Published on Harvard Graduate School of Education | Middle East Professional Learning Initiative website.
You have a grade four student who engages in classroom
discussions, contributes ideas, agrees with/refutes other’s opinions using
appropriate language and transition words and phrases. Whether during
conversations or in writing, this student employs complete sentences with
minimal errors and has a rich reservoir of vocabulary that makes his ideas
clear, appropriate, and varied. On the other hand, you have another student who
shies away from participating in the whole-class discussions and avoids any
situation that calls for sharing ideas orally. He relies on short, incomplete
sentences that often do not relay the ideas clearly. His vocabulary is limited,
lacking vivid and precise words to convey the intended idea or
meaning.
Which of the
two students gives a better impression? Which of the two students is perceived
as more competent and is expected to achieve better in school? Most likely the
answer is the first student whose language is more sophisticated and elaborate.
This is often the case in school, where outgoing and outspoken students who
show language competence are often considered to be more intelligent and
receive better attention, not only from teachers but also from their social
context at large. Students viewed positively by their peers and teachers tend
to achieve better at school as they receive more support and opportunities to
participate in activities. All this boosts their confidence and self-efficacy.
The opposite might be true with students who are labeled as less
intelligent.
According to
the sociolinguist, Basil Bernstein, children’s language incompetence can be a
reason for them to be excluded from educational opportunities (Bernstein,
1971). Our role as educators is to identify any barrier to a child’s education
to achieve an inclusive education. With respect to language, teachers can do a
lot to help, including the following:
·
Be aware of the impact of their perceptions on their students’
academic achievement. Such
awareness helps them not privilege students whose language is “elaborated” over
those whose language is “restricted” and stay mindful that a students’ language
competence is not necessarily related to their intelligence or abilities.
·
Find ways to empower students through growing their language
capital. Simple ways include designing
ample learning experiences that engage students in reading different genres and
different topics and styles. Moreover, they can engage in varied speaking and
listening tasks.
·
Provide opportunities for students to work collaboratively in
class. This helps them interact
with each other and be exposed to a variety of communication styles. This
should enrich their own reservoir of styles to select from as
needed.
·
Respect students and help them feel valued regardless of the
language style they use. Teachers
should encourage them to express themselves and to feel good about what they
have to say and how they say it.
·
Provide students with constructive and compassionate feedback to improve
their language.
·
Offer students language and vocabulary support and teach them how
to seek support on their own when they need it. It is important that students feel safe and appreciated when
they ask for help.
·
Teach students effective communication strategies. Additionally, teachers can help them understand different
communication styles and know when and where each style is suitable and
effective.
·
Enhance the language development of children by immersing students in language-rich
environments that promote their language development. This can
be done by enriching the classroom and the school at large with print that is
comprehensible and meaningful for the students. Providing ample reading
material in the classroom of varied topics and levels exposes students to
language and encourages them to read. Moreover, teachers can provide
opportunities for students to engage in discussions and debates to experiment
with their language.
·
Communicate with young learners both orally and in writing. Teachers need to engage in communication loops where
students don’t merely respond to a teacher’s question but carry on a
conversation.
Children’s
first encounters with language are in their homes, and they carry that to their
classrooms. Their language development prior to entering school might be a
vital factor in their educational progress. Therefore, it is helpful for
families to be aware of how language bias might affect their children. Schools
can play a role in this regard by communicating with families and spreading
awareness on how they can enhance the language development of their children
through:
·
creating language rich environments at homes and engaging children
in activities that develop their language such as carrying out discussions with
children, interacting with people of various backgrounds and reading stories;
·
visiting book fairs and other cultural events;
·
allowing children to choose their own reading material, which
ensures that they choose what interests them, thus increasing the likelihood
that longer reading will be sustained;
·
encouraging engagement with language by being models for their
children. When children see that their parents read and use language
appropriately, they are more likely to imitate that model.
In conclusion,
strong language skills and effective communication can impact the academic
achievement of children and have the power to shape their future. Parents and
teachers are instrumental in nurturing these skills by fostering a supportive
environment marked by open dialogue and exposure to language in its various
formats. This should start in the early years of children’s lives so when they
enter school, they are ready for the language demands of school life, allowing
teachers to build on the skills they have already developed.
References
Bernstein, B. (1971). Class, Codes and
Control-Theoretical Studies Towards Sociology of Language. London:
Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd.
UNESCO. (2016). Education 2030: Incheon
Declaration and Framework for Action for the implementation of Sustainable
Development Goal 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and
promote lifelong learning. UNESCO. Retrieved 25 October 2023, http://uis.unesco.org/sites/default/files/documents/education-2030-incheon-framework-for-action-implementation-of-sdg4-2016-en_2.pdf
