Double Journal Entry # 9

1. What is the strange fact about not learning to read?
Schools have been known to turn children from good learners into poor learners, based upon their minority group.

2. Why is this fact so strange?
This fact is so strange, because there is no real ability difference between these students compared to any other. The only difference is how the student is taught and given instruction. This shows that certain groups, races, and classes do in fact get neglected or looked down upon, simply based on their cultural difference.

3. What is it about school that manages to transform children who are good at learning things like Pokemon into children who are not good at learning?
I personally believe that many teachers in today's school system make no effort to get on the students level. It is important for the students to be able to make connections to things they are familiar with and have knowledge of, even if it is Pokemon. Although it may take a little more effort, there are several ways to incorporate students likes and interests into lessons throughout the day. It's almost as if schools and teachers just expect lower class students to be unsuccessful.

4. What is the differences between a traditionalist approach to learning to read and a more progressive educators?
Traditionalist believe that learning to read is a natural process. They believe it should be taught with the same basic steps and principles that have been used for years. Traditionalist believe that no instruction is needed or helpful, but reading is taught through immersion.
Progressive educators believe that students will learn to read better if they are able to relate it to a personal interest. They believe that learning to read cannot be a biologically supported process and it is not natural.

5. Is learning to read a natural process like learning to speak a language?
No, I do not believe that learning to read is a natural process. Reading is a skill that must be taught in order to be acquired. Natural processes happen while a child is being exposed to a certain environment or interaction.

6. What is the differences between natural, instructed and cultural processes and which process should reading be classified under?
A natural process is defined as a biologically supported acquisition. An instructed process is defined as how humans obtain knowledge  without being supported from their biological inheritance. Cultural processes are defined as subject matters that are of value to a specific cultural group.
I believe that reading should be classified as a cultural process. This is simply because, everyone within that culture needs to feel it is of value and importance.

7. How do humans learn best? Through instructional process or through cultural processes? How is reading taught in school?
Personally, I feel that humans learn best through cultural processes. Everyone does better with subjects they are familiar with and can relate to. Schools typically teach reading as an instructional process rather than attempting to integrate cultural process into their teaching. If a student can relate to the reading, they are much more likely to succeed.

8. According to the author, what is the reason for the "fourth grade slump?" 
The fourth grade slump usually occurs because of the lack of knowledge with phonemic awareness. They have not been taught to apply critical meaning to the literature they are reading. They are unable to see the meaning behind new vocabulary within the stories they are reading.

9. What is a better predictor of reading success than phonemic awareness?
I believe that a students language ability or, their way with words, early in life is a good indicator of how they will read later on. Young children who are good at communicating their thoughts and feelings at a young age are more likely to succeed at reading later in their life.

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 "specialized variety" about a topic in your content area.
Vernacular variety of language is basically used for one-on-one use. Specialist variety is used for a specific activity or purpose.

Vernacular: Do page 150 in your reading book for homework tonight.

Specialized: Please use the reading skills we have been taught in class to complete page 150 in your reading workbook as your homework assignment this evening.

11. What is "early language ability" and how is it developed?
Early language ability is the ability to recall and comprehend stories and sentences within. It develops from personal experiences that a child has with people of higher language ability. It also deals with a child's experience when they learn new words.

12. According to the author why and how does the traditionalist approach to teaching children to read fail?
The author believes that the traditionalist approach is only surface deep and only creates problems later on in a child's education. Although it may appear that a student understands the material now, it will present problems with the students work later on. This is because it is only covering the basics and not going over strategies with how to face more difficult material.

13. Are parents of poor children to blame for their children's inexperience with specialized varieties of language before coming to school?
No, the parents are not to blame at all! As we learned from this reading, there are two types of language and these students have good vernacular language. The problem is with the schools and teachers who are unable to recognize and promote it.

14. Did you struggle with reading this text? Are you a poor reader or are you unfamiliar with this variety of specialized language?
Overall, I think I did fairly well with this reading. There were some parts that I had to re-read a few times to fully understand what the author was saying. I would consider myself a good reader, I was just unfamiliar with some of the terms he was using.