Language, Literacy and Learning

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Language, Literacy and Learning

• EED112 Language As Social Practice. Assignment
  two Essay.
• Karla Regan 11307683

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Introduction

• We learn to do literacy as we learn how to
  behave and belong in our families and schooling
  (Breen et al. 1994).
• I agree with this statement and will discuss
  and prove this in relation to the concept of
  Discourse Communities and the socio-cultural
  approaches to learning and language. I will
  further explore how these theoretical
  understandings can be applied to language
  development and learning in the context of
  schooling.

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Introduction Continued

• This essay will explore the concept of a
  Discourse Community and the influence this has on
  language and learning. The types of discourses
  will be discussed and the concept of acquisition
  will be explained.
• The socio-cultural approaches to learning and
  language will be discussed and Vygotskys
  theories on socio-cultural learning will be a
  point of focus. These theoretical understandings
  will then be looked at in relation to how they
  can be applied to language development and
  learning in the context of schooling. This area
  will investigate the concepts of Scaffolding, IRF
  as well as Second Language Learners.

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Discourse Communities

• Definition of Discourse Community according to
  Gee 1991
• Differences between Primary and Secondary
  Discourses and how they may compliment or
  contradict each other
• The belief that your Primary Discourse is
  acquired rather than learnt
• The role of the school in linking Primary and
  Secondary Discourses

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Socio-Cultural Approaches to Language and Learning

• Hammond (2001) and his belief that learning
  occurs in the interaction between individuals
  (Hammond 2001, p.8)
• Learning and cognitive development are
  culturally and socially based (Vygotsky 1978)
• Difference between the language and literacy
  learnt within different Primary and Secondary
  Discourses
• Implications for Second Language Learners

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The context of Schooling

• Use of Scaffolding (Wood, Bruner Ross 1976)
• Strategies to help English as Second Language
  Learners (ESL) in mainstream classrooms
• IRF Pattern
• Differences in Discourses and the implications
  for the classroom and the teacher

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Conclusion

• From this we see, the extensive influence that
  Discourse communities, Socio-Cultural Approaches
  to Language and Learning have on our Language and
  Literacy development. This affects the context of
  schooling and how teachers teach. Children come
  to school with a significant amount of knowledge

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Conclusion continued

• and background from their Primary Discourse and
  then the Secondary Discourse of the school, has
  the task to expand this knowledge.
• Through Discourse Communities, Socio-Cultural
  Approaches to Language and learning and the
  context of schooling we can see how we learn to
  do literacy as we learn how to behave in our
  families and communities (Breen et al. 1994).

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Reference List

• Droga, L Humphrey, S 2003, Grammar and Meaning
  An Introduction for Primary Teachers. Target
  Texts, Berry, NSW
• Gee, J 1990, Discourses and literacy two
  theorems, Social Linguistics and literacies
  Ideology in discourses, The Falmer Press,
  Hampshire Pp 1-38.

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Reference List Continued

• Gibbons, P 2002, Scaffolding Language,
  scaffolding learning teaching second language
  learners in the mainstream classroom. Eleanor
  Curtain Publishing, South Yarra, Vic
• Hammond, J (ed) 2001, Scaffolding teaching and
  learning in language and literacy education.
  Primary English Teaching Association, Sydney

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Reference List Continued

• Love, K, Pidgon, K, Baker, G, with Hamston, J,
  2002, BUILT Building Understandings In Literacy
  and Teaching. 2nd edn. CD-ROM. University of
  Melbourne, Melbourne
• Steiner, B, Maybin, J, 1994, Language Literacy
  and Learning in Educational Practice.
  Multilingual Matters Ltd, Clevedon, Philadelphia
  Adelaide

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Reference List Continued

• Wells, G, 1981, Learning Through Interaction The
  study of Language Development. Cambridge
  University Press, Cambridge, London, New York,
  New Rochelle, Melbourne Sydney