“When language is whole and used in context, children have multiple cues from which to draw in understanding how language works (Martens, p. 92).” For children’s literacy, we should consider that children learn languages as a whole. We do not write, speak, or listen languages with one word or sound. When the language has a meaningful harmony, it is easy to understand and learn for children. So in my opinion, teachers should try to help children to integrate their language with their own way.
“Every learner has a unique personal and social literacy history shaped by his or her personal and social literacy experiences (Martens, p. 93).” When I read this sentence, I absolutely agreed with the point. Experiences are really important and meaningful for children’s literacy. Everyday children’s lives have special meanings and they learn their language and literacy from their life experiences. Therefore, as an educator, providing experiences and opportunities will really help to develop children’s literacy. Teachers also have a responsibility for discovering and connecting their experiences to literacy. As well as that, when children have chances to read, write, and listen the literacy in their everyday lives, they can invent and expand their literacy with a valuable skill.
I think that it is true that children learn language as a whole. If there is no meaning behind the different letters or words that they are being told to repeat and read then they will never be able to fully understand how or why the language works. Children need to be able to make connections with what they are learning and the environment that surrounds them.
ReplyDeleteI liked your point about teachers' responsibility for connecting experiences to literacy. As teachers, if we are constantly thinking about how a child's activities connect to literacy, we can help them learn in such a rich and personally meaningful way. Also, encouraging parents to be aware of this type of thinking could enhance children's literacy learning at home.
ReplyDeleteWell said! This is such a beautiful description: "We do not write, speak, or listen languages with one word or sound. When the language has a meaningful harmony, it is easy to understand and learn for children." It is itself a poem!
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