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?
In Jennie's case, the features are repetition and parallelism, story-telling, figurative language, and sympathetic fallacy.

2. What are features of Leona's specialized form of language?
Leona uses repetition and parallelism when telling her story in class. She also organizes her thoughts by comparing and contrasting the different patterns. Gee says, "She is interested in creating a pattern out of language, within and across her stanzas: a pattern which will generate meaning through the sets of relationships and contrasts which it sets up, like the multiple relationships and contrasts..."

3. Why is Leona's specialized form of language not accepted in school?
Gee states, "They stress linear step-by-step events or facts organized around one topic expressed with no poetry or emotion."

4. Explain the contradiction between the research conducted by Snow et al. (1998) and the recommendations made by Snow et al. (1998).
Gee mentions that poor readers are usually associated with certain ethnic groups, poor neighborhoods, and rural towns. Gee also states, "...the test scores were going up at a time that integration was also increasing."

5. What other factors besides early training will make or break good readers?
Another factor that will make or break a good reader is the need to have a variety of academic language and/or belong to a particular social group. 

6. Why do some children fail to identify with, or find alienating, the "ways with words" taught in school?
Gee states, "Children cannot feel they belong at school when their valuable home-based practices (like Leona's) are ignored, denigrated, and unused. They cannot feel like they belong when the real game is acquiring academic varieties of language, and they are given no help with this, as they watch other children get high assessments at school for what they have learned not at school but at home."  

Student Observation & Interview

I chose to interview two students during my clinical placement at Bridgeport High School. Both students come from the same class and one is a struggling students and the other is a high performing student. Below are their responses to the interview questions...

Struggling Student:

1. Do you enjoy school?
     No
2. What kind of student are you?
     Like...A's...mostly...
3. What do you do for fun outside of school?
    Spend time with my friends.
4. How would your classmates describe you?
     Friendly
5. Who are you friends with? What do you and your friends do together?
    Courtney, Ashton, and Jenna; Go to the mall.
6. Tell me a good memory you have about school...
     (after some thinking) When I got a "A" in math (last 6 weeks)
7. Tell me a bad memory you have about school...
     When I failed this test and got really upset.
8. Describe a "good" teacher or tell me about a favorite teacher you had in the past.
     A teacher that helps you and wants you to succeed.
9. What is one thing you wish your teacher knew about you?
     (thinks for a while) That I don't like answering questions...

High Performing Student:

1. Do you enjoy school?
     Yeah, I do.
2. What kind of student are you?
     Hard working.
3. What do you do for fun outside of school?
     Music, mostly...
4. How would your classmates describe you?
     Humorous, politically involved
5. Who are you friends with? What do you and your friends do together?
     Bobby, Zach, Jared, Tre; We discuss a lot of things (politics), go to sports events, and hang out.
6. Tell me a good memory you have about school...
     A lot of band memories that really stick with me.
7. Tell me a bad memory you have about school...
     Ont time a teacher was upset with me about something during my freshman year. 
8. Describe a "good" teacher or tell me about a favorite teacher you had in the past.
     Jenny Dorsey was truly concerned about our school and our achievements. 9. What is one thing you wish your teacher knew about you?
      I have a life outside of politics. I'm not always serious.

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?
It seems that children in the minority have more trouble learning to read then children raised in the middle to upper class.

2. Why is this fact so strange?
I find this strange because those same "minority" children don't usually have the same troubles in other activities (i.e. sports, video games, music). I think a lot of it has to do with the enforcement on education in the home, but I won't get into that...

3. What is it about school that manages to transform children who are good at learning things like Pokeman into children who are not good at learning?
I think it is either the school's lack of knowledge or understanding about the students culture.

4. What is the difference between a traditionalist approach to learning to read and more progressive educators? 
Traditionalists believe learning to read is an instruction based process while progressive educators believe learning to read is a more natural approach.

5. Is learning to read a natural process like learning to speak a language?
No. I believe learning to read is something that has to be taught; just like learning how to zip up a jacket, button a coat, or tie your shoes.

6. What is the difference between natural, instructed, and cultural processes and which process should reading be classified under?
A natural process is something we do instinctively as humans. Instructed processes are were the child is being taught information (i.e. school). Cultural processes are those we learn based on the culture around us.

7. How do humans learn best? Through instructional processes or through cultural processes? How is reading taught in school?
I think that students learn through both ways. They learn by an instructional process while at school and a cultural process while at home or out of school.

8. According to the author, what is the reason for the "fourth grade slump"?
Fourth graders have a very difficult time reading in the content area.

9. What is a better predictor of reading success than phonemic awareness?
Observing how well a student does with language before entering school.

10. What is the difference between "vernacular" and "specialist" varieties of language? Give and example of two sentences, one written in the vernacular and one written in a "specialized variety," about a topic in your content area. 
Vernacular is the way that one speaks to another on a daily basis. Specialist language is a more proper and refined language.
A vernacular sentence could be taken from the movie "Wizard of Oz"; "There's a storm blowing up Silvester; A WHOPPER! To speak in the vernacular or the peasantry."
A Specialized example is, "There is a storm coming this way. It looks to be very large!"

11. What is "early language ability" and how is it developed?
Early language ability is developed at an early age and it is when the child has been introduced to vocabulary, phonics, and other means of speaking and reading before they reach the Pre-K or Kindergarten level in school.

12. According to the author why and how does the traditionalist approach to teaching children to read fail? 
It fails because children are more accustomed to hearing language in their own vernacular. At school reading is more on an academic basis which may not be comfortable for most students.

13. Are parents of poor children to blame for their children's inexperience with specialized varieties of language before coming to school?
I believe the parents are to blame! Teachers can only do so much in a school day. We aren't super heros! we can supply the students with everything they need to succeed, but if it's not reinforced at home then it makes all of the teachers efforts a bit worthless. I know some may say "Well, what if the parents didn't receive a good education?" If this is the case then I would have to point the blame at the parents of the parent. If I were in that situation, I would look at my parents and their life and ask myself one question: Do I want better than them? If the answer is yes, then i feel that any person would strive to get better.

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'm in the middle... I can read and comprehend well, but I just find the book very boring. As I mentioned in my previous journal entry, I have a hard time reading books that do not catch my interest. I am trying to get through as best as possible. 

Double Entry Journal #8

Situated Language and Learning: A critique of traditional schooling

1. What is the main challenge being addressed in this book?
I feel that the main challenge in the book is based on the various ways people talk. Is it educated language or just everyday jargon that a lot of folks are used to speaking on a day to day basis; in the vernacular you might say...

2. What does the author mean by the phrase "ways with words"?
The author means words that are used in a particular fashion. These words can be considered "jargon" and "academic language."

3. What is the core argument being made by the author of this book?
People can learn there "ways with words" in and out of the school building, but only when they find it most convenient or compelling.

4. Give an example of a specialized variety of a language or "way with words" you have learned outside of school?
I have heard many students talk within their cliques or groups, but I haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary when speaking aloud. I have, however, noticed a "way with words" when people, mostly teenagers, text on their phones. Words like "LOL", "ROFL", and "BRB"  have a deeper meaning, but some may not know what these letters imply. For the "older" generation these letters have no meaning what-so-ever, but they are everyday phrases used into today's society.

5. According to the author, how do people learn a specialized variety of a language or "way with words" best?
The author suggests that people learn best when they have more experiences outside of school that may pertain or be more important to their futures.

6. If people are to be successful in the 21st century, what must they become?
To be be successful, one has to learn to and be able to adapt. If one is to achieve a particular goal or objective he/she must learn to understand and be able to "shape-shift" into whatever the situation calls for.

7. The author states that learning academic language is NOT sufficient for success in modern society? Do you agree? Why or Why not?
I do not agree with Gee. I think you have to have a little give and take when it comes to learning academic language. I think that one has to be able to adapt or "shape-shift" to their surroundings in the modern society, but I also believe that a person must have a certain level of professionalism. As a future public school teacher I feel that when I go into my first job interview I would give the impression of a well-mannered, upright citizen, and carry a high level of decorum.

8. What do you think about this author's "way with words"?
In all honesty, I'm not looking forward to reading the rest of the book. I enjoy reading very much, but only if I can "latch" onto the book or story. I'm having a hard time with this one right now. Gee states in the book that he can change his "way with words" and perhaps if he does that may benefit me. For now, I'm in that black hole he mentions...