Teaching Language Arts

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Teaching Language Arts

• Dr. Peterson
• California University of PA

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How Children Learn

• Piaget Constructivist Philosophy
• Differs substantially from behaviorist theories
• Construct own knowledge from our experiences
• Lets test that theory

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Have a piece of paper and pen or pencil ready.
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Write down the first word that comes to mind when
I say

• Education
• Teaching
• Teachers
• Public Schools
• Inner city schools
• Rural schools
• Special Education

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Sociolinguistics

• Vygotsky
• Emphasis is on language learning
• Reflection of culture and community in which
  students live
• Lets test that theory

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Have you heard these words before?

• Youns

Piksburgh/Pittsburgh
Pop
Soda
Tonic
Frying pan
Skillet
Spider
Pully-bone or pull-bone
Lucky-bone
Wishbone
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The Cognitive Structure of our Brains

• Organized bits and pieces of information

Schemata
Assimilation
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Zone of Proximal Development

• A range of tasks that a child can perform with
  guidance from others but cannot yet perform
  independently.
• Children learn best when they are learning within
  that zone of proximal development.
• Children learn very little by performing tasks
  they can already do independently, tasks at their
  actual developmental level, or by attempting
  tasks that are too difficult or beyond their zone
  of proximal development.

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Gradual Release of Scaffolds
Taking Turns
Scaffolding emphasized in Sociolinguistic
philosophy
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Constructivist and Sociolinguistic Theories

• Students are active participants in learning.
• Students learn by relating the new information to
  prior knowledge.
• Students organize their knowledge in schemata.
• Students use skills automatically and strategies
  consciously as they learn.
• Students learn through social interactions with
  classmates and teachers.
• Teachers provide scaffolds for students.

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Language Learning and Culture

• Four language systems
• Phonological (sound)
• Syntactic (structure)
• Semantic (meaning)
• Pragmatic (social/cultural use)

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Four Language Systems

• Phonological

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Approaches Part vs. Whole

• Bottom-up
• Complex tasks broken down into their component
  skills
• Instruction proceeds from the simple to the
  complex
• Skills emphasized in isolation
• Vocabulary taught to students before they read
  stories
• Phonics taught explicitly, directly, and in
  isolation.

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Approaches Whole Vs. Part

• Top-down
• Whole language approach
• Story introduced with an emphasis on making
  predictions about the text
• New vocabulary is learned through predictions not
  directly taught new words before they read
• Phonics is taught as needed
• Holistic, literature-based in context

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Comparison

• Bottom-up
• Complex tasks broken down into their component
  skills
• Vocabulary taught to students before they read
• Phonics taught explicitly, directly, and in
  isolation
• Instruction proceeds from the simple to the
  complex

• Top-down
• Holistic, literature-based in context
• New vocabulary is learned through predictions not
  directly taught vocabulary before they read
• Phonics is taught as needed
• Whole-language approach

Refer to Methods of Teaching Reading Handout
(Reading Theoretical Models) for additional
explanations
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Interactive

• Both methods are utilized Bottom-up and Top-down
• Students use both prior knowledge, language
  ability, and features in the text as they read.
• Students use word identification and
  comprehension strategies.
• Fluent readers focus on constructing meaning.

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Behaviorist

• Skinner (1974) students learn to read by
  learning a series of discrete skills
• Teachers use direct instruction methods to teach
  skills in a planned, sequential order.
• Information is presented in small steps and
  reinforced through practice activities until
  students master it.
• Each step is built upon the previous one.

• Students traditionally practice the skills by
  completing worksheets
• Students work individually, not in small groups
  or partners.
• Behavior modification is key teachers use
  rewards and punishment to motivate and control
  students.
• Teacher-centered because it focuses on the
  teachers role as the dispenser of knowledge.

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Four Instructional Approaches

• Basal Reading Program
• Textbooks contain stories, poems, articles that
  are sequenced according to grade level.
• Literature Focus Unit
• Read and respond to one text together as a class
• High quality literature chosen
• Appropriate for grade level and students
  interests
• Read aloud and shared reading used

• Literature Circles
• Five-six books with multiple copies of each book
  to form literature circle groups.
• Students choose the book they want to read
• Groups formed based on books chosen (four-five
  students per group)
• Reading and discussion schedule created
• Reading Writing Workshop
• Students choose books, read and respond to them
• Students write stories, poems, etc. on
  self-selected topics during writing workshop

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Children and the Four Language Systems
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Children and the Four Language Systems

• Come to school with an intuitive understanding of
  the 4 language systems.
• Listening to others tell and read aloud stories
  also contributes to this knowledge.

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Four Language Systems
Which of the four language systems can you use to
determine the words pronunciation and meaning?
Record your responses on a piece of paper on a
chart like the one above.
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Write this word.
nolimetangere
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Lets use it in a sentence

• My brother kept bothering me so I told him
  nolimetangere or else I would tell mom.

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Which of the four language systems are you able
to use?
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The word is pronounced

• nole-me-tanj?-re
• or
• noli-me-tanj?-re

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What does the word mean?
How do you think the four language systems are
used daily in reading and figuring out unknown
words? How did it help to figure out this word?

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The word means

• Definition
• A warning or prohibition against meddling,
  touching, or interfering. (Lat., dont touch
  me.)
• Part of speech noun

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What are the six language arts modes?
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The Six Language Arts

• Listening
• Talking
• Reading
• Writing
• Viewing
• Visually representing

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Which language arts skills and strategies will we
teach in the elementary classroom?
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Language Arts Strategies
Students choose the strategy they need when
needed.
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Language Arts Skills

• Comprehension skills
• Print (spelling/decoding) skills
• Study skills
• Language skills
• Reference skills

We want students to use the skills automatically
and unconsciously as they construct meaning.
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Language Arts Skills
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Highly Effective Teachers

• Caring High Expectations
• Balanced Instruction (Variety of theories and
  methods utilized.) Dont get stuck in one mode
  of instruction.
• Extensive Instruction and Cross-Curricular
  Connections
• Scaffolding
• Classroom Management
• High Quality Materials
• Match Materials Tasks to Competence

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What does a language arts classroom look like?
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Lets brainstorm what we know about a language
arts classrooms. Create a list. Lets discuss.
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Characteristics of Classroom Communities

• Responsibility
• Opportunities
• Engagement
• Demonstration
• Risk-taking

• Instruction
• Response
• Choice
• Time
• Assessment

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Please purchase your books ASAP if you do not
already have them.