Rough draft Manifesto

Creative development of identity through literacy

1 Language is a child’s social expression

2 Genre is based on social situations, individual and unique

3 Genres are not only about literary texts anymore.

4 Diversity is valuable, thou shalt not silence unique language structure

1. Give students writing time every single day 
2. Don’t underestimate the power of a good tweet
3. What if literacy did have one function, but many...

The function of literacy? False. Their function of literacy

8. You use the same outline for every essay. I bet you think you’re a good writer, don’t you?

9. Doesn’t evolve teaching identity transparently, appears schizophrenic

10. Meaningful writing is real writing

1 Language is a child’s social expression

2 Genre is based on social situations, individual and unique

3 Genres are not only about literary texts anymore.

4 Diversity is valuable, don’t silence unique language structure!

1. student writing time on a daily basis
2. new illiteracy

7. Their function for literacy, not the function of literacy

8. Material > formula

9. Teacher identity should evolve and be transparent.

10. Meaningful writing is real writing

1 https://learn.csuchico.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-570289-dt-content-rid-2434754_1/courses/132-ENGL333-01-6167/Dewey%2C%20The%20School%20and%20The%20Child.pdf

 “The language instinct is the simplest form of the social expression of the child.”

2 https://learn.csuchico.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-570294-dt-content-rid-2434755_1/courses/132-ENGL333-01-6167/Genre%20Theory%2C%20Chapter%20One.pdf

“Genre theory is based on the idea that writing is social and that it responds to situations; consequently, writing isn’t the same for every person or every situation.”

3 https://learn.csuchico.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-570298-dt-content-rid-2434756_1/courses/132-ENGL333-01-6167/Genre%20Theory%2C%20Chapter%20Two.pdf

“Genres are not only about literary texts anymore.”

4 https://learn.csuchico.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-570301-dt-content-rid-2434758_1/courses/132-ENGL333-01-6167/Hall%2C%20Some%20things%20we%20know%20for%20sure.pdf

“Non-native speakers of English will always write “with an accent.” Penalizing them for their status as language learners is unjust.”

1. https://learn.csuchico.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-570312-dt-content-rid-2434762_1/courses/132-ENGL333-01-6167/Larson_Maier.pdf
2. https://learn.csuchico.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-570315-dt-content-rid-2434763_1/courses/132-ENGL333-01-6167/Lunsford%2C%20Our_Semi-Literate_Youth.pdf

“New literacy” refers to the new ways of written communications that are less formal and more towards oral communications.

1. https://learn.csuchico.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-570336-dt-content-rid-2434768_1/courses/132-ENGL333-01-6167/Szwed_Ethnography_Literacy.pdf

Ask students what they use literacy for. Their function for literacy, not the function of literacy

1. https://learn.csuchico.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-570346-dt-content-rid-2434771_1/courses/132-ENGL333-01-6167/Wiley_Formulaic_Writing.pdf

Forcing students to follow a pre-scripted structure can limit their potential in creating a powerful essay. Teachers should model a form of an outline to students as one aspect of a student’s ‘tool box’.

1. https://learn.csuchico.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-570354-dt-content-rid-2434773_1/courses/132-ENGL333-01-6167/Williams_Teacher_Identity.pdf

9. Teacher identity should evolve and be transparent.

1. https://learn.csuchico.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-570301-dt-content-rid-2434758_1/courses/132-ENGL333-01-6167/Hall%2C%20Some%20things%20we%20know%20for%20sure.pdf

“In a pedagogical setting, writing is meaningful when it is like the writing that people do outside of school: professional, personal, public writing. Meaningful writing accomplishes some goal or objective important to the writer. When writing is meaningful, students find it engaging. When writing is engaging, students learn. “

ch 3-8

The use of read-alouds in a class of English learners is a great idea! In addition to the benefits stated in Chapter 4 of Ladybugs,Tornadoes, and Swirling Galaxies by Brad Buhrow and Anne Upczak Garcia; read-alouds appeal to many learners because it includes using different things at the same time. For example, when a student learning English reads a paragraph, they are looking at the words on the page, saying the words verbally, and hearing the sounds of the words while also seeing pictures that relate to the words.

A downfall to read-alouds is embarrassment for the student reading, inflicted by himself or herself, or by his or her peers. I know that public speaking (and reading) can create a high stress environment, which is harmful to students’ learning. However, one way that we can avoid anxiety in the classroom is to assign the given text to read and analyze individually before asking them to read-aloud to the class. Another way to evade embarrassment is to ask for volunteers so that only the students that feel comfortable on a ‘platform’ can choose to read for the class. Obviously, the other students are neglected the benefits that comes with read-alouds. So, in my future classroom, I will let the students know what passages will be read when so that they can study the texts before the read-aloud in class.

On page 63, I came across a technique that I may even try for myself. Finding captions and connecting them to their image. This increases vocabulary in any language, so it is an excellent tool to use when teaching or learning a new language. Of course, there are many ways to use nonfiction in the classroom, and I will add this one to the list. Students find a nonfiction book of their own interest, select a caption, write the word that’s in the caption, and look at the picture it points to, and repeat. This activity might be considered a little dry, but it seems more interesting to me than a traditional vocabulary lesson. The difference is the selection of the nonfiction book: it must be chosen by the student for his or her own enjoyment.

Finally, the comprehension strategies explained later in the chapter are familiar to me.  In a previous class, we spent many classes discussing questioning, schema, making connections, sensory images, inference, determining importance, and synthesizing texts. After working extensively with these techniques, I conclude that they are effective strategies to improve comprehension skills.

“9. In a pedagogical setting, writing is meaningful when it is like the writing that people do outside of school: professional, personal, public writing. Meaningful writing accomplishes some goal or objective important to the writer. When writing is meaningful, students find it engaging. When writing is engaging, students learn.” -Some “Givens”: Things We Know for Sure About the Teaching & Learning of Writing from 40 Years of Research [or What We Think We Know About Writing is Often Mistaken]

This is a “given” when spelled out, but for some reason, some teachers ignore this fact. The writing we do in school should prepare us for “the real world”; so why are students being assigned to write book reports on Shakespeare? Of course, there are many themes in Shakespeare’s many works; however this assignment of summarizing and analyzing an “ancient” play based on the teacher’s lectures about a book that most of the students did not even bother to read is a complete and utter waste of time. Rather than assigning meaningless book reports, Educators should focus on teaching “professional, personal, and public writing” when focusing on creating authors out of their students. In understanding these genres, students will be more prepared after graduation.

Ladybugs Ch 6-10

On page 96, I wish they provided more information more about biliteracy, instead of giving examples of students’ experience. I recently learned a second language; and I am very interested in how children learn two languages or more at a given time. The authors decided that, “...separation of language is essential...”, but what exactly does that mean? They follow this statement by saying that although ‘separating languages’ is very important, using both languages in written work is appropriate. Why would someone keep languages separate except when writing? Also, if a student speaks more than two languages, should she or he write in all of them in one document? If the student knows four or five languages, the work can get very confusing. Should English be separated from the other languages or should each language be thought as separate in class? Since Ladybugs, Tornadoes, and Swirling Galaxies  is about teaching to students learning English, one would think there would be more information on this topic.

More questions I have come from page 144, where the authors mention recording individual presentations. I’m wondering if that puts extra pressure on the students, making them nervous. Giving a presentation in a language other than one’s native language, in front of one’s peers, while a teacher is grading the performance can be very difficult for most students. So, how about putting a camera in that student’s face? Even if reviewing the performance can beneficial in some ways, the disadvantages to the students outweigh them. Additional stress factors damage the innate love of learning, just like forcing a student to read lots of boring books kills one’s love of reading. In my future classroom, I will ask each individual student if he or she would like to be recorded during their presentation. Of course, for the students who do want to be recorded to be able to review themselves, I will provide the opportunity.

However, On p 152 I like the idea of a “Blank Schema chart” (“My schema about ___________ is growing and changing. I learned...”). Something noteworthy about this chart is that it includes the idea of schema growing and changing. It is important that students recognize that one person’s schema is different than another person’s and that everyone’s schema is constantly evolving and adding new information.

Ladybugs Ch 1-3

Stephen Krashen’s affective filter is opened when the learner can study things that interest her/him and the teacher does not push the student before she/he is ready. The filter is closed when the material is uninteresting or when correcting the student’s mistakes inappropriately. 

The goal is creating a classroom that is laid-back, democratic, artistic, and promotes thinking. Put book shelves low enough for children; and use different rugs for different spaces. Having one common area to regroup with students is useful in the morning and after recess and lunch. In leu with feng shui, students should feel creative energy flowing in any given place in the classroom at any given time. Thus, learning should come natural to anyone and everyone in the room. 

Instead of putting desks in stagnant rows, tables low to the ground can be placed throughout the room. Clipboards are a good idea, too so that students can work in whatever space they choose to. Sometimes, we forget that kids are just like adults in that they, too, work better in safe and comfortable environments. Because everyone has a preference in how they want to learn and work, we must do our best to let our classrooms foster individuality. Hopefully, I can even include an outdoor workspace in my future classroom for those who enjoy reading and writing under the sun, or at least in natural light. 

I have never thought of using easels for writing before, but Brad Buhrow and Anne Upczak Garcia have put them to good use in their classroom. Letting children stand up while creating lets them feel uninhibited. They can not only choose to sit or stand, they can also move around and write in whatever size they want to on the giant easel. The large workspace is also great for sharing and collaborating. Having presentations of students’ thinking is a good way to continue and generate even more thinking, creating, and sharing. Also, conversations that spring from these works enables those who are learning English to express themselves in a forum that is familiar, friendly, and comfortable.

I definitely agree that using the students’ work to fill the walls is an excellent technique. My past teachers have used this in elementary school and middle school; and I wish it continued into high school. I will post my students’ projects all around my future classroom to show them off. Through this method, I will teach my students to take pride in their work. 

Wondrous Words Presentation

The presentation by Ally Renshaw, Autumn Kleinert, Matt Barton, Mallory Alves, and Tiffany Steinberg, Andrea Hernandez, and Sarah Lui about the book, Wondrous Words was great!  I truly enjoyed the activity, too. 

The presenters explained Katie Wood Ray’s theories in an interesting, but simple way. Specifically, I have internalized, “Conversations about the decisions writers make as they craft their texts will help you and your students to better understand what decisions you have to make as you write your own texts.” Usually, I only converse about decisions in life that are difficult to make. For example, I go to my advisors to help me choose what classes I need. However, I never thought of transferring that tactic to writing. I am glad to have seen this presentation, especially to learn about discussing the craft of a written work. 

The activity that the group chose to simulate with us was my favorite out of the activities enacted throughout the assignment. (It was the one that each small group was assigned to a different picture on the screen and started a story about it. The story was continued by another student in the small group.) I will definitely use it in my future classroom. 

Readicide Presentation (Purple Group)

In experiencing being in a teaching role, I enjoyed the question/answer part the most. The questions that were asked about the theories behind “Readicide” helped to further develop our presentation and clarify our analysis. The “students,” or audience, brought up very good points and hypotheticals that helped all of us think even deeper into our purpose in the presentation. 

It was also very useful to test out our activity and find areas to improve upon. While the students were doing the one-pager, I realized it took too long. So, instead of adding guiding ideas to that assignment, I will stick to the outline given in the book, Readicide. Still, I do wish to use the one-pager from Kelly Gallagher in future lessons.

Something else that I took away from testing out the activity was that some students prefer multiple-choice tests over open-answer reflections. This surprised me because I personally have always preferred open-answer responses, and only thought of all the disadvantages to multiple-choice tests, i.e. memorization of facts and shallow learning. The responses from some students who saw our presentation told me that certain students need more guidance and dislike vague directions. They would rather be asked specific questions and answer them in a particular form.

I will take these tips and adjust my future lessons accordingly. The presentation was enjoyable and effective for me.

Note Slipped Under the Door presentation

The group that presented Note Slipped Under the Door did a wonderful job at choosing a fun, effective, and relevant activity to explain imagery poetry. I definitely want to use this activity and variations of it for future lessons in an elementary school classroom. I could also see how the activity could work very well with students in middle school, high school, and even high education. Even enacting the activity was fun and social, and I really enjoyed it. Working in small groups was a fantastic idea that increased the effectiveness of the activity, and made it more fun. 

I also appreciated that the group used Prezi. I really need catch up and learn how to make a Prezi because this group’s was very impressive. They used it well to clarify phrases like ‘mentor poem’ and define terms like ‘imagery’. 

This group seemed very  prepared in all aspects. They were organized and seemed to have sufficiently practiced their presentation before class. Each person showed a solid understanding of Note Slipped Under the Door as well as did a great job explaining its main themes. They did a perfect job answering the questions that we, as the students, had for them. Overall, it was a great presentation.

Genre Theory article summary

Gebhard, Meg, and Ruth Harman. "Reconsidering Genre Theory in K-12 Schools: A Response to School Reforms in the United         States." Journal of Second Language Writing (2010): 45-55. Web.

The article investigates how genre theory can be used with English Language Learners (ELLs) in K-12 public schools. It explains the legislation in literacy in K-12 public schools and how genre-based curriculum can positively affect the literacy rate in the US. Methods and techniques in teaching are also explained in terms of critical use of genre-based pedagogy.

Ultimately, the researchers who wrote “Reconsidering Genre Theory in K-12 Schools: A Response to School Reforms in the United States,” believe that there are three components to analyzing and supporting literacy practices with English learners in public schools. The first key ingredient is more detailed linguistic analysis of these students by using the “Hallidayan” concept. The “Hallidayan” framework involves genre theory as a base in defining language and to build  off of this definition in further research concerning literacy in English learners in K-12 public schools. 

The second facet is to analyze the texts to find out how much students and teachers actually know about genre theory and how they engage it in practice in K-12 public schools in the United States. The perspectives that the researches encourage  using are “English for Specific Purposes” (ESP) and “Systemic Functional Linguistics” (SFL). ESP focuses on analyzing professional and graduate school texts, while SFL analyzes texts used in primary and secondary schools as well as in immigrant education programs. 

The third area of advocation in their investigation is using methods involving active participants of local professionals for collecting data and analysis of that data. They authors refer to these research methods as “sustained professional development”.  They base this work off of NLS which defines genre in broader terms than ESP and SFL. NLS, or “New Literacy Studies,” situates genre theory in coherence with social action and literary texts used in everyday situations. In other words, while ESP and SFL focus on texts in the contexts of specific genres or education levels, NLS focuses on analyzing texts in multiple genres, especially subjects in authority and power and creating meaning and identity.

In conclusion, Meg Gebhard and Ruth Harman advocate using the traditional three perspectives on genre-based literacy education for English Language Learners. These three methods of analysis are: the Hallidayan conceptual framework, “English for Specific Purposes” and “Systemic Functional Linguistics,” and “New Literacy Studies”. Each contribute useful tools to base research off of in the study of genre-based literacy studies.

More in-class Wiley Resonse

Wiley is arguing against relying on a pre-planned outline for writing essays, and ignoring personal development of an individual’s essay. It limits literary growth in the student and hinders focus on content. He criticizes this method because, “The primary  emphasis on achieving the proper format in the Schaffer method renders content a kind of afterthought,” (Wiley, p. 64). He also says on page 64, “The exclusive focus on format does not encourage teachers to help students explore a literary work and come up with alternative interpretations.”

There are potential benefits that Wiley says in writing formulas. Students have the opportunity to, “...learn how to separate fact from opinion,” however, people learn this skill independent of weather or not they use formulaic writing. He suggests that we used them as one technique among many that we can choose to utilize or not utilize as writers. He deems it appropriate to use if, at the end of writing, a student is still finding organizing his/her essay difficult. 

Don’t use “weak verbs”: Is, Are, Was, Were, Have, Has, Had

Thesis, support, analysis, conclusion

Have many drafts

Brainstorm first

No contractions

Shaffer-paper quick write

The “Schaffer-paper,” as I like to call it, is not the best way to formulate an essay.  As Wiley describes it, “When we teach this ...process... we are telling the students that each writing task... is essentially the same.”

To teach the Schaffer method is to emphasize structure rather than content. It releases the student from having to think creatively and also critically on his or her own, and erases all personality from an essay. The Schaffer method is a skeleton of an essay (a pre-determined outline) of a topic sentence, then concrete detail #1, the two commentaries, concrete detail #2, another two commentaries, then a concluding sentence. Those who believe fully in the, “Schaffer-paper,” as I like to call it, believe that every paragraph of every essay should be structured in this same pattern. There are benefits to this process, but in my opinion, they are outweighed by the disadvantages faced when teaching this method to students. If at all, it should be used as a last resort if organization for an essay is difficult to find.

This article, “Co-Authoring Classroom Texts: Shifting Participant Roles in Writing Activity,” by Joanne Larson and Maryrita Maier includes authorship as an important part of literacy. So, in addition to teaching students how to read and write, educators should also show children how to be an author. Learning how to be an author requires different skills than solely learning how to write letters, spell words, create sentence, format paragraphs and then from there, papers. I agree that authorship is important to teach. Having said that, the best aspect about books are their variety in genres. So, I would be careful in teaching authorship concerning limiting uniqueness. 

As with everything else that were learn, authorship not only needs to be taught, but also practiced in order to be fully understood. Before putting knowledge into physical form, the concepts are still abstract and hypothetical, and possibly less valid/ valuable.  In Maryrita Maier’s first grade class is used as a model for teaching and learning literacy as well as authorship. Maier encourages her students to learn these skills in action. She takes her students from reading about five to six books in a period of time to reading ten to twelve books in that same period of time. Her students’ success is impressive and is a valid model for future teachers.

Maier also transforms her classroom into a community, which, among other things, creates an environment of trust, communication, support, and , thus, progression in education and personal growth. As a future teacher, I will try to imitate this technique in my future classroom. I hope to utilize this technique because having this trust and support enables children to take risks in their writing, expand their ideas, and not be afraid to make mistakes. The last aspect is the most important reason for me in creating a community-classroom because we learn much more from our errors than staying meek and worrying about making mistakes/ being “wrong”. Creating a community within the classroom naturally means that the teacher must participate as much as possible as a model. So, I will share my experiences so that the students will feel comfortable sharing their experiences in their writing. Hopefully, this will encourage students to write more passionately about things they are truly interested and care about. This is important so that children want to practice their writing. As stated before, by myself and by many others, including in this article, practice is the most important part of learning.

Quick Write 2/14

I agree with M. Nystrand that information is not as valuable until it is put in practice. Although individuals have their own preference in learning styles, I believe that active learning is key in truly understanding a concept. For example, I took a class in lifeguarding in which we learned how to perform CPR and First Aid. We would start out in a classroom and the instructor would describe to us the steps and precautions to take when carrying out these duties. However, when we went out to the pool and practiced these techniques, the concepts sunk in and I fully understood how to perform the life-saving duties and felt more confident and capable as a Lifeguard. Muscle memory comes into play, too, which is helpful when an emergency situation arises and one doesn’t have much time to think out a process. 

Readicide

Readicide by Kelly Gallagher

“Readicide” is the term used when educators attempt to raise reading test scores, but ‘kill’ a person’s innate love of reading. This happens especially in elementary school settings. 

I chose this topic because I agree that passion dies when one stops doing something because they love it and begin focusing solely on achieving certain goals. I also believe that reading can be the most enjoyable part of a person’s day and taking that away from a child would be a shame. As a future teacher, it is important for me to know how to set goals for myself and students while also evolving relationship with reading and learning. I hope that I learn these skills and more from reading this book.

Dewey and Wells

“Outcomes are both aimed for and emergent”

Dewey more or less mocks the theory that if students just listen in their desks, the levels of their knowledge and skill will be all nicely equal and beneficial. He speaks negatively about the old methodology in which, “There is next to no opportunity for adjustment to varying capacities and demands. There is a certain amount-a fixed quantity-of ready-made results and accomplishments to be acquired by all children alike in a given time”. I can’t imagine putting in place a lesson plan with definite outcomes. If anyone has seen a day in the classroom, they would know that flexibility on everyone’s part is key.

Wells has accepted the fact that outcomes are never certain, especially in the classroom; and we shouldn’t even expect them. Wells states, “Outcomes of activity cannot be completely known or prescribed in advance; although there may be prior agreement about the goal to be aimed for...” Although it is essential to have goals and valid reasons for preparing activities, it is equally as essential to let the situation produce other positive results not previously anticipated.

"Ethnography of Literacy"

This post is based off of my interpreted reading of "Ethnography of Literacy," by John F. Szwed. Some points that were mentioned really caught my attention like literacy causes poverty, what the function(s) literacy is (are), and how to test a student's skills.

First of all, I was surprised that Szwed mentioned that, “illiteracy has been singled out as a root cause of poverty,” because I aways assumed that poverty was the main cause of illiteracy, not the other way around. I can imagine that both affect the other mutually. I have always seen literacy as of a means of measuring the development of a country, and I’m glad the question was asked if literacy relates to the level of civilization. 

I like the idea proposed in the side notes of page 422 that says to ask students what they use reading and writing for. Since basic reading and writing skills are used almost constantly every single day, every student would be able to participate and think about whatever it is that they find interesting in this activity. I bet students would love brainstorming lists of fun things that literacy is necessary to do. For example, students can sit on the rug and volunteer some of their favorite activities and how they use reading and/or writing during that activity. “Going to a baseball game,” could be one activity and being able to read the scoreboard that tells you the stats of the game and the background of players makes the experience more entertaining and meaningful.  Even students who only like playing video games and nothing else can be participate in the activity because they need to be able to read what is on the screen to figure out how to play. 

I agree that the way to test a student’s ability in literacy should be in his or her real life, not by his/ her score on a Standardized Test. What about asking students to evaluate themselves? Asking students how long it usually takes them to read a chapter in a book of their choice or if they get frustrated easily when they need to follow a recipe might be good types of questions to evaluate how well a student can use their literacy skills in real life. I agree with Szwed that as educators, we should focus on, “the social meaning of literacy: that is, the roles [literacy] play[s] in social life.”

John F. Szwed makes some very fair and legitimate claims about what literacy means to our society and   how we should evaluate it. I agree especially that the function of literacy for students should be dictated by the students and we should ask them when they use reading and writing most.