Double Entry Journal #9

Chapter 1: A strange fact about not learning to read.

1. What is the strange fact about not learning to read? 

The majority of children who do not fare well in early reading are poor or come from minority groups whose members have faced a history of prejudice and oppression. 

2. Why is this fact so strange?

The fact is strange because although poverty and learning to read are linked; it is not due to the idea that poor children are less good at learning than rich children. 

3. What is it about school that manages to transform children who are good at learning things like Pokeman into children who are not good a learning?

School manages to focus on the "skill" of reading rather then what is fun about reading therefore, taking out what the students might be interested in makes reading become almost like a chore.

4. What is the differences between a traditionalists approach to learning to read and more progressive educators?

Traditionalists approach reading as being skill-based. Progressive educators approach reading as being meaning driven.

5. Is learning to read a natural process like learning to speak a language?

No, because in order for learning to read to be a natural process that would mean that this skill would be biologically supported, which it is not, unlike oral native language.

6. What is the differences between natural, instructed and cultural processes and which process should reading be classified under?

Natural: ALL would learn to read. Instructed:speaks for itself. Cultural: some will succeed and then teach others.  

Reading should be classified under the cultural process because it ensures that everyone who needs to learn will learn.

7. How do humans learn best? Through instructional processes or through cultural processes? How is reading taught in school?

Humans learn best by doing which is more of a cultural process. Reading is taught in school through an instructional process.

 

8. According to the author, what is the reason for the "fourth grad slump."

According to the author, the fourth grad slump is for students who can "read" in the sense of decoding and assigning superficial literal meanings to text, but can not "read" in the sense of comprehension.

 

9. What is a better predictor of reading success than phonemic awareness?

Early language ability, semantic and syntactic skills.

 

10. What is the difference between "vernacular" and "specialist" varieties of language? Give an example of two sentences, one written in the vernacular and one written in a "a specialized variety",  about a topic in your content area. 

Vernacular is someones everyday language which is often related to the region. Specialist language is a special learning purpose or activity. For an example of vernacular I might say to a child "The family library is located down the holler by New Water crick". An example of specialist is "The local library is located off of the mountain by the New Water creek."

11. What is "early language ability" and how is it developed?

Early language abilities are prototypes of academic language that is developed at home. 

12. According to the author why and how does the traditionalist approach to teaching children to read fail?

 According to the author this approach fails because it is not started early enough, and it does not take into account each child's early language ability.

13. Are parents of poor children to blame for their children's inexperience with specialized varieties of language before coming to school?

In my opinion, parents are to blame to a certain extent about inexperience with language before school; however, not necessarily just the parents of poor children, but any parent who does not take the time to work with their children with language and reading early on will hinder their children's academic process.

14. Did you struggle with reading this text? Why? Are you a poor reader or are you unfamiliar with this variety of specialized language? 
I did not struggle with this reading which surprises me because it is late and I am rather tired. The reading was very easy to understand. I like that the author defines concepts and gives examples, that is very helpful. I did get a little lost with the Pokemon section, but I kept reading and eventually I got caught back into why the author explained Pokemon in depth; it created a concrete example.