk. This is also true of older children and adults acquiring their second language. A language student may have learned a lot about language, but may not have had the opportunities to produce language to the degree necessary to acheive fluency. As I understand it, language is developed in the following stages: receptive (auditory), oral, and then written (as reflected in reading and writing). This highlights the importance of opportunities for oral language production to increase reading comprehension. Reading is a perfect opportunity to develop more fluency. Talking about reading can help scaffold understanding and bring learners one step further in their zone of proximal development. Even if talk isn't centered around the reading itself, developing intentional situations to inspire learning around topics related to reading is crucial for making meaning. Whether the reader is reading in his first language or second language, social interaction can aide in comprehension and actually develop oral fluency at the same time. Reading can also create an "excuse" to encounter further concepts and vocabulary which develop fluency.
My Writing Instruction
Blog #2 EDRG 604 Regis
What kinds of writing instruction have I received? On the whole, the writing instruction that I received as a student was more on the traditional side than the process writing side of the spectrum. Mainly, up until high school and college, it was about mastering the form and dominating the parts (or elements) of writing to acheive a competent product. Writing was scaffolded and modeled by a teacher and a particular product was expected. Editting primarily was the job of the instructor and sometimes, there was no time given for revision. I do remember a few exceptions. For instance, the sixth grade we wrote in journals. We were allowed to write whatever we wanted and use any form or genre. Occassionally, we would be able to pick a piece to revise and edit and bring to the publishing phase. In particular, I remember a poem I wrote called, "Mohammed Ali the Flea" about a boxing flea. Somewhere in elementary school we also did "Creative Writing." This allowed for more exploration and self-expression. I also corresponded through letters (yes, younger generation, snail mail) with a friend that moved away when I was five. We wrote each other until we were 22! This (although it wasn't part of instruction) was a great literacy experience. In high school and college, my writing experiences usually began with a prompt or an assignment. There was room for brainstorming and (occassionally, not always) for a writing process. I do recall in junior high and high school being encouraged to "just get your ideas on the paper first" and then to revise. Oftentimes though, form writing (5 paragraph essay, introduction with a thesis, body, conclusion) was the primary form of writing in which I engaged in and which was expected. And, I was an English Literature major! I did take a "Creative Writing" course in college. Oftentimes, even though the topics were open for creativity, the assignments were extremely directive, even dictating the number of words which we could use in an assignment. An element which as lacking was collaboration with peers and talking about the writing process. In general, the teacher "corrected" my writing and a grade was assigned.
What kinds of writing instruction have I received? On the whole, the writing instruction that I received as a student was more on the traditional side than the process writing side of the spectrum. Mainly, up until high school and college, it was about mastering the form and dominating the parts (or elements) of writing to acheive a competent product. Writing was scaffolded and modeled by a teacher and a particular product was expected. Editting primarily was the job of the instructor and sometimes, there was no time given for revision. I do remember a few exceptions. For instance, the sixth grade we wrote in journals. We were allowed to write whatever we wanted and use any form or genre. Occassionally, we would be able to pick a piece to revise and edit and bring to the publishing phase. In particular, I remember a poem I wrote called, "Mohammed Ali the Flea" about a boxing flea. Somewhere in elementary school we also did "Creative Writing." This allowed for more exploration and self-expression. I also corresponded through letters (yes, younger generation, snail mail) with a friend that moved away when I was five. We wrote each other until we were 22! This (although it wasn't part of instruction) was a great literacy experience. In high school and college, my writing experiences usually began with a prompt or an assignment. There was room for brainstorming and (occassionally, not always) for a writing process. I do recall in junior high and high school being encouraged to "just get your ideas on the paper first" and then to revise. Oftentimes though, form writing (5 paragraph essay, introduction with a thesis, body, conclusion) was the primary form of writing in which I engaged in and which was expected. And, I was an English Literature major! I did take a "Creative Writing" course in college. Oftentimes, even though the topics were open for creativity, the assignments were extremely directive, even dictating the number of words which we could use in an assignment. An element which as lacking was collaboration with peers and talking about the writing process. In general, the teacher "corrected" my writing and a grade was assigned.
Blog #1 EDRG 604 Regis
How is literacy developed? Oral language is the foundation of literacy. It begins early in life, even before a child can talk with receptive interactions with adults. Through experiences and social interactions, oral language is developed. For children, adults and peers provide comprehensible input in the context of meaningful interactions. As language is linked to cognition and understanding, the base of literacy is formed. The awareness of sounds, the consciousness that letters and words are symbols linked to sounds, concepts and objects aides a student in developing reading skills and written language. Extensive exposure to written language in the form of books, environmental print and the writings of others provide literacy experiences for forming and confirming hypotheses about language which may be conscious or spontaneous. Reading aloud, thinking outloud about strategies and shared writing experiences are valuable experiences to model literacy. As an individual becomes more sofisticated in his/her level of literacy, he/she will use more metacognitive strategies to monitor his/her own speaking, reading and writing.
What does literacy (in a mature form) look like? Well, it is the ability to interpret, process and use language in an oral, auditory or written form to express oneself competently, communicate understanding, be entertained and learn. It is sophisticated. A literate person uses a variety of forms of communication and expression for different purposes and social contexts. It is competent. A literate individual can use language skills to find information, construct meaning, accomplish functional tasks and to communicate in personal and artistic ways.
That's my philosophy of literacy...it is complex, but I have tried to simplify it.
What does literacy (in a mature form) look like? Well, it is the ability to interpret, process and use language in an oral, auditory or written form to express oneself competently, communicate understanding, be entertained and learn. It is sophisticated. A literate person uses a variety of forms of communication and expression for different purposes and social contexts. It is competent. A literate individual can use language skills to find information, construct meaning, accomplish functional tasks and to communicate in personal and artistic ways.
That's my philosophy of literacy...it is complex, but I have tried to simplify it.
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