Double Entry Journal #10

1. What are the features of the forms of language that are spoken in a home environment that align with academic varieties of language? 

The features of the forms of language that are spoken in a home environment that align with academic varieties of language are children telling regular events as stories, parents reading to children, and children using clear language to answer questions.

2. What are the features of Leona's specialized form of language? Leona' s specialized for of language is complex and with holds patterns. She groups her lines into stanzas where each line tends to have a parallel structure with other lines in the stanza to match them in content. In my opinion the features are reflections of Leona's home life.

3. Why is Leona's specialized form of language not accepted in school?  Leona's specialized form of language was not accepted at school because  it was different (non traditional) in which the teachers assumed it to be incorrect. 

4. Explain the contradiction between the research conducted by Snow et al. (1998) and the recommendations made by Snow et al. (1998). Snow states that the "Black-White Gap" in reading test scores was closing fast from the 1960's until the mid 1980's. Snow contradicts himself when he admits that this improvement was much greater than any progress that has been made as a result of the early phonemic awareness training that he recommends.  

5. What other factors besides early skills training will make or break good readers? Other factors besides early skills training that will make or break good readers is a sense of belonging and the use of modern technology. Modern technology has made it very easy for students to use their own language and not be tested/judged on what/how they use it. Technology could also break good readers if they unable to comfortably work with the technology.

6. Why do some children fail to identify with, or find alienating, the "ways with words" taught in school? Students find "ways with words" taught in school to be alienating because they can't find a sense of belonging at school when their home-based language is ignored or displayed as incorrect in that environment.