Language and Learning

It seems that our world is highly dependent on an insurmountable amount of terms, definitions, categories, groupings and classifications.  The application of these definitions and categories and such, has created a society that tends to view things, people and circumstances, through a sort of tunnel.  We’ve becoming so accepting of certain ideologies and practices and now they are so deeply ingrained into our psyches.  Most, if not all educators base their teaching practice on the ideas and theories of “experts” in the field, and they rarely challenge these theories – I personally admit to demonstrating a certain level of complacency when it comes to accepting popular theories as truth or the “right way” to approach a particular aspect of teaching.  Strangely enough, it’s a challenge to abandon old and ineffective practices and adopt new ones.  Now, this can apply to anything in life and in the world, but when it comes to education and trying to figure out where we’ve gone wrong with certain groups of students who are consistently struggling.  In his book, Situated Language and Learning, James Paul Gee has offered some insight when it comes to providing more adequate instruction for our students and “updating” our teaching practices.

Once we begin to understand (and for some it may be a matter of accepting), new ways of defining the term literacy, many of the programs that have been designed and implemented in most classrooms may actually start to align with our increasingly more technological world. They may also begin to as meet the demands of a population that continues to become more diverse.  Throughout the readings, much of Gee’s references were to minority groups that were comprised of African-American’s and Latino’s, and how they performed academically in comparison to their White counterparts.  However my classroom, and I’m sure many classrooms across the GTA, is made up of mostly South-Asians, and I’ve had to take some time to consider whether or not Gee’s theories still apply.  I concluded to myself that regardless of racial background and socioeconomic class, the problem of differing abilities – within classrooms and school wide – is still quite significant.  Asians and South Asians, have been stereotypically deemed as highly successful ethnic groups who have a great work ethic and often perform very well academically. However I’m seeing a bit of a shift in this trend.  Many of my students are struggling when it comes to reading and writing and language heavy subject areas, such as Social Studies and Science. Gee has challenged me to ask a hard hitting question about what might be happening inside my classroom – is it really a matter of a lack of ability, or have I neglected to allow my teaching practice to evolve and compliment these “new literacy’s” that are becoming more predominant? Is it a language barrier that is causing this change in the level of success or do the expectations within our curriculum no longer align with this new generation of thinkers?

Gee focuses a great deal of his theories about literacy education on the benefits of such things as creating opportunities for experiential learning, providing children with an adequate vocabulary bank early in their development, and the positive effects of game play and the use of technology. I think these examples of situated learning are incredibly powerful as I have witnessed the outcome of this type of learning first hand, and on many different occasions.  I was able to make a personal connection to Gee’s suggestion that children who are more successful in school tend to have had exposure to certain academic-like practices well before entering school.  I remember my dad encouraging me to trace letters and words in old books and magazines with a pen that he brought home from work.  It was a fancy gold Cross pen that had run out of ink.  I felt so important and business-like. My Cabbage Patch and Barbie dolls, and playing “house” were no longer of interest – pretending I worked in an office was much more entertaining. My parents offered my brothers and I plenty of guidance and were excellent role models when it came to placing a great deal of value on excelling academically and having a thirst for knowledge. The quote, “people like us, do and value things like this” (Pg. 24), really resonated with me.  In discussions that I’ve had with some of my colleagues, we’ve often concluded that some of our students, who are struggling, are in this position because their parents aren’t spending enough quality time with them when it comes to homework or introducing them to certain academic behaviours.  We can’t be sure that this is the case, but Gee’s research is quite compelling, and has lead me to believe that it really could be that simple. As suggested by Gee, It’s the situation that counts.  If a child is watching something on TV and their parent engages them in conversation about what it is they are watching it can have a profound effect, but if the child is watching it alone, it’s a passive experience, therefore it can be bad, of have no effect. In essence it becomes a mindless activity (pg. 21). 

Gee’s suggestion that people learn best when their learning is connected to social practices that they value (pg. 77), is simple yet profound.  When I think back to the mediocre level of success experienced by many of my students, I’ve begun to conclude that perhaps I have not offered them the opportunity to make meaning connections to what they are being taught.  Many of my language lessons can be characterized as having a heavy mechanical focus and can be quite process oriented.  If I neglect to “update” my practice and include such things as social justice, ensure that my lessons are culturally sensitive and enrich the general learning experience through the use of various forms of technology, I will be doing a great disservice to my students.  At the same time, I don’t want to be too hard on myself – I do believe some excellent learning does takes place in my classroom.  However I do think that it is important that I challenge myself to shy away from the “Status quo” and adopt a few new approaches as suggested by Gee.  After all, change is good.

A New Approach to Literacy

     The concept of literacy is much more complex than I could have ever imagined.  I think about the literacy programs that are typically developed in the classrooms at my school, and the very narrow focus that these programs tend to have.  We go through a checklist of topics to cover throughout the year; reading comprehension strategies (i.e. visualizing, making connections and asking questions), text forms, and various forms of writing.  However, I have to wonder how effective our programs are, and if our literacy programs are as meaningful as they need to be. Finn’s notion of Powerful Literacy vs. Functional Literacy is something I believe all educators need to become familiar with, and perhaps decide which of these literacy’s is most predominant in their classroom.  Since reading Finn’s text, Literacy with an Attitude, I am beginning to become more mindful of the instructional approach I am taking, particularly with language. I need to ask myself if I’m truly preparing my students in such a way that they will be able to adopt positions of power and authority, or will they just be able to “get by”, and have minimal impact when engaging socially on a larger scale.

     At the beginning of his article, “The Social Process of Literacy”, Adrian Blackledge listed a series of rather important questions about literacy.  I immediately thought to myself, “how many of these questions are actually taken into consideration by teachers as they develop their literacy programs?”   A couple of the questions he posed really made me think – “What is the importance of literacy in terms of cultural and personal identity?”  What role does literacy play in societies where there are unequal relations of power between different groups?” And finally, “If schools are important sites of social and cultural reproduction, what is the role of literacy in the process of schooling?” As I suggested previously, educators need to be challenged, whether it be personally or by their peers, to ask themselves questions of this nature. 

    What we have sought to achieve as a result of our literacy programs, has simply been about teaching our students to become better readers and writers, but from a technical perspective.  We don’t often think about the social, political or cultural influences that may or may not arise as a result of our teaching.  However, that being said, I don’t think that we can view literacy as either a set of individual skills or just a set of cultural practices or relations of power and control. For the most part, I think they go hand in hand – you cannot have one without the other.  There are so many cultural and social implications when it comes to literacy, that the idea that literacy is exclusively about correct spelling and fluent reading, seems extremely archaic. 

     I still see a great deal of importance in the development of basic skills in reading and writing, but how we use literacy in response to various social dynamics appears to be more critical.  It’s more advantageous to have a strong sense of how certain messages/ideas are being conveyed and/or received, verses mastering the mechanics of the language that is involved.  In Finn’s analysis of why working class students continue to be put at a disadvantage, he made it quite clear that one of the major factors in this unbalanced educational experience is the quality of teaching that is being offered to these students. Finn uses several concrete examples to illustrate the fact that teachers (at times subconsciously), adopt a pedagogy that can be regarded as subpar, because they believe it is most appropriate for students of a certain profile.  On the other hand, they may ensure their teaching practice is thorough and challenging when working with students of a higher social class. This phenomenon has obviously cycled through the education system for far too many years.  In an effort to change the mentality of working-class students, teachers need to re-wire their own thinking as well.

Properly Literate

           Although the articles for this particular seminar appear to have been written several years ago, they are outlining issues within education that are still very much a point of concern.  If after all these years, the same patterns are still evident (low test scores among minority students, the need to strengthen skills in reading and writing, pedagogy that lacks emphasis on problem solving and critical thinking, etc.), perhaps it is safe to say that advances in education have been marginal at best (?) 
         I chuckle to myself when I think back to an interesting comment that was made by our school’s ELT (Early Literacy Teacher), about a year ago during a workshop that she was hosting.  She stated, with confidence and pride, that we have made so many advances in the way that we are teaching our students and the rate at which they are learning, that school boards all over the world are now looking to Ontario as a leader in education (pause and reflect here).  I hope not to be misunderstood.  I’m sure there are amazing things going on in the classrooms here in Ontario and across Canada, and as educators we have much to be proud of. However, I found this statement to be quite ambitious.
           I think there are several factors that have had a significant impact on how we approach education, and these factors have resulted in greater challenges and more hurdles that need to be cleared before achieving high levels of success for both teachers and learners.  For instance, as our population grows increasingly more diverse, the number of ELL students has also increased, and this has led to the need for several modifications to curriculum expectations. The same can be said for what seems like an increase in the number of special needs/learning disabled students. Another example is the introduction of standardized testing (EQAO) which has had a negative impact on the pedagogy of many teachers teaching grades in which the test is written. The bottom line – while we have an abundance of resources (books, graphic organizers, adaptive technology, etc.), I am beginning to wonder if these things are just creative/innovative ways to continue to dance around a prevailing and long standing problem – many of our students are not necessarily becoming better at reading and writing – we’re just finding ways to make it easier for them.
           I think back to the article Properly Literate, by Wayne O’Neil.  He suggests that reading without context is the beginning of the breakdown in coherence (pg. 77).  He went on to explain that proper literacy should extend a person’s control over his/her life and environment.  I have to wonder what sort of context I create for my students on a daily basis – especially those who are new to the country or who’ve generally had limited experiences.  In an effort to promote reading for meaning, as educators we must be mindful of the material that we have selected for use in our classrooms, as well as the criteria we have chosen for use in our evaluation. If not, we may be inadvertently creating a generation of improperly literate children who are just merely “following words across a page, and are getting a general sense of what’s superficially there.” (pg. 75) 
          The same can be said for writing.  Whether it is a matter of providing graphic organizers to ensure the correct formatting, or using sentence building programs like Clicker 5 - while these tools are quite helpful, there is a strong need to evaluate whether or not the actual skill of writing is being adequately developed.  Writing, like reading, must also be meaningful – it needs to be done within a certain context, and should have strong connections to each student’s current experience, as well as the experiences they are sure to have somewhere down the road. But the question still remains – how do we make our student’s better readers and writers? What type of pedagogy is guaranteed to produce this desired outcome? Is there one approach, or are there many?
           I`ve become a strong believer in the importance of critical literacy and giving students an opportunity to make strong connections to everyday life. But I often find myself at war with the phenomenon of standardized testing, large class sizes, feeling overwhelmed by the number of expectations that need to be covered, and the most challenging of all – what the school board/ministry suggests we should adopt as best teaching practices. I think our world might seem as though it has become more complex – but if we have a good understanding of the various social dynamics that are at play, the power relations that are constantly being developed, or the reasons why certain groups of people are more disadvantaged than others, our approach to society and how we identify ourselves within it, may actually be quite simple. As suggested in the reading “The Sanitized Curriculum: Educational Disempowerment in a Nation at Risk”, education seems to be lacking meaningful learning experiences – it is overly prescribed and does not honour the importance in developing a student’s ability to think critically. It’s also important to find ways to ensure that our students are feeling empowered, all students alike, not just the minority. This empowerment will limited feelings of inadequacy and leave students feeling confident and capable (Cummins, pg. 31).
            I feel extremely compelled to challenge my students to question, connect, relate and debate things that they see in the media, read in books, newspapers and magazines, or hear through word of mouth. The video “Voice and Choice” was an awesome example of this type of learning in action. In the conclusion of his article, “The Sanitized Curriculum”, Cummins offers some sound advice: “A practical “pedagogy for resistance”...would incorporate at least two immediate goals...rid the educational system of the straightjacket of standardized tests...and insist that any test used in the school incorporate the full range of curriculum objectives emphasized within an interactive/experiential model of pedagogy.” How do we put something like this in motion?

How I Teach, How You Learn.

I was introduced to a new way of describing the ways in which a teacher can carry out their instruction.  According to Barnes in his text “From Communication to Curriculum”, an “interpretation” teacher sees the act of writing as a means by which a student can make personal connections to ideas, make interpretations and formulate opinions that are unique to themselves.  On the other hand, a “transmission” teacher uses writing primarily as a means of measuring the students’ performance based on set expectations and criteria.  After reading these descriptions, I immediately began to think about what type of teacher I am.  I admit to being a “transmission” teacher, but I have to wonder if this can be attributed to the fact that much emphasis has been placed on teaching to curriculum expectations, and of course, with the introduction of activities like EQAO and TLCP’s, the pressure to expose students to certain skill sets within a certain time frame becomes paramount.  I then concluded that most Elementary school teachers must fall into the category of “Transmission Teacher”. I was quite surprised, however, when I read that a questionnaire given to primary teachers indicated that they tend to be more on the interpretation end, and this was also confirmed after engaging in a discussion with my counterparts during the last seminar – most had indicated that they were more “interpretive” in their approach.  I immediately began to feel insecure about how I’ve been teaching my students over the past 5 years!  As I offered it some more thought and asked the opinions of some of my colleagues, we concluded that your teaching practice can/is dependent on the circumstances in which you’re teaching (i.e. teaching grades 3, 6, 9 - EQAO grades that call for an accelerated curriculum). I feel as though “transmission teachers” may be on the rise, especially as our schools are becoming more data driven, and student success is now being gauged by test results. It seems to me, that there are fewer opportunities for teachers to promote longer periods of inquiry and discovery within their classrooms. Or am I wrong?

Another interesting theme that was discussed in a couple of the articles is one that is of great importance to me – that is the recognition of multiple intelligences and the teaching practices that are developed in response to this theory.  I truly believe that the demonstration of one’s knowledge is not limited to reading, writing and math – the 3 ways that have become the key skills of the “elite” learner. I also believe that a person’s personality type (introvert vs. extrovert), can have a profound effect on the acquisition of certain skills (i.e. depending on the individual, working in group situations can either inhibit or promote learning). There are a growing number of students with diverse abilities and it is important that teachers keep abreast of the varying abilities they are sure to find within their classroom. While all students should be able to demonstrate a certain level of competency in literacy and numeracy, there are non-traditional ways in which a child can be made to develop their understanding of a particular concept. It has been said that what a student learns is dependent on how they learn, so before concluding that a student has a “weakness” when it comes to a particular subject area, it is the teachers responsibility to review their instructional practices, and perhaps discover that it was a matter of HOW that student received that information. Teachers need to plan for a diverse population of students and give their students tasks that acknowledge their abilities, they need to be flexible in their instruction, and provide opportunities for authentic assessment practices.

Another interesting point that came up for discussion was the idea of “perspective” and/or “perception” and the fact that no single reality is held by the majority. I have come to understand that the multiple realities that exist are a result of the different environments, social dynamics, levels of education, and overall experiences that are unique to and individual.  I think it is extremely important to remember this fact, when working in a situation in which you are dealing with a wide spectrum of people (i.e. education!). As educators, the methods and attitudes that we bring to the classroom are inevitably different. This of course is a result of the unique perspectives we bring to the table.  What makes sense and seems logical to me in my classroom dynamic, may not necessarily seem logical to the teacher next door, who also happens to be teaching the same grade, and has received the same training at the same institution. Many things will factor into how we approach our students and design our programs, so as consistent as we would like to be as educators, it may be fundamentally impossible!

This is the sort of thing that leads to debates about what can be considered effective pedagogy. The hundreds of theories that exist about any aspect of teaching and learning are theories that were developed as a result of one individual’s unique perspective. We tend to agree with theories that are very similar to ideas that we have already developed on our own, or that match theories that we had previously adopted. In my experience over the past 5 years, I have found that what worked for me in my 2^nd year of teaching, may not necessarily work for me now.  Whether it be a change in my perspective, or the fact that the profile of students I work with year to year are significantly different – the bottom line is that teaching is an extremely fluid profession and as a result, belief systems are constantly shifting as well. Perspective is a powerful thing, but even more powerful than that, is experience!

               

Where I'm From...

I am from a time when some of my best friends were books.

From the Little Golden Book series, Mother Goose, and The Berenstein Bears,to Sweet Valley High, Babysitters Club and Nancy Drew.

I read every single book by V.C. Andrews and R.L. Stine.

An eclectic taste in novels. I only cared for fiction.

From word-searches and riddles, crosswords and cryptograms.

If it was in print – it was in my hands.

Purposeful Language

After reading this series of articles, I was left with the idea that language can be viewed as a type of science. With so many different aspects to language and all that needs to be considered during our encounters with it, it’s no wonder why so many theories, guidelines and formulas have been developed to ensure the correct use of it. We (educators) are at the point in our acquisition of skills that, reading, writing, speaking and listening have become so automatic and our carried out with very little effort.  We’re quite comfortable with the rules of grammar, most adults listen attentively (when they want to), we read complex materials and find ways to make sense of them, we use the correct punctuation when we write and we adjust how we speak according to who we’re speaking to.  What is interesting is if you ask most adults who have these very developed skills how they know what they do, they probably would not be able to tell you!

 I wonder how many of the skills that I have obtained we actually mastered much later in my life, independent of a formal education.  I sometimes laugh to myself when I’m preparing certain language lessons for my students and very often I would find that I did not have a clear understanding of what I had to teach, so I had to quickly teach myself before taught them - (i.e. irregular plurals – shame on me!). While knowledge and understanding of the parts of speech are important as they are the foundation of writing (and reading), I’m still not sure if I’m giving it enough attention as part of my language program, and if I do go ahead and place more emphasis on grammar, how much more will my students actually benefit from it? We have an activity as part of our homework program called “Share N’ Show” in which the students perform a sort of grammar study. Before the homework is sent home there is a short lesson, the work is assigned, and then the students present the work that they have done. It’s an enjoyable activity for the kids, mainly because they have to come up with clues to describe the particular type of word for that week, and their friends have to try and guess the word they came up with. They seem to come away with a good understanding of the “rules”, so my belief is that the lessons don’t need to be any more intense than that – or do they?

 I took some time to reflect on a few interesting points that were made in Sealy’s article, Knowledge and Description of Language.  One point she had made is that most people learn to speak a particular language before they even begin a formal education in school.  A study that was done on 3 families showed that each family had a different understanding of literacy and ultimately a different function within their respective households.  A child brought up in an environment in which literacy is highly valued may be more inclined to take an interest in activities that involve reading and writing.  Some households may not view reading and writing activities as a priority, especially while at home – and the only real opportunity those children may have to engage in those types of activities is at school.  Teachers need to be aware of those environmental and social influences when addressing a child’s learning needs. This connects to the notion that too many children of divergent backgrounds encounter curriculum expectations that they cannot relate to and this in effect cancels out what they do know, and what they are actually capable of. This results in the need to develop sensitivity to the diverse population of students that we are working with – particularly their diverse speaking patterns, writing styles, etc. Working within the Peel Region this is an experience that I will always to be conscious of, as we have a high population of ELL students from a number of ethnic and cultural backgrounds.  It is easy to assume that an individual who is new to the country and is using English as a second or third language lacks not just the understanding of English, but of everything else as well. This leads to generalizations made about students based on their language abilities. She goes on to suggest that this is an indication that children do not need to study language itself in order to make it work for them. Was this our experience growing up?  Are we then “force-feeding” our students with information that, inevitably, exhausts their capacity to learn?

 I think about the prescribed reading strategies that are heavily used in classrooms in my school – making connections, making predictions, asking questions, synthesizing, etc. How much of this is actually beneficial when it comes to making our students better readers? Do these practices not happen naturally, and if so why is there a need to formally address them as part of the curriculum? Reading and writing are embedded well into our everyday lives but many are not conscious of it since it becomes a natural part of our jobs or just keeping our homes organized. There is definitely an importance in becoming familiar with text whether it is the creation of it or being able to read and understand it.  It’s an integral part of our lives.  My question is how we as educators can teach language in such a way that it is more meaningful to our students and has a direct connection to what they experience on a daily basis.

What it's all about :)

Enlightened

The latest series of workshops has allowed me to experience an awakening of sorts with respect to how I’ve been approaching literacy education in my classroom.  I can’t say that I’ve been doing it ALL WRONG, but the readings that I have had the opportunity to engage in, have definitely left me feeling more confident about my belief that a data-driven approach to my students’ learning isn’t exactly ALL RIGHT.

After reading the first set of articles which discussed the true meaning of uncertainty as well as the nature of the curriculum and how it is perceived, I feel as though I have been given license to believe very strongly in how I’ve been feeling about the state of education. The readings have facilitated a change in my perspective on teaching and learning and the fact that I should no longer feel like a “bad teacher”.  My insecurities about how I have been feeling about my teaching practice are actually coming from a good place!  The place of a concerned teacher who hopes the best for her students and who is determined to perfect her teaching practice regardless of the systemic hurdles that have been put in place that make it difficult to do so.  The fact is the curriculum that is the foundation of my professional practice comes with a few significant flaws, and as a result, has presented a number challenges that even the most seasoned of teachers has difficulty coping with (i.e. the number of expectations that need to be covered).

I now feel comfortable with the fact that there are times when I will feel completely uncertain about some of the instructional strategies that I have adopted along the way - and that’s okay.  These are the times when I have an opportunity to further explore and seek out more information in an effort to gain a better understanding of what works and what doesn’t,  and thus create more enriching experiences for both myself and my students. This will have a significant impact on how I respond to my students during times when they are feeling uncertain. They too need to know that this is not something negative, and my job then would be to offer them the encouragement they need to continue to ask questions and ultimately get the answers they need in an effort to quiet that uncertainty.  This is the perfect segue into some of the ideas presented in the second reading, Curriculum as Conversation by Andy Manning, which highlights the importance of communicating with students in such a way that allows them to make educational discoveries that are meaningful and authentic. It is important to grant our students the opportunity to connect real life experiences with their experiences in the classroom. The level of understanding and enthusiasm that is displayed by the children as a result of such practices makes this approach to the curriculum worthwhile.

All of the readings seem to highlight the importance of experience and how it can positively impact written expression and an adequate level of comprehension while reading.  After reading Language and experience, by J. Britton and Elephants are different to different people, by Lola Brown,  I was able to draw parallels between the two readings with regards to each author’s idea of shared experiences and how the perception of those experiences can be affected for various reasons. Britton suggests that each person’s representation of the world will differ from the next as a result of the different experiences we’ve had with it.  My understanding of what Britton is trying to explain is that what we experience in life has a direct impact on our personalities, and in turn, what we tend to project on subsequent experiences is a function of the personality that we have developed.  Therefore, although someone else and I are engaging in a very similar experience, the way we perceive that experience will be very different.  While this seems like common sense, I often forget how significant this is when it comes to a students learning experience in my classroom.

Most teachers, including myself, are working with a very diverse population of students.  Whether it be cultural background, socio economic status, having moved from another country or even just from another school - all of this will impact the way each of my students receive, perceive and respond to ALL of the activities that they are introduced to in my classroom. It also made me think about the idea of differentiated instruction and theories that have been developed about the multiple intelligences. I believe that children usually have a wealth of knowledge suitable for whichever age group they’re in.  Often we expect them to be able to write a detailed paragraph about a specific topic, a persuasive letter, or make connections to material that they may or may not have had experiences with.  I see the importance in giving students an opportunity to participate in creative writing opportunities.  In keeping with my professional duties, I will go ahead and teach the correct format that should be used for different types of writing, but I will allow my students to be able to freely choose the topics that they will write about.  From what I have seen, the ideas that they produce are much richer and the experience itself, is much more enjoyable.