Double Journal Entry #6

First Speaker
1. Why is this video helpful for teaching in West Virginia?   This video was helpful to West Virginia teachers because of the similarities of the informal languages. Both the Appalacia dialect and the Ebonics used by African Americans are informal.
2. What evidence is presented that supports the credibility of the speaker? The speaker is an English professor at a university and also works with the National Council of English.
3. Describe the traditional approach to responding to student writing? The traditional approach to respnding to student writing simply corrects the students when they do something wrong gramatically or structurally in their writing.
4. Why does the traditional approach not work in improving student writing? Students have trouble writing a different voice than what they speak. Therefore simply correcting their grammar is not productive, because that is not helpful.
5. Name the three strategies associated with the linguistic approach to writing instruction? Scientific Knowledge of Grammar, Contrastive Analysis, and Code-switching.
6. How do you know the cat and Taylor go together? The owner and their belonging are right next to each other. Taylor and cat were next to each other in the statement, making the cat and Taylor go together.
7. What is different between the two patterns of possessives for informal and formal English? An apostrophe before the letter s is next to the owner in formal English. In informal possessives, no apostrophe is added.
8. What strategy is being used for teaching the second grade students the different patterns between informal and formal English? Code-switching.
9. Describe how the scientific method is used to teach students to code switch. Teachers collect data from students and have them compare, contrast, and describe patterns in language. Then students can check their hypothesis and modify it as necessary.
10. What question is being asked to engage students in the comparison and contrast strategy? What changed?
11. How does code switching support metacognition? Students come to a realization that there is a time and place for most things, and language is no acception. They must pick and choose carefully what languages is most appropriate in different situations.
12. What evidence is presented the code switching approach works? Describe one of the studies? In 2000 in New York, African American students were tested based on the amount of vernacular features in their writing. Traditional English methods showed no improvement, whereas the comparison and contrast approach showed nearly 100% improvements.


Second Speaker
1. How did the students respond when asked how they felt about being corrected when they talked? The students felt stupid, they were angry and embarassed.
2. Give an example of a "fund of knowledge" the teacher drew on to help students learn to code switch? The teacher used clothing to show the difference between informal and formal language by comparing language to formal and informal attire.
3. What are some added benefits aside from raising test scores that stem from using contrastive analysis? Students will be able to adjust their writing to the setting in which they are placed. They will also look more professional when using formal writing.


On Your Own: Explain how contrastive analysis for writing instruction is an example of each of these research-based strategies: Generating and Testing Hypothesis and Identifying Difference and Similarities.

Generating and Testing Hypothesis is an example of contrastive analysis because students are comparing and contrasting. They form rules and test or experiment in other situations.

Identifying Difference and Similarities is an example of contrastive analysis because the students to make connections through the use of patterns. Students use the differences and similarities of language to make categories for information that fits and doesn’t fit with the patterns.

References:
Teaching standard english in urban classrooms. (2007). [Video podcast]. Retrieved from http://forum-network.org/lecture/teaching-standard-english-urban-classrooms