Double Entry Journal #10

Chapter 3: Language and Identity At Home

1. What are the features of the forms of language that are spoken in a home environment that align with academic varieties of language?
The text states that "social practices" or the ways in which oral and written language are used when people do things together is a practice that aligns with school and home. The text then continues by giving an example of a young reader, Jennie, who understands a lot about literacy without the ability to read. While at home she already understands the concept of a beginning, middle, and end, she uses sympathetic fallacy functions, grasps lots of literacy sorts of repetition and parallelism. The interesting about this is that Jennie has picked up all of these from being read to at home but all of it aligns very much with academics. 

2. What are the features of Leona's specialized form of language?
Leona's specialized form of language is using a form of language that has poetic qualities. She speaks with an African American vernacular. Leona groups her lines into stanzas wherein each line tends to have a parallel structure with other lines in the stanza and to match them in content, just as Biblical poetry, the narratives of many oral cultures do. Leona's stanzas are very often four lines long, though they are sometimes two lines long. There is a clear patterning technic that she uses. 

3. Why is Leona's specialized form of language not accepted in school?

When teachers do organize a time for students to share their personal stories, if they are not structured in a step-by-step events or facts organized around one topic expressed with no poetry or emotion, it is considered ramblings.

4. Explain the contradiction between the research conducted by Snow et al. (1998) and the recommendations made by Snow et al. (1998).

Snow makes the point that the gap between white and African American (of low economic status) student achievement has steadily stayed the same, however studies show that the mean score for students in the fall semester of first grade was at appoximately the 44th percentile and by the spring of third grade, this difference had expanded significantly. Children living in high-poverty areas tend to fall further behind, regardless of their initial reading skill level.

5. What other factors besides early skills training will make or break good readers?
Ensuring that people feel like they belong to and are valued and accepted part of the social group within which their learning takes place. 

6. Why do some children fail to identify with, or find alienating, the "ways with words" taught in school?
Students feel alienated because the teacher makes the child's "way with words" seem insignificant. The teacher may only use what they know in the classroom and ignores anything that contradicts that. The student may not understand the this way with words and also fail to see how it applies or relates to their own life. 

Double Entry Journal #9

Chapter 1: A strange fact about not learning to read.

1. What is the strange fact about not learning to read? 

The children who do not fare well in early reading, for the majority, are poor or come from minority groups whose members members have faced a history of prejudice and oppression.

2. Why is this fact so strange?
We should see it as strange because being poor or being a part of a particular social group should not have anything to do with learning to read in school. The author makes the point that these same children can learn everything they need to know about Pokeman; which is very complex. If they can do this, then why aren't they learning to read in school? 

3. What is it about school that manages to transform children who at good at learning things like Pokeman into children who are not good a learning?
Those selling the Pokeman cards believe that every child will be able to engage in understanding and trading the Pokeman cards, they put more faith in ALL children than the school systems do. Also, children are exposed to these Pokeman figures all the time in video games, card games, and plastic figures.

4. What is the differences between a traditionalists approach to learning to read and more progressive educators?

Traditionalists advocate a sequential, skills-based approach to reading instruction. It is a virtual assembly line or what is referred to as a "instructed process". More progressive educators believe that people learn best when they pick up skills stressed by traditionalists as part and parcel of attempting to give meaning to written texts. 

5. Is learning to read a natural process like learning to speak a language?

Advocates of Whole Language argue that it is. It is almost to say that human beings acquiring a native language is a type of "instinct". Today's reading traditionalists argue that learning to read, unlike acquiring language is too new a process historically to have had the evolutionary time required to have become "wired" into our human genetic structure. Learning to read is not a natural process like learning to speak a language. Such things happen when a child is exposed to the right sorts of input and environments. 

6. What is the differences between natural, instructed and cultural processes and which process should reading be classified under?

When humans acquire something by a natural process, like their first language or walking, we find that everyone, barring those with serious disorders, succeeds and succeeds well. Cultural processes mean that there are some things that are so important to a cultural group that the group ensures that everyone who needs to learns them. In cultural processes masters allow learners to collaborate with them on projects that the learners could not carry out on their own. Learners work in a "smart" environment filled with tools and technologies, and artifacts store knowledge and skills they can draw on when they do not personally have such knowledge and skills. Reading should be classified under cultural process. 

7. How do humans learn best? Through instructional processes or through cultural processes? How is reading taught in school? Humans learn best through cultural processes. Reading is taught in schools through the instructional processes but throughout time human beings have always learned best through the cultural processes because it is an active form of learning where the learner collaborates and is involved in the learning process. 

8. According to the author, what is the reason for the "fourth grad slump."

 A phenomenon where some children seem to acquire reading fine in the early grades, but fail to be able to use reading to learn school content in the later grades, when the language demands of that content get more and more complex. These children can't "read" in the sense of understanding in any deep way. 

9. What is a better predictor of reading success than phonemic awareness?
early language ability

10. What is the difference between "vernacular" and "specialist" varieties of language? Give an example of two sentences, one written in the vernacular and one written in a "a specialized variety",  about a topic in your content area.

A person's vernacular dialect is closely connected to this or her initial sense of self and belonging in life. AFTER this is acquired people often also go on to acquire various non-vernacular specialist varieties of language used for special purposes and activities. These differences can be small and sometimes they can be different in large ways.

• Vernacular: There are a lot of gases in the air; two of the most popular are nitrogen and oxygen. 
• Specialized: There are many gases that make-up the air around us, two of the most common are nitrogen and oxygen.

11. What is "early language ability" and how is it developed? 

Early language ability is indicated by things like vocabulary; the ability to recall and comprehend sentences and stories; and the ability to engage in extended, connected verbal interactions on a single topic. According to research the apparent causes seems to be family, community, and school language environments in which children interact intensively with adults and more advanced peers and experience cognitively challenging talk and texts on sustained topics and in different genres of oral and written language.

12. According to the author why and how does the traditionalist approach to teaching children to read fail?

Traditionalist approach is teaching children to fail because it is not the ideal way that humans learn. They are forcing children to memorize instead of being actively involved in their learning. They are not interested or connected in anyway to what they are being taught. 

13. Are parents of poor children to blame for their children's inexperience with specialized varieties of language before coming to school? Themselves. The children's exposure to their parents conversations, experiences, and communities all contribute to a child's specialized varieties of language. 

14. Did you struggle with reading this text? Why? Are you a poor reader or are you unfamiliar with this variety of specialized language? I did not struggle with reading this text because it is written on my level. This specialized type of language is not too complicated and when it was written it was intended to be easily understood. I can be a poor reader in some instances, depending on the specialized language and whether or not I have been exposed to it. It's hard to classify a "poor reader" when it comes to specialized language because maybe they just have not experienced that type of language. 

Situated Language and Learning: A critique of traditional schooling

1. What is the main challenge being addressed in the book?

How to get all children to be successful in school and how to ensure all children, rich and poor, are able to learn, think, and act in new ways to fit our new high-tech global world. 

2. What does the author mean by the phrase "ways with words"?

When the author uses the phrase "ways with words" he is referring to the variety of language we use. We learn best when we use words we are familiar with. Everyone has a different "way with words". This depends on what we are around, what we are interested in, and simply what we understand--the terms are we familiar with and associate with. There are sorts of "ways with words". There are different "ways with words" because we need different tools to get different sorts of jobs done. 

3. What is the core argument being made by the author of this book?

"But, then, the core argument of this book will be that people learn new ways with words, in or out of school, only when they find the worlds to which these words apply compelling." 

4. Give an example of a specialized variety of a language or "way with words" you have learned outside of school?

I would consider church jargon a type of "way with words". While at church it's almost like people use a totally different vocabulary to some extent. No longer do I refer to my elders as mr. or mrs. but instead they are sister and brother so-and-so. Another examine is, instead of greeting someone with the usual "hey, how are you?", it is "hey there, praise the Lord!". Phrases like "take up your cross and follow Him" and "share in His sufferings" and "the precious blood" would not make sense to the non-christian. This is a variety of language I am very familiar with because I have been around it from the time I was born. 

5. According to the author, how do people learn a specialized variety of a language or "way with words" best?

People learn specialized variety of language when they can relate to it and when it is in the form of a real-life simulation. Just like children learn video game vocabulary because it is a real life simulation, we learn a variety of vocabulary in the same way. We learn from our experiences as well. What we are around, is what we become--context.  

6. If people are to be successful in the 21st century, what must they become?

In order to be successful in our modern world we must learn to be "shape-shifting people": or, people who gain many diverse experiences that they can then use to transform and adapt themselves for fast-changing circumstances throughout their lives. 

7. The author states that  learning academic language is NOT sufficient for success in modern society? Do you agree? Why or Why not?

I agree with this statement. Academic language is important but if that is all we learn then we are going to fail miserably in the "real" world. Part of being successful in life is understanding those around you and in order to understand those around you, you must have a broad spectrum of experiences. Interpersonal skills are so important. There are even specific skills listed in the state CSOs called "21st Century Skills" that should be covered as early as elementary school because they are so important. These skills include the ability to interact and relate to people around you (who have all come from a variety of contexts). 

8. What do you think about this author's "way with words"?

At the beginning of the book I was a little nervous--I understand this was the author's point. I love this author's "way with words" because it is very down-to-earth. I feel like I am carrying on a conversation rather than reading a book for a college course. He communicates in a way that is easy to understand and relatable. This is another reason why academic language is NOT sufficient for success in the modern society. 

Interview Questions and Observation

Interview Questions:

High-Preforming Student

T: Do you enjoy school?

S: Sort of. (long pause)

T: What do you like about school?

S: Play ninja at recess. I like being student of the week.

T: What kind of student are you?

I think I’m a good student. 

(talks a lot in between questions about random things)

T: What do for fun outside of school?

S: Playing with Legos and whatever I want to do.

T: How would your classmates describe you?

S: They would say I nice

T: Would they say you are mean?

S: (student smiles really big and shakes head) NOOOOO!

T: Who are you friends with? What do you and your friends do together?

S: (Lists two of his classmates) Just two friends. We do whatever we want.

T: Tell me a good memory you have about school? 

S: Playing outside. Playing Ninja

T: Tell me a bad memory you have about school?

S: I don’t like pulling sticks, I’ve only pulled a stick twice and I earned it back.

(This is their behavior management system. They loose “sticks” when they are bad but always have the opportunity to earn it back.)

T: Describe a "good" teacher or tell me about a favorite teacher you had in the past.

S: Preschool teacher. She was nice. (names his teacher)

T: What is one thing you wish your teacher knew about you?

S: I wish she knew I liked to play with the Wii.

Low-Performing Student

T: Do you enjoy school?

S: Yes. I like to play.

T: What kind of student are you? Are you a good student?

S: A good student.

T: What do for fun outside of school?

S: I like to play with my big sister and little sister. I pretend to be animals. My sister pretends to be the cow she says ribit ribit.

T: How would your classmates describe you?

(Student looks confused)

T: Would they tell me your favorite food? Would they say you are nice?

S: My friends would say I’m nice

T: Who are you friends with? What do you and your friends do together?

S: Names friends in her class. We play Legos.

T: Tell me a good memory you have about school? 

S: I like to be the door holder.

(This is one of their classroom jobs. They get to hold a classroom job if they keep all of their sticks for the day)

T: Tell me a bad memory you have about school?

S: I don’t like play with puppets

T: Describe a "good" teacher or tell me about a favorite teacher you had in the past.

S: (Names her current teachers) because they teach you stuff

T: What is one thing you wish your teacher knew about you? Do you wish they knew what you like to play? A favorite food?

S: Wish they knew my favorite food. Macaroni.

What can you conclude about this information?

Other students kept coming over to talk after I was done interviewing students. I even had to pretend to interview one of the little boys because he wanted to “be asked questions”. However, once a student was in the process of the interview, they became very bored with it and were ready to move on to the next thing. Both students I interviewed are good students. The student I pretended to interview answered that he was a good student and that he NEVER talked when the teacher talks. This is interesting because he is very ornery and seems like talk a lot when the teacher is talking.

Observations of a struggling student during stations:

I am observing this struggling student during stations. For some background information, this student struggles academically and also has some unfortunate circumstances going on at home as well. His teacher explains that his work was better at the beginning of the school year but has progressively gotten worse as the year has continued. She feels it is because the issues at home started after school started. It’s obvious that it has impacted his performance.  He seems interested at times and then at other times he does the exact opposite of what he is supposed to be doing.

At the morning workstation he has a hard time staying on task. Instead of doing what he is supposed to do he goes to the computers. Once the teacher redirects him, he goes back to where he is supposed to be. Once back at his table he distracts others at his station. The teacher has to tell him to stop distracting his classmates. He gets back to what he is supposed to be doing.

He has moved to the next station and he is interested in sharing what he has in his “supply bag”. He likes to talk a lot and often distracts his classmates. At his current station he is on task and doing what he is supposed to do. At this station they are making legs for their spider hats. This student likes to be praised and asks often if he is doing a good job.  When he hears it is time to clean up he listens at first but then he gets off task and distracted. He seeks a lot of attention from his peers.

The student is now at the journal station where there is no teacher (normally the station I help with). He began working independently at first. He wrote his name and wrote the date. At this point he stopped working and started yelling at one of his classmates. He told her to move her stuff out of his way. He then made his way to sharpen his pencil. When he got back he began drawing his picture instead of writing his sentence. When told to write his sentence he got very frustrated and did not want to start. He was copying from a piece of paper but he did not want to start. He may have a hard time seeing the paper but he is very frustrated. Finally he begins working with many stops. When he says that he has finished writing his sentence it is very hard to read. He begins drawing his picture. When he considers his journal done he shows his teacher. When his teacher sees that he has not correctly written his sentence, he is told to fix it using his own card that tells him how to spell a specific word. Once he has his own paper to copy from he does better and stays on task. 

Inquiry Learning Challenges

What are some challenges with inquiry learning?

1. When teachers don’t fully understand the complexities of inquiry-based learning, they may simply think of this approach “unstructured,” and may, as a result, fail to provide proper scaffolding, assessment, and redirection as projects unfold.
2. When 
3. students lack prior experience in this approach 
4. or have insufficient support and modeling 
5. from teachers.
7. With respect to general academic 
8. skills, students may have difficulty developing 
9. logical arguments and evidence to support 
10. their claims 
      
11. Students often find it hard to determine how to work together, manage their time and the complexity of the work, and sustain motivation in the face of setbacks or confusion
13. One of the principal challenges for 
14. teachers, then, is to learn how to juggle a host 
15. of new responsibilities and implementation 
16. issues—from carving out the time needed for 
17. extended inquiry to developing new classroom management techniques.
20. Teachers must also 
22. be able to design and support inquiry-based 
24. lessons that meet a variety of criteria, such 
26. as illuminating key subject matter concepts, 
28. balancing direct instruction with inquiry 
30. opportunities, scaffolding the learning of 
32. individual students through modeling and 
34. feedback, facilitating learning among multiple 
36. groups, and developing assessments to guide 
38. the learning process 

Citation 

Barron, B., & Darling-hammond, L. (2008). Powerful learning: What we know about teaching for    understanding.. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass a Wiley imprint. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/pdfs/edutopia-teaching-for-meaningful-learning.pdf