preview

Language And The Common Core State Standards

Decent Essays

I found a noteworthy perspective in Understanding Language: Language and the Common Core State Standards. The section, called Redefining Language (p.2) refers to the typical curriculum model used in ELL programs in schools. Purpose sequenced, and form focuses, it first teach words that children will use most frequently, paying special attention to grammatical correctness. For example, students initially begin by learning the verb be, because verbs are present in every sentence. “Be” would be taught and practiced in its simple present form first, and then as students master it they would move on to learning its variant forms. The article says, lessons in this type of sequence may vary a bit but stay very similar in structure. Generally students do not move into new content until they are able to master everything at their current level.
The negative side of this approach, which just happens to look great in theory and on paper, is that it restricts curriculum to basic speech, even if the students is capable of complex reasoning and creative thinking. The article quotes Valdés (2009, 2010) as labeling this type of scenario as “curricularization” of ESL language courses. It goes on to say that studies have linked this of classroom approach to an extended learning plateau where learner stalls for extended periods of time or indefinitely. My interpretation of this is that the learners have lost motivation.
The introduction of our text book states, “Learning to read and reading

Get Access