Language and Learning

Scaffolding for this student would include activities to develop the technical vocabulary necessary to understand the reading materials, or having the teacher provide reading materials appropriate to the child’s reading level. Additional instruction may be needed in reading skills, to support the student in a reading activity. The zone of proximal development explains the need for student and task to match, making the task of learning attainable (p87). Teaching to one zone of proximal development is likely to leave some students frustrated and confused, while others can coast through the lesson (p88). It is not so important for the teacher to know exactly what the student’s status is, rather to be aware when the students are becoming frustrated, and are in need of more practice, or when the task is just right for the individual (p89).

Classrooms are different today from those of previous generations, they have become communities of learners where students assume more responsibility for learning. As opposed to a place where the teacher is in charge the modern class room there is often a hum of students, talking about books they are reading and working together in small groups using digital as well as print text. The students are more culturally and linguistically diverse, many have English as a second language (ESL). This Critical- reflective essay will explore using the four resource model developed by Luke and Freebody, focusing on; how young children learn to read, the four roles within the resources model are Code breaker, text user, text participant and text analyst. This essay will also articulate the understanding of the three phases of reading and writing development. Phase one, experimental reading and writing. Phase two, early reading and writing and phase three, transitional reading and writing. This understanding will then be applied to an early years setting including and application of strategies for cultural differences.

Why is this question ambiguous and why is it interesting to note that this question is ambiguous?

The teaching/training cycle is an invaluable model that should inform the practice of any teacher, of any subject. The beauty of it is that it provides a structure so that both teachers and trainers can assess and refresh their practice and, at the same time, review their role, responsibility and boundaries. By following the training cycle, teachers should be able to instill greater understanding of the course that is being taught and to afford students greater enjoyment and satisfaction.

Why is this question ambiguous and why is it interesting to note that this question is ambiguous?

Interacting with peers is a successful way of developing skills, either with adult guidance or more advanced kids help the less-advanced. However, Vygotsky never used the term "scaffolding;" instead he phrased it as "Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)." ZPD is The difference between what the student can do with or without someone’s help but cannot yet do it independently.

It is my pleasure to announce that I have gained quite many theories and knowledge about children’s language acquisition and language development process to analyze the condition of Tom and provide some personal suggestions for his parents. The following statements are my analysis considering to the language theories proposed by researchers and a repercussion for my personal experience.

This is flexible and subject to change as they progress to ensure that they are suitably challenged. Through continued assessment, they move to a series of levelled text from simple to complex as they develop their skills and strategies. As children move into guided reading they are also transitioning to writing through a writing workshop, and practice writing their own text independently. Children are explicitly taught to engage in conversation, to listen, respond, ask, wonder, and give their interpretation to the text and have the confidence to do so. Teachers continue to scaffold learner’s development using a gradual release of responsibility model (Duke & Pearson, 2002) Strategies are taught to the conditional level of metacognition (Paris, et al., 1994) while children are guided to reflect on their learning and to set goals. Children’s sense of autonomy, choice and control in learning is recognized in order to build their sense of independence in reading and writing as they apply skills and strategies. This is further supported through the provisions of mini lessons within writing workshops.

Education is an important aspect to many people’s lives. The public school system is utilized on a daily basis to help educate students across America including Virginia. There are many major events which impact our education systems. In 1974, the Lau v. Nichols event occurred to expand the rights of students. Even though some people believe all students should not be treated equally, the Lau v. Nichols court decision states differently. In public schools, English is to be taught, language deficiency is not a problem, and students should not be discriminated against for their limited English skills.

Prior to this unit of Language and Literacy, my understanding of the term language was limited. I have gained insight that language and communication not only can be spoken but also can be physical. When the topic of language was studied further, I was introduced to new concepts and meanings of language. Particularly, body language where humans communicate first with their body and decide by the physical signals presented on whether they are a friend or enemy, for instance in the video presented it was specified that upon meeting one another we see their suitability or if they are ‘like us’. Furthermore, the assessing of body language links back to the evolutionary progression of our psychology, one which still influences our daily interactions

My seminar provided an overview of chapter 4- explaining second language learning. During my introduction, key points from each of the 5 perspectives were discussed. The cognitive perspective was given priority as it contained many subcategories within itself. This section also allowed my group mates to connect theory and practice of second language learning. My group mates were able to connect to the noticing hypothesis, processability theory and the three principles of practice through their own personal experiences while learning a second language. The first discussion question asked my group members to evaluate their own understanding of how language learning occurs and compare it with the perspectives we covered. The second discussion question provided them a chance to assess each perspective and think of one weakness and one strength for each. Overall if I were to re-do my seminar, I would like to provide more attention to the other perspectives. I would add more discussion questions in order to stimulate more in-depth discussions. Similarly, adding supplemental information from an outside source to further discussion and connect the theories to pedagogy. Additionally, I would create an activity that focused more on teaching of a second language and how these theories have influenced the current practices used.

Interactions between teachers and students in regards to teacher talk is one of the most important learning tools used in the classroom. Talk moves are tools for building an environment that serves a range of productive interactional, social and intellectual learning functions in the classroom (Edwards-Groves, 2014). They are enabled and constrained by the “sayings, doings and relatings present in classrooms” and prompt responses from students (Edwards-Groves, 2014, p1). Teacher talk is a large part of how students learn, through models such as ‘Initiate, Respond, Evaluate’ (IRE). The IRE model involved the teacher asking questions and giving appropriate feedback to the student’s response to help them understand the reasons behind their response. The Scaffolding Interaction Cycle (SIC) is another important tool, which involved teachers scaffolding a students’ response to engage higher learning functions. It is important to consider Bull and Anstey’s three-style model, consisting of pedagogy of school, pedagogy of literacy lessons and pedagogy of literacy learning (Anstey and Bull, 1996). Pedagogy of school involves the teacher and the student conversing in a Q&A like manner, or a ‘guess-what’s-in-my-head’ approach taken by the teacher. The pedagogy of literacy lessons involves the students carrying out the teacher’s instructions but not making the connection to what they are learning. There is a time where these styles may be useful, but

Teachers take on the role of learner as well as instructor and are there to guide the discussion towards learning objectives without just forcing their point of view on students. Another very important part from Vygotsky’s work is the concept of a student’s zone of proximal development (ZPD). Vygotsky (as cited by Eggen & Kauchak, 2011) described it as “the distance between the actual development level…and the level of potential development…under adult guidance…or more capable peers” Once a student is within their ZPD, they can vastly benefit from ‘scaffolding’, this is assistance from either the teacher or from peers in a collaborative group to achieve a level that they would be unable to do independently (Eggen & Kauchak, 2011). This scaffolding can take many forms, using prompts and cues, asking pertinent questions, the most important point is not to do the work for the student but to guide in the right direction.

Language acquisition is the way in which humans perceive and understand a certain language, as well as producing and using words and sentences in order to communicate with one another. The way in which people learn another language is known as Second Language Acquisition, this refers to someone learning a language other than their mother tongue. A very important aspect within this process is cross-linguistic influence. Cross-linguistic influence is a term used to describe the various ways that certain language systems in the brain interact with and influence one and other. It explains how they can affect either the linguistic performance or the linguistic development of the learner, if not both. This most commonly refers to two separate languages, for example the effect that French has on a native speaker trying to learn another language such as Italian.

Language is a topic that will never cease to adapt, from slang being developed in suburbs of urban cities, to new additions to the Oxford dictionary. We, students of English, use different concepts of language almost everyday and most of the time we don’t even realize it. To get a better understanding of the English language and concepts developed within it, one would turn to look at the arguments of scholars including George Orwell, Nancy Mairs, S.I. Hayakawa, Nicholas Carr, and the dispute of the Sunlight Foundation and Senator Mike Quigley. All of these authors have an argument for how language is being developed and molded into this day and age, and for the modern English student, our questions and curiosities will be looked into furthermore as the topics presented by these scholars are formulated.