I chose this quote from the reading because I think it’s
rather powerful, and that it makes an excellent point. If the school is going to make the statement
that they allow equal education to every student within the system, then that
is exactly what they need to do. Those
within the school system should not place one child above another simply
because they think that one will do better.
It is unfair. If one student does
not have the exact same opportunities as another, then of course they won’t
succeed. If they are not given every
chance at success, then they are not receiving the free and appropriate public
education that they are obligated to have.
1. Literary knowledge is that which children obtain in reading, writing, and the printed language before they enter into school. These concepts are not taught to them formally, but by witnessing adults within their lives read and write. One example of print literacy knowledge is when a young child tries to write. This child understands the concept, but because he or she lacks formal education, they cannot actually write something coherent. An example of non print literacy would be a similar child who understands reading as someone reading aloud to them. It is a concept that they know well, but a similar concept, such as silent reading, may not be.
2. If an educator has some sort of bias against a certain group of people, such as those that are poor, then he or she may buy into the stereotypes that go along with them. In this case, she would believe that because a child is poor, that they're family must be uneducated. She would also believe that because that child lacks experience in something, such as reading and writing, that they are deficit and are set up for failure. If the teacher does not believe the child can succeed from the beginning, then the child will do just that: fail.
3. Schools and teachers contribute to poor literacy in instruction in schools because they set the child up for failure. Stereotypes can prevent the school system from taking a child and/or their family seriously. Those in charge simply expect failure from their student, and when they do fail it comes as no surprise. It is because they did nothing to help this child, however, that they failed in the first place. If the teacher or others do not make an effort to assist the child, then the child cannot possibly succeed.
4. Those that are considered a minority in an area are often held in disdain by those that are the majority or hold the power. It is often believed that those in this minority are uneducated or that they cannot learn as well as those in power. These people that are marginalized don't get offered the same educational opportunities because they are expected to fail, and because they do not receive the same educational opportunities that others might because of their language or social class, they meet the expectations set out for them.
5. The language one speaks is often connected with their class. If a child speaks a different language or speaks with an accent or different dialect, then the educators will automatically categorize the child. Usually the child is defined then by their social class, which leads to the same biases and misconceptions that are associated with what that person believes about a certain socioeconomic situation.
6. The first thing schools and teachers can do to improve literacy instruction is to act on the belief that "children of poverty are learners, have been learning since birth, are ready to learn at anytime, and will learn." This will help to set the child up for success, not failure, and give them all an equal educational opportunity. The second thing that can be done is that children, and furthermore their parents, will use the appropriate oral language to fit the social context they find themselves in if they are knowledgeable in it. They must also understand that this applied to writing as well.
7. I dislike the term "Proper English". What is deemed "proper" by one group of people is not always so with another. Language can be very diverse and it varies between groups. Labeling one group's use of language proper automatically deems the other's improper. It sets the system up to be even more separate, and to marginalize those groups who are not considered proper even more.
"If a television network proposed a ''real life'' show treating poor African-Americans, Latinos, American Indians, Asians or Jews as curiosities, they, and all Americans of good will, would be justifiably outraged."
I chose this quote from the reading because I find it to be
quite accurate. I think that if such a
thing were to happen, a show that exploited and mocked the likes of groups such
as African Americans or Jews, that there would be greater outrage in the
nation. When you hear something about
groups that are stereotyped and discriminated against, those that are found in
Appalachia are never mentioned, yet they are the most stereotyped out of most
of the mentioned groups. I don’t feel
like many realize this, or that they’ve bought into such stereotypes so much
that they actually believe them to be accurate.
It’s exploitive and wrong, and sadly, very few people even care.
Resources:
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.
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
Sacco, B. D. (Artist). (n.d.). United states stereotypes map tells it like it is. [Print Graphic]. Retrieved from http://www.incrediblethings.com/art-design/us-states-stereotypes-map-tells-it-like-it-is/
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