Chapter 8 Developing Learning Communities Language and Learning Style

Focus Questions Do you remember learning how to talk? Think about a time when someone didn’t understand you. What did you do to help them understand you? What is the difference between an accent and a dialect? What is an appropriate distance to stand when talking to someone? What do you think about bilingual education?

Characteristics of a Learning Community Organized for activity Everyone participates Collaborative relationships Building communities of learners Alternate assessments

Language Acquisition Language is the first institution- objectifies, interprets, and justifies reality for the child. External, objective, has the power of moral authority and is historical

Verbal Communication Accent- the way words are pronounced Dialect- variation of some standard language form that includes differences in pronunciation, word usage, and syntax Black English(Ebonics) Rural English Mountain English Standard English Bidialectalism- refers to the ability to speak two or more dialects. American Sign Language

Nonverbal Communication Body movements and facial expressions 50%-90% of messages we send/receive Functions Convey messages Augment verbal communication Contradict verbal communication Replace verbal communication Proxemics- distance between people Kinesics- body movements Paralanguage- sounds

Learning Styles Field independent Field dependent Abstract, analytical, individualistic, prefers working alone, intrinsically motivated Field dependent Well-developed social skills, perceives globally, observational approach to learning, extrinsically motivated Multiple Intelligences

Bilingual Education History 1839- Ohio passes first bilingual education law 1920s- WWI fears lead to English-only laws 1968- Title VII Bilingual Education Act 1974- Lau vs. Nichols 1981- limited English proficient (LEP) 1990s- backlash

Second-Language Acquisition English Language Learners (ELLs) Silent/receptive/preproduction stage Early production stage Speech emergence stage Intermediate language proficiency stage Advanced language proficiency stage

Ethical Issues Curriculum Assessment Globalization