(no subject)
i'm really happy because, for the first time almost (well, no, not for the first time. but maybe the first time i felt so awesome about it.), i consciously noticed myself turning important thoughts about life into lesson plans in my head on a walk with my parents and freddi this morning. i'm posting because i'm excited about the possibilities and because i think this is actually a really good idea, in case you want to add your own thoughts on it!!
so, i was thinking about how the SIOP push-in model for English Language Learners involves bringing Spanish/English language instruction into the classroom, integrating it with the rest of instruction, so that everyone learns some Spanish and the ELLs don't have to feel excluded or miss instruction as they learn along with everyone else. And I was thinking about AADE (African American Dialectical English -- isn't that what it's called??) and how Black kids are so often tracked into Special Education, in part because they speak a different language at home and therefore come in on a less-well-prepared step than many White kids, since their home language and culture is different from the dominant paradigm at school.
So, I was thinking about how we should really be doing that push-in SIOP method for ALL sorts of learning differences/cultural perspectives, not just for ELLs... and I was thinking about lessons in which we could talk about the different types of languages we learn different places. Since, to be taken seriously in our dominant middle-class-White-culture world (unfortunately) we all have to at least be able to speak this typically White-middle-class form of "professional" English, and determine when which form of language (our native, familial language or more "formal" English) is more appropriate.
So, for example, we could all talk about the types of words and language we use at home, and at school, and how we know that different forms of language are appropriate different places, but they are all right. For example, I say things like "we do dis" and "me likey wa weam!" and "gackadee!" ("thank you") at home with my family -- it's our own form of speech that we use with each other. But I wouldn't use that same type of language at school, teaching, or in a job interview. I can use "home" language with friends and family, but when I am in a professional setting I need to use the form of English that a professional setting expects, to appear serious. The same is true for all of us. We all have to be willing to conform to the dominant culture around us to be taken seriously in professional or formal settings... even though all of our forms of language are just as good and important. When I'm in Costa Rica I have to speak Spanish, even though it's not my native language! We all have to learn different forms of language to use in different places, and learn where to use them.
So, we could hold a classwide discussion of these concepts, have students share examples of their "home" language in order to show that all of these types of language (AADE, Spanish, other "home" words) are legitimate and important. And we could write and perform skits about different types of language, showing where and how it is appropriate to use different forms of language.
In this way we could help learn that all forms of language and culture are legitimate and worthy of respect and use, but in different places for different purposes. And show that we ALL need to speak and learn different languages for different uses in our lives.
yah? what do you all think? any other ideas?
so, i was thinking about how the SIOP push-in model for English Language Learners involves bringing Spanish/English language instruction into the classroom, integrating it with the rest of instruction, so that everyone learns some Spanish and the ELLs don't have to feel excluded or miss instruction as they learn along with everyone else. And I was thinking about AADE (African American Dialectical English -- isn't that what it's called??) and how Black kids are so often tracked into Special Education, in part because they speak a different language at home and therefore come in on a less-well-prepared step than many White kids, since their home language and culture is different from the dominant paradigm at school.
So, I was thinking about how we should really be doing that push-in SIOP method for ALL sorts of learning differences/cultural perspectives, not just for ELLs... and I was thinking about lessons in which we could talk about the different types of languages we learn different places. Since, to be taken seriously in our dominant middle-class-White-culture world (unfortunately) we all have to at least be able to speak this typically White-middle-class form of "professional" English, and determine when which form of language (our native, familial language or more "formal" English) is more appropriate.
So, for example, we could all talk about the types of words and language we use at home, and at school, and how we know that different forms of language are appropriate different places, but they are all right. For example, I say things like "we do dis" and "me likey wa weam!" and "gackadee!" ("thank you") at home with my family -- it's our own form of speech that we use with each other. But I wouldn't use that same type of language at school, teaching, or in a job interview. I can use "home" language with friends and family, but when I am in a professional setting I need to use the form of English that a professional setting expects, to appear serious. The same is true for all of us. We all have to be willing to conform to the dominant culture around us to be taken seriously in professional or formal settings... even though all of our forms of language are just as good and important. When I'm in Costa Rica I have to speak Spanish, even though it's not my native language! We all have to learn different forms of language to use in different places, and learn where to use them.
So, we could hold a classwide discussion of these concepts, have students share examples of their "home" language in order to show that all of these types of language (AADE, Spanish, other "home" words) are legitimate and important. And we could write and perform skits about different types of language, showing where and how it is appropriate to use different forms of language.
In this way we could help learn that all forms of language and culture are legitimate and worthy of respect and use, but in different places for different purposes. And show that we ALL need to speak and learn different languages for different uses in our lives.
yah? what do you all think? any other ideas?