Double Entry Journal #2

"As Soon As She Opened Her Mouth"

Quote

"None of us is born knowing how to talk appropriately in church, in court, in school, in a group of friends, and so on. Simarly, none of us is born knowing how to write a personal letter, a story, a science report, an excuse note, and so on (Purcell - Gates, 139)." 

Response

 

 After finishes the assigned reading, I began searching for an image that portrayed the way I interpreted the reading. I felt that the author was trying to send the message that there are many children who are not allowed the same learning opportunities as the other students. I first looked over this picture because I did not think it had anything to do with the reading. However, after looking at this picture again, I felt that it could not fit the quote that I chose any better. No person in this world is born with the knowledge or reading or writing. However, with the help of others, each and every person within this world has the ability to learn to read and write to some extent. The above picture shows a student and two adults. The student has a look of confusion on his face. Instead of the teachers looking upset or mad, they have a look of caring and helpfulness towards the student. I believe that with the help of others, each child will succeed in literary knowledge.

• What is literacy knowledge? Give examples of both print and non print literacy knowledge.

"Literacy  knowledge is defined as being the information that children acquire during preschool, during the years before the beginning of formal literacy instruction, in kindergarten and first grade, and in reading, writing, and printed language ( Purcell - Gates, 124)." Examples of printed literacy knowledge could be textbooks, reading books, newspapers, magazines, cereal boxes and many more. Examples of non-print literacy knowledge could be stories made by parents at bedtime or discussions between people.

• How do stereotypes interfere with literacy instruction?

Stereotypes interfere with literacy instruction by not allowing people to learn at their full potential. Just because a person speaks or acts differently than others does not mean that they are incapable of learning.

• How do schools and teachers contribute to poor literacy instruction in school?

 The school systems and teachers contribute to poor literacy instruction in the schools by not allowing students from lower-income households and student's with poor literacy learning techniques interact in the classroom like the other students.

•  What is the relationship between language, social class, and the denial of educational opportunity?

 The relationship between language, social class, and the denial of education can be described as being harmful to the education of a person. Some people believe that people from lower social classes and people who speak differently than the normal dialect of the community are incapable of learning the way they do. This is where the denial of educational opportunity comes into play. People believe that if someone comes from a low social class, they cannot learn and they are then denied the opportunity to learn in the same settings.

• What are some misconceptions about the relationship between language and literacy?

 The main misconceptions about the relationship between language and literacy is that if you speak in a dialect that is different than the normal dialects in your community, you are unable to literate. Many people believe that having a certain tone to your voice makes you unable to learn how to read and write because you do not speak the way that they do.

• What can schools and teachers do to improve literacy instruction?

The main thing that schools and teachers can do to improve literacy instruction is to include all students in the instruction process. The main purpose of a teacher is to make sure that each and every one of your students is learning at their full potential. If there are students struggling with literary techniques, the teacher can change the method of teaching to better help the comprehension of the lesson being taught.

• How do you feel about use of the term "Proper English"?

 To me, the term "Proper English" is a figure of speech. I believe that if a person is in a formal setting or writing formally, they should use formal or proper English. However, when a person is simply writing a reminder or talking to friends, they should be able to use slang without being discriminated against.


References

 Donald d. durrell reading & writing clinic. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.bu.edu/sedreadingclinic/about-us/

Purcell Gates, V. (2002). As soon as she opened her mouth. In L. Delpit & J.K Dowdy (Eds.), In The skin that we speak: An anthology of essays on language culture and power.




"Tall Tales of Appalachia"


 Quote

"Not long ago, one of the student counselors at West Virginia University told me that the most persistent problem she encounters is a lack of self-esteem. Bright, capable, young men and women do not think they belong in college because they are hillbillies (O'Brien)."

Response






After reading this quote in the assigned reading, I felt outraged. It really mad me mad that people in the state of West Virginia are not proud of where they come from. Although going to college was always an option for me, knowing that I had the ability to prove the people of the United States wrong was enough motivation to attend college. One reason why I decided to stay in West Virginia and obtain my college degree was to prove to people that the education in West Virginia is just as good, if not better, than the education offered in other states. The image above shows the percentages of educational levels obtained in West Virginia compared to the United States. West Virginia outranks the rest of the U.S. in high school graduates and although the U.S. beat West Virginia in some college, it was not by much. It makes me feel amazing that I am an educated women from West Virginia. I was born and raised in West Virginia and I could not be any happier that I am obtaining my college degree here, too.
 
References 

O'Brien, J. (2003, May 10). Tall tales of appalachia. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/10/opinion/tall-tales-of-appalachia.html?src=pm 

 West virginia maps and data. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.myonlinemaps.com/west-virginia.php