Trilingualism: home, formal, and professional…makes sense to me. I have never really thought of it the way Baker explains it, but I like it. Once she spells it all out, I understand it better. I feel that it is okay for students to use their “home” language, but it is my job to teach and model “formal” and “professional” languages at school. I also expect them to use “formal” and “professional” in the classroom, but I do not discourage their “home” language while we are in a more relaxed atmosphere (lunch room, recess, etc.) I slip up at times and use improper language, but I use it as a teachable moment.
I would like to put my students into groups at the beginning of next year and try what Baker did in her classroom. I would have to adjust based on the age of my students. The idea of students learning from what they observe is something I love. The scenarios she added helped me understand what she did better.
“Permission to fail”…Wow! What teacher in their right might would allow their students to fail? Unfortunately, I work with a couple of students like this. Sad! When teachers make the comments like, Well that student is EC so they can not learn or I will put them in the corner of the classroom because they do not know the language, make me sick to my stomach. Why does an individual come into this professional if they think that some students can not be successful? It is our job to make sure at our students become successful.
Melissa Lange
Comments (1)
I agree with you that showing students the different types of englishes will open studnets eyes of when to use certain ones. I think it would be a great idea to use this lesson in a classroom. I teach kindergarten so I don't know if I could but older grades certainly could. I agree with why you are so outraged. Teachers should never pusj a child to the back or corner of the room and give up. I know sometimes it would seem easier to give up, but then what is the point of us being teachers. W have to show these children that they cannot give up because we are not going to give up on them. We all have difficult students and sometimes you might have a bad day and have the thought to give up but then you have to remember that we are the ones these children are looking up to.
Posted by Megan Machuga | June 12, 2009 2:59 PM
Posted on June 12, 2009 14:59