Language is the most basic of building blocks for communication in any culture; it is necessary in order to convey ideas, feelings and thoughts to others (Essberger, 2001). Spoken language is among the first skills that we acquire, with first words usually spoken within the first two years of life. (Bright, 2012) It is a natural progression and comes from an inate capacity to learn language as well as a product of our environment and socialisation. Written language, however, must be taught (Essberger, 2001) and is acquired through applied learning and continual honing of the skill. This is only one of the many differences between spoken language and written language. Spoken language is transient, they pass away once spoken (Essberger, …show more content…
(Emmitt, Zbaracki, Komesaroff, & Pollock, 2010). For example, Aboriginal children may not feel the need to answer the teacher when asked a direct question or will not make eye contact with the teacher. Their responses may be different to that of other students.
The function of student to teacher communication in the classroom is often to enquire and convey information. As much as possible, students will attempt to use Standard Australian English in a semi-formal register when speaking to the teacher. Some examples of this may be “What do I have to do, Mrs Richardson?”, “Can I please go to the toilet, Mr Bloom?” or “Miss Smith, I have lost my book”.
Students generally speak informally to each other and the functions are to entertain themselves and others, convey information or control. Some examples of this are “Let’s play house. I’ll be the Mum and you can be the baby”, “I had Maccas for tea last night. It was yum!” and “My bike is pink with yellow ribbons on the handles”. Students developing their English speaking skills may have limited comprehension and speak fewer words, using the present tense only. Some examples are “I give book to teacher”, “drink, please” and “play ball?”
Written
We need to adapt our verbal communication accordingly to the different situations. Working on a learning activity it is important that the children are focused and that we deal with any distractions
A graduate teacher should have a broad knowledge and understanding of cultural differences, including the impact of culture, cultural identity and linguistics backgrounds and the implications of these differences for students from Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal backgrounds. A graduate teacher, when leading discussions or questioning students must consider how they will be received. Korff (2014) provides the example, “Aboriginal students can avoid direct eye contact with an adult as it is considered rude in Aboriginal culture” (para 3). Korff (2014) also suggest that many Aboriginal students do not ask or answer questions, because traditionally, Aboriginal culture is handed down from generation to generation in the form of song, poetry, dance and story- telling. Establishing rapport, celebrating diversity and respecting differences in the classroom e.g., cultural awareness activities and knowing how to talk to and build relationships with students of all cultures and backgrounds, would be an example of how a graduate teacher can demonstrate their understanding of Focus area
Verbal and written language is how people communicate with each other and encourage thoughts, achieve goals, and build relationships. Speaking a single, or multiple languages, and growing up in different setting can seriously alter the way that people speak the same language. This can either encourage diverse communication or make communication all but impossible. For the most part I speak English fluently, it is the only full language that I can speak and I developed this language growing up in a small farm town in the middle of New Jersey.
Utterances (1)-(5) are very direct, clear, and unambiguous. These utterances are purposed to be effective delivered. Additionally, the teacher has more power than the students, so this strategy must be commonly used though the occurrence in only four times in thirty minute discussion. Utterances (1), (2), (4), and (5) are used for their function to give command to the students, while utterance (3) seems to be used to disagree with the student directly to prevent misconception.
“The ways in which people converse with one another can vary greatly from culture to culture. For example, when a teacher asks a direct question, students from some cultures may no...
As a teacher language is the most important tool in order to support student learning. The book Elementary Classroom Management by Kerry Williams discusses how language is an important tool to use “language can be a powerful vehicle for activating thought, and as teachers we need to be aware of the role it is playing” (ref pg. 196). The use of words and tone that the teacher uses to the students is significant in the behaviour of students. For example if a student is displaying
A major proportion of class time is taken up by teachers talking in front of the classroom(Nunan & Bailey, 2009). No matter what teaching strategies or methods a teacher uses, it is necessary to give directions, explain activities and check students’ understanding (Richards & Schimdt, 1985). This clearly emphasizes the importance of teacher talk in language classrooms. Walsh (2011) claimed that teacher talk is more important in language classroom than any other classroom since in this context the language being used by teacher is not only the means of acquiring new knowledge; it is also the goal of the study.
The aim of this essay is to explore language acquisition and compare and contrast different theories of language acquisition and language development. Language in its most basic form is used to communicate our needs and wants. It encompasses a range of modes of delivery including signing, spoken and written words, posture, eye contact, facial expressions and gestures. So how do we learn ‘language’? Are we born with the skills for communication, or is it something that we have to learn or have taught to us? Four theories are looked at in this essay to determine how children acquire and then develop language. These theories include behaviourist, nativist, cognitivist and sociocultural. This essay will highlight some similarities and differences in each theory and what impact these have on a child’s acquisition and development of language. Lastly we will look at the implications of these theories when working with children. Can a classroom teacher deliver a quality literacy program based on just one of these theories or does it need to incorporate components of all four? Sims, (2012) pp. 21 states ‘’High-quality learning experiences in the early years of life enhance children’s cognitive and language skills’’. This places a great responsibility on educators and teachers alike to provide an environment which is rich in learning opportunities that will encourage both the acquisition and development of language.
Another concern that some students might have is communication. Some students might not need to have a teacher in front of them and teach the course material to them, to whereas some students might need the te...
I speak with students on a daily basis as I teach middle schoolers everyday. There are different conversations that a teacher can have with a student. We can directly speak as in a classroom setting, we can speak as to small talk conversation, an heart to heart conversation, it all depends on the outcome needed of the conversation. This particular student I was talking to she was expressing concern about her upcoming exams within
We use language in a variety of ways, for example, to tell people how we feel, to talk about things that we like and to be able to question and understand the world around us. As well as giving children a sense of identity. Language can be diverse and standard, for example, language can be diverse amongst cultures with different English accents and language can be standard when the majority of people in a country speak a variety of English. Language can be seen through reading and heard through oral language. Halliday and Piaget 's functions on language indicated the important roles of language in children’s lives. Language has been outlined in this essay to play a major role in children’s lives. Most importantly it gives children the skills to learn to communicate and exchange information with others around
Language is the basis of human communication. It is a cultural and social interaction, and the way language is used is influenced by the circumstances in which it takes place (Emmitt, 2010, p. 49; Green, 2006, p. 2). Children become aware that there are different types of language, including languages used at home, at childcare and at school, as they observe and participate in various language situations (Fellowes & Oakley, 2014, p. 39). Some of these languages may be unfamiliar, and children will need to learn the different roles and uses of language. The different roles of language in a child’s life are, therefore, part of their growing understanding of how to behave in society and in a particular context. As they experience different types and uses of language, children develop an understanding of how to use language appropriately for any given situation.
As we find ourselves surrounded by many diverse people we come to the realization that we need words to communicate. Language helps us express how we feel, explaining
As English wasn’t their first language, I noticed that some students struggled to express themselves and put their ideas across. However, in order to tackle this issue, I would see what direction they were going in and would then suggest words to help them structure a sentence or if it was a complicated sentence, they would use a translator app. This loosely links to the cooperative principle because when English isn’t somebody’s first language and they make speech errors, I tend to ignore them and carry on the conversation. One of the reasons why I don’t mention that they have created an error is because the speaker may feel embarrassed about their mistake. On the other hand, I might also help them if I notice that they are struggling with their
People live in the world of communication. According to the Oxford Dictionary of Current English (Moore, 1997), communication is defined as, “The activity or process of expressing ideas and feelings or of giving people information”. The significance of communication can be found within the context of a human existing as a social being. As a human being manages his or her life in the course of the interaction between other members of the entire society, communication is inevitable. Communication occurs through the medium of a language and it is presented in two different forms which are written and spoken (Brown & Yule, 1983: 1-10). The importance of spoken performance of a language is becoming more prominent over the written performance capability. It is because the ability to speak a language reflects a person’s personality, self image, knowledge of the world, ability to reason, skill to express thoughts in real-time (Luoma, 2004: ix). These days, due to the global trend of internationalisation, the ability to communicate in English is needed as an essential skill. Whenever the international exchange happens, the use of spoken English entails. However, it is not always an easy task for people who use English as a second language to be able to speak to the level of a native speaker. They have to perfectly understand the sound system of English, have almost instant access to proper vocabulary and be able to place words together intelligibly without hesitation. Moreover, they also have to perceive what is being said to them and need to be able to respond appropriately to acquire amiable relations or to accomplish their communicative goals (Luoma, 2004: ix). Therefore, non-native English speakers encounter these barriers and they are subject to make mistakes often. In relation to this matter, this essay argues that there are socio-cultural factors as well as linguistic factors that affect non-native speakers’ communication in English. It provides analysis of several different situations when the use of spoken English has generated miscommunication problems in regards to author’s personal experience.