Martha points to the mismatch in perspectives:

"Another excellent point that was raised was that there is typically an

enormous mismatch between teachers' experience with school and literacy
and

their students experience.  How do we as teachers living in a
hyper-literate

world develop understandings that would help us bridge the instructional

gap?"

 

I would argue that a good starting point and a major point to get across
to such teachers is that literacy is not either natural or necessary as
a means to learning but rather a priority for the educational system in
this society.  The students we are discussing may not come to us sharing
that priority and we need to acknowledge that.  

Here is a journal entry from a Vietnamese student who was looking back
at his early experiences as a late-teen arriving in the U.S. with no
literacy:

"The most importants I have learned about the United States that is a
book, newspapers, or notebook and pens.  These things are always let me
know how to live here.  

...I always remember the books are the most important things for me to
learn when I live in the United States."  [sic]  (DeCapua and Marshall,
forthcoming)

I was touched by this entry (and similar ones from other learners)
because he made the connection between literacy and success here - not
success on the planet in general.  A lesson for all of us in gaining
perspective on our task of assisting such learners to transition to
literacy in a positive upbeat manner.  

 

Helaine W. Marshall

Long Island University

 

-----Original Message-----
From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Martha Bigelow
Sent: Monday, January 26, 2009 10:29 PM
To: englishlanguage at nifl.gov
Subject: [EnglishLanguage 3600] NY Times article and follow up to
today'sdiscussion

 

Hello everyone!  

 

Good discussion today.  Let's keep the conversation flowing.  Here are a
few

things that really jumped out at me as I read through the posts.
Perhaps we

can continue to discuss some of these points.  Remember, we are focusing
on

learners with very low levels of print literacy usually due to no or few

opportunities to attend school.

 

Limited formal schooling/very low print literacy seems to result in

noticeable differences in students learning English.  Some of you noted

these things:

 

-           Different relationship to written texts - perhaps less
willingness

or ability to question them

 

-           The typical patterns teachers try to teach students don't
seem to

work well

 

-           Difficulty absorbing and retaining new things learned in the

classroom, seem to need much encouragement and repetition

 

-           Learning styles may be different - or learners may have

fewer/different ways to store and review things learned in class

 

-           Identity as a capable learner may still be developing and
some may

be recovering from prior failed experiences

 

-           The lives of under-schooled immigrants if often difficult
and making

room - both mentally and in terms of schedules - can be very difficult

 

I'm very interested to hear from readers who have thought about what it

takes to address some of these points.  We know very little from the

professional literature, but teachers often can offer promising
practices.

 

I'm also interested in hearing ideas about how to build on oral language

strengths for literacy learning, given that many of the students we have
in

mind come from societies with strong oral traditions.  What sorts of
things

in the instructional sequence can make oral language central to becoming

literate? 

 

Another excellent point that was raised was that there is typically an

enormous mismatch between teachers' experience with school and literacy
and

their students experience.  How do we as teachers living in a
hyper-literate

world develop understandings that would help us bridge the instructional

gap?

 

Finally, did you see the NY Times article yesterday about immigrant
students

with limited formal schooling?  This is a good thing to read for those
of

you who are interested in issues related to older adolescents.  Here's
the

link: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/25/education/25ellis.html?_r=1&em
Feel

free to post a reaction.

 

Martha

 

 

-----Original Message-----

From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov

[mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of

englishlanguage-request at nifl.gov

Sent: Monday, January 26, 2009 8:08 PM

To: englishlanguage at nifl.gov

Subject: EnglishLanguage Digest, Vol 40, Issue 54

 

When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific

than "Re: Contents of EnglishLanguage digest..."

 

 

http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/englishlanguage/attachments/20090126/26ede
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