Double Journal Entry #10

Some children are exposed to features of academic varieties of language at home,  from an early age.  The social practices of these families include things such as reading stories and speaking in “literary” terms, the use of complex informational texts and dialogues, and asking children to explain their understanding of a subject.  Different cultures use different vernaculars and have distinct features of language.  Leona, for example, shared stories with her class in a way that was characteristic of her African American heritage.  Her oral stories were often recited in a similar manner as poetry, broken into 4 line stanzas that were marked with specific word choice and included an “evaluative” section.  Despite its complexity, Leona’s specialized form of language was not accepted in school because the structure did not align with the linear, narrative style commonly found there.  

The research conducted by Snow et al. (1998) indicated that children attending schools that were of a predominately low socioeconomic status would fall behind in reading skills.  Despite these findings, the research also suggested teaching reading through skills instruction (phonics, phonemic awareness, etc.) which has proven unsuccessful.   Children fail to identify with a school’s values and specialized language features when they feel their own are disregarded.  In addition, because children are increasingly encountering complex forms of language outside of the school, delivered to them in ways they find appealing (such as Pokemon), they are less motivated by the language used in schools.  
 
Sources:
Gee, J. P. (2004). Situated language and learning: A critique of traditional schooling. New York, NY: Routledge.