Language Diversity, School Learning, and Closing Achievement Gaps A Workshop Summary (2010) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
6 Reflections on Research and Practice
6 Reflections on Research and Practice
Pages 83-90
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From page 83... ...
ASPECTS OF LANGUAGE TO STUDY Jill de Villiers began the discussion by noting the apparent agreement at the workshop about the need to tackle comprehension. Decoding con tinues to deserve attention, however, especially in light of William Labov's data showing that certain decoding errors associated with dialects lead to subsequent reading errors.
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From page 84... ...
Lynne VernonFeagans added that a theme of the workshop was that vocabu lary instruction is likely to be more effective if, in developing instruc tional approaches, it is conceptualized as part of a larger system of oral and written language. Regarding syntax and morphology, several questions had been raised, de Villiers said, among them just how automatic learning empty morphology -- such as third persons or gendered articles -- really is.
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From page 85... ...
Such data indicate that the responsibility for closing achievement gaps cannot be placed only at the "school house door." Generally speaking, however, the effect sizes obtained in most edu cation intervention research pale in comparison with the size of the achievement gaps. The technical knowledge does not currently exist, in his view, to close achievement gaps, nor are education interventions alone likely to close gaps that result from various economic, cultural, and other factors.
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From page 86... ...
Fred Genesee agreed, and noted that more complex research designs would help examine how multiple influences -- linguistic, socio logical, psychological, and cultural -- interact to influence the achievement gaps over time. For instance, not much bilingual research speaks to issues of SES and poverty and how these interact with the linguistic aspects of children's environments to influence language development and, ulti mately, school achievement.
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From page 87... ...
is one promising approach to study in professional development settings to help teachers develop language in the context of academic learning. This approach emphasizes forms and norms of discourse carefully designed to support and promote equity and access to rigorous academic learning.
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From page 88... ...
A linguist seeking to contribute to reading and education instruction, Labov said, needs to do the following: apply knowledge of linguistics in general and of the alphabet and properties of the alphabet in particular, including how it represents speech; apply knowledge of dialect differ ences to instruction; and understand what children are like, what they're interested in, how to engage them, and the complex and often difficult realities of children's home lives that might affect learning. The latter can be especially important since children who are experiencing achievement problems can feel alienated and discouraged, perceiving that the educa tion route is closed to them.
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From page 89... ...
Even if the best research findings on language development and instruction were assembled, widespread implementation of the practices may depend on teachers' beliefs about language and linguistic differences.
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