Entry #4 A text in a different language

      I selected a book written in Spanish called Que monton de Tamales. It is written by Gary Soto. My daughter read some of it to me, because there are pictures.  I recognized the word "tamales", "Maria" , "cocina" and "grande", and about two or three words off of all the other pages. I didn't understand what was going on at all, but I knew that tamales were being made in the kitchen, and Maria was one of the characters.
I got frustrated, laughed and took the book from my daughter, so that I could see the pictures as she read the words. Even then I guessed at what was happening on each page. I could tell there was a problem on one of the pages by the girl's expression, and then the way she looked at the tamales, I had a feeling she would have to eat them to solve the problem. All of the children helped, but they couldn't find what they were looking for, so the girl had to tell her mother what she did wrong. Then they all helped make more tamales. My daughter had to tell me that the girl, Maria, had lost her mother's ring, and thought that it was in one of the tamales.
I listened to my daughter read the story, and use some expression. Her voice helped me a little bit. If I had been trying to read the words, I wouldn't have known where to add expression. The illustrations were the biggest help. I could go back, and look at the pictures to piece together the story. If I had tried this exercise on my own, I would have drowned in the unknown! I needed someone to help me gain meaning, along with the illustrations. If I had to be alone for this, I would have shut down, which I imagine many students do when they are trying to listen to their teachers, without pictures or a friend who could translate for them.
     In Gibbon's book, Chapter 8, Reading in a Second Language, before, during and after reading strategies are discussed that show how to support 2nd language learners comprehension of texts. The checklist we created on September 9th, gave examples of supports and challenges in selecting appropriate texts, and how to make them more meaningful for ELLS.

Entry #3 Oral language and the reading process

I found this quote in Marie Clay's Literacy Lessons Part 1 (2005) :
      "Some children will transition into school from homes or preschools that emphasize speaking and oral language. While that is a great preparation for literacy learning, it may be that an emphasis on oral traditions in some cultures have severely reduced the exposure to printed language. If this is the case, the school needs to deliver extra opportunities for engaging with print, approaching this with due cultural sensitivity."(p.6)
     I think this statement is true for many of our students today. Many cultures value family outings and fieldtrips, using and promoting language development through experiences. The school needs to be the bridge for students to connect their oral language skills to printed langauge. High exposure to quality literature and opportunities for students to share their thoughts and ideas is crucial for the possible lack of print experience in the home. If a child comes to school as a preproduction, early production or speech emergent ELL the teacher needs to point and label images or objects, use simple sentence structures, and provide many opportunities for the child to hear and practice language at school. Simple sentence structures gradually progress to more complex language structures. This oral language growth can develop quickly, or take up to 5 years to become more fluent. Initially, ELLS input of language will be stronger than their output, verbally and in print, but eventually in a secure environment, the students will transfer what they hear into what they say and write. Skills that will help students transfer oral language to print are phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, comprehension and fluency (National Reading Panel). These skills can be taught in isolation at times, but prove to be acquired more deeply within meaningful context.

Information gathered from Marie Clay's book, Literacy Lessons Part 1, Hill and Flynn's Classroom Instruction That Works With English Language Learners, and Freeman and Freeman's Essential Linguistics.

Entry #2 My writing instruction experiences

     As a child, I remember a 3rd grade teacher that encouraged free writing.This was in the 60's.  I embraced this by writing silly poetry, plays, and childhood experiences. Another teacher in 4th grade loved to get letters from students throughout the summer, so again, I did a lot of pen pal letters to Mrs. Ritchie. Then I remember a lot of workbook and breaking down words, identifying them and using the words correctly within sentences. Not much freedom or creativity there. My junior English teacher open the door to creative writing again: narrative, pursuasive, etc. and made writing fun. I think I had a mixture of  learning/word recognition, and acquisition/sociopyscholinguistic experiences; more of the learning view. I wish I remembered more writing for meaning. I probably would have developed more voice and creative writing skills. I remember finding my college entrance essay and cringing at the lack of energy or personality. I just wrote gramatically correct sentences that barely "scraped" my surface. I remember getting a list of spelling words to learn how to spell and write in sentences. Lots of dictionary work. The teacher showed you a writing format, and you wrote using that format. Every piece was completed and graded. Most topics were selected by the teacher or from the basal series we were reading. I remember liking to write as a child, but lost interest gradually as I began to read extensively. Taking the writing classes at Regis has awakened my skills and interest again; writing is necessary, and helps me organize my thinking.

Essay created through personal experiences and Chapter 2 of Essential Linguistics.