The Language and Literacy Connection

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The Language and Literacy Connection

• Charlotte Enns, Ph.D.
• University of Manitoba, CANADA
• CASA 2008
• Albuquerque, NM

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Workshop Objectives

• Clarify the differences and similarities between
  speech, language, and literacy
• Reinforce the concepts of learning language,
  learning through language, and learning about
  language
• Emphasize how meaning drives language and
  literacy learning
• Provide ideas for how to facilitate language and
  literacy development

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Edward and the Pirates by David McPhail

• Once Edward learned to read, there was no
  stopping him. Cereal boxes at the breakfast
  table, seed catalogues that arrived on the
  coldest day of winter, the inscription on the
  monument in the town square, and books - all
  kinds of books. Edward especially liked stories
  of adventure. When he read about Admiral Peary
  racing by dogsled to the North Pole, Edward was
  right alongside, comforting the brave dogs and
  urging them on. When he read that the bold outlaw
  Robin Hood was surrounded by the evil Sheriff of
  Nottinghams men, it was Edward who came to the
  rescue. And when he read about Joan of Arc
  leading her troops to victory, it was Edward who
  carried her shield and held it up just in time to
  deflect the blow of a battle-ax. Sometimes what
  Edward read seemed to become real. Once while he
  was reading a book about dinosaurs, he was
  convinced hed seen a tyrannosaurus looking in
  his window.

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Language and Literacy Hierarchy

• OTHER CONTENT AREAS
• WRITING
• READING
• TALKING/SIGNING
• LISTENING/VIEWING
• Adapted from Robertson, 2006

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Speech vs. Language

• Speech is a mode of expression
• Speech involves the neuromuscular movements of
  the articulators (tongue, teeth, lips, soft
  palate)
• Speech is the ability to produce sounds

• Language is a conventional system for symbolic
  communication
• Language involves vocabulary, grammar and
  conversational rules
• Language allows us to express our ideas and
  feelings

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Language Base is Critical
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Visual vs. Auditory Learning

• Visual information is processed spatially (we
  remember where things are located)
• Visual information is processed simultane-ously
  (we can see two things at the same time)
• Signed languages capitalize on these processes
  and use space and movement to incorporate
  grammati- cal information

• Auditory information is processed sequentially
  (we cannot hear two sounds at the same time - the
  louder sound will block out the other sound)
• Spoken languages are organized sequentially
  (sounds are added to words or words are added to
  sentences to change and add to the meaning)

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Myths

• Deaf children wont learn to speak if you expose
  them to signed language
• Deaf children cant learn to read if they dont
  speak

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Key Language Functions

• Learning Language
• Learning Through Language
• Learning About Language

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Language Acquisition in Deaf Children

• Language acquisition is about the mind not the
  sensory organs (eyes, ears, etc.)
• Early exposure to language is very significant
  for later learning
• Language input builds ability to further learn
  language
• Age of acquisition of ASL and poor ASL input can
  cause problems in literacy learning

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Learning Through Language

• Theory of Mind
• being aware of what other people are thinking
• Predicting what others are thinking from what we
  know about them
• Using what we know about other people to
  understand a situation

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Schicks Research Results

• What predicts ToM skills?
• Production of complement clauses using a mental
  verb (use of mental verbs, such as think, know,
  remember, wonder)
• Vocabulary (ASL or English)

• What doesnt predict ToM skills?
• General language skills (English or ASL)
• Hearing loss
• Non-verbal IQ

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Conclusions

• Language skills are essential
• - for the communication of ToM concepts
• - for the ability to represent complex mental
  events
• Time teaching parents signed language is time
  well spent (impact on cognitive skills)

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What is Literacy?

• It is important to keep in mind that literacy is
  not just a basic set of mental skills, but rather
  the competence to exploit a particular set of
  cultural resources (David Olson, 1993)
• Broadens the definition of literacy from simply
  reading and writing to include the appropriate
  use of language in context
• This definition includes the ideas of literacy in
  technology, science, art, mathematics, and so on
• Literacy and the skills involved in achieving
  literacy must act as tools - tools to create,
  construct, or complete something
• The focus shifts from the skill itself to the
  function it provides - this is the ultimate goal
  of literacy development

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Shift from Reading Readiness to Emergent Literacy

• Emergent Literacy
• Spoken language, reading and writing develop
  together
• These skills mutually reinforce each other as
  they develop
• Emphasis on a literate environment and exposure
  to language in face-to-face and print form

• Reading Readiness
• Initial instruction should begin with a series of
  prerequisite skills
• Writing postponed until children are able to read
• Assumes spoken language (face-to-face language)
  should precede reading and writing instruction

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Linking Meaning to Print
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Going Swimming - Part 1

• John swallowed the last drops of orange juice and
  looked at the sky. He turned to his Dad and said
  Dad, will you take Sue and me swimming today?
• Mr. Singer started to answer, then paused. After
  a moment, he replied Id find that enjoyable
  myself. But first, I better keep my promise about
  todays yard work.
• John bounded up from the table with such
  enthusiasm that he nearly upset it. Starting
  toward the garage he shouted Ill begin
  collecting the tools now so we can get started.

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Going Swimming - Part 2

• John loaded the rake, clipper, lawn mower and
  sacks into the back of the truck. Mr. Singer
  emerged with his appointment book, found the
  entry that said Smiths, 101 Cleveland, 100 pm
  Wednesday.
• Climbing in next to John, Mr. Singer said Its
  just over a couple of blocks. If we hurry we can
  be there on time.
• John turned the key and checked the rear view
  mirror. Just then, Mr. Singer shouted Wait, we
  forgot Sue. He jumped out and gave a loud
  whistle. In a moment, there was Sue, tearing
  around the corner of the house. She leapt into
  the back of the truck and began licking the rear
  window.
• Mr. Singer looked at John and chuckled. I hope
  Sue wont mind waiting for her swim until we
  finish the job.

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Second Language Literacy Transfer

• Language Skills Language Skills
• (L1) (L2)
  
• Literacy Skills Literacy
  Skills (L1) (L2)

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Transfer between ASL and English

• If students are unable to
• - question
• - critique
• - debate
• - hypothesize
• - discuss, etc.
• in ASL, then they wont be able to do these
  things in written English

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Dynamic Processes in Literacy Learning

• Meaning-making
• Experiential
• Social
• Linguistic
• Recursive
• Integrated
• Metacognitive

• constructing meaning from prior knowledge
• Providing new experiences
• Learning from others
• Grammar/structure
• Learning as a continuous cycle
• Shifting between reader, writer, viewer, etc.
• Thinking about how you learn

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Definition

• Metacognition is ..
• a form of cognition (thinking) which enables
  reflection on cognitive processes and conscious
  control and monitoring of these processes
• (Larkin, 2000)

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Metacognition is the knowledge we have about how
we learn. Thinking about thinking

• Correcting/revising
• Analysing
• Giving our opinion
• Disagreeing
• Reflecting
• Assessing/evaluating
• Sequencing the steps
• Creating a picture in our mind
• Using words/signs to guide us
• Asking questions
• Problem-solving

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Why is metacognition often missing in Deaf
students?

• Limited language skills
• Limited opportunities for interaction requiring
  these skills
• Dependence on others (parents/
• teachers, etc.)

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Learning About Language

• Metalinguistic and Metacognitive Connections
• Metalinguistics - looking at language from the
  inside and the outside
• Being bilingual fosters metalinguistic awareness
• Explicit understanding of structures in ASL
  allows for comparisons to the structure and
  grammar of English

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Metacognitive Skills Must Be Learned - How Do We
Teach Them?

• Demonstrations
• (role modeling)
• Strategies
• Incorporate cognitive activities into daily
  learning
• Emphasize self-assessment
• Encourage self-regulated learning

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Practice Activity

• Think Through
• Think of a typical task that you do with your
  students
• Consider the things that the students must think
  about when completing this task
• Demonstrate a think through of this task -
  say/sign what goes on in your head

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Effective Strategies for Reading with Children

• Allow your child to select some of the books you
  read.
• Talk about the different parts of the book such
  as front, back, title, author, beginning, and
  end.
• Consider allowing your child to hold the book and
  turn the pages. Show them how to turn one page
  at a time.
• Read slowly (but dont drag it out!)
• Vary your voice by using lots of intonation and
  stress (vary your signing by altering the size
  and shape of signs and adding facial expression).
• Talk about the story relate it to the childs
  own experiences.
• Repeat what the child says add words to make a
  full sentence (e.g., Child says Truck, Adult
  says, Yes, thats a big truck
• Monitor the childs face and behaviour for signs
  of boredom or fatigue and end the session when
  the child loses interest.
• Compliment children on their attempts to read.
  Tell them they are readers!
• Adapted from Robertson, 2006

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Making Reading Meaningful for Deaf Children

• Background knowledge and language skills
• Teaching through interpretation of text
• Making phonology visual
• Presenting books and stories

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More Suggestions for Families

• Self-esteem - the better children feel about
  themselves the more they can learn
• A shared communication system between parents and
  children is vital
• Positive attitude to print - model reading and
  writing in your everyday lives

• Read regularly with your children - read with
  feeling, and connect stories with personal
  experiences
• Make your own books using photos from shared
  family experiences
• Equip your home with a TTY (for the telephone)
  and closed caption decoder (for the television)

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Writer Waiting by Shel Silverstein

• Oh this shiny new computer -
• There just isnt nothin cuter.
• It knows everything the world ever knew.
• And with this great computer
• I dont need no writin tutor,
• Cause there aint a single thing that it cant
  do.
• It can sort and it can spell,
• It can punctuate as well.
• It can find and file and underline and type.
• It can edit and select,
• It can copy and correct,
• So, Ill have a whole book written by tonight
• (Just as soon as it can think of what to write).

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References

• Cummins, J. (1984). Bilingualism and special
  education Issues in assessment and pedagogy.
  San Diego, CA College Hill Press.
• Olson, D. (1993). The world on paper The
  conceptual and cognitive implications of writing
  and reading. Cambridge, MA Cambridge University
  Press.
• Robertson, S. (2006). Read with me Stress-free
  strategies for building language and pre-literacy
  skills. Paper presented at the annual meeting of
  the Canadian Association of Speech-Language
  Pathologists and Audiologists, March, Winnipeg,
  MB.
• Schick, B. (2007). Theory of Mind and Reading
  Skills. Keynote presentation at the biennial
  meeting of the Canadian Association of Educators
  of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Winnnipeg, MB.
• Charlotte Enns
• ennscj_at_cc.umanitoba.ca
• Website http//home.cc.umanitoba.ca/ennscj