Blog 14: “Collaboration: Writing Center Tutorials vs. Peer-Response Groups"

By: Sami Bowden

In the article, “Collaboration Is Not Collaboration Is Not Collaboration: Writing Center Tutorials vs. Peer-Response Groups”, author Muriel Harris examines the difference between peer-response groups and writing center tutors. Harris says that they are both the same, but different at the same time. Even though a student gets a paper peer reviewed, they should also go to see a tutor in a writing center. She states that some form of peer review/writing center has been around for awhile, whether it is a friend asking another friend to correct their paper, or whether they just want them to find what is wrong with their paper.

Harris states that the role of a tutor, more broadly, is to strengthen the writer’s skills that will carry over to future papers. Tutors are there to listen, question, “why did you do that” is one of the most popular, and offer advice to the writer. In order for a tutor to be able to do all this, they must be trained, so they can be neither a teacher nor a peer, but a tutor instead.

She also shows the positives of a peer-response group. Ann Gere and Robert Abbot, reviewed published statements on peer response, show that teachers endorse the peer revised papers. The teachers stated that it gives the students a chance to see, and get used to, different writing styles, and develop a sense of community between the students.

The difference between tutors and peer responders are that tutors have had formal training and are there to ask questions about a paper and listen to the writer, and try to strengthen their writing for the future. Tutors also have dealt with critical reading of other’s texts. Peer responders are there more just to edit a paper and give feedback. The more students respond and critiques others work they will in turn become a better writer themselves. Many times, tutors will have on-going sessions with students so they can keep learning how to become a better writer. A peer responder will only see a student once or twice when they are in class where they have to review another’s work.

There can be times where there is tension between the tutor and the student. The student may just want their paper critiqued and that is all, where as the tutor doesn’t only want to work on the paper, but on the student’s overall writing. In cases like this, the tutor and student have to come to a happy medium. Normally, all a student wants, is to make sure the paper is accurate to the assignment. Tutors, however, sometimes have instructions from the teacher with what the student needs help on.

When the tutor starts asking the student questions they can learn what their writing method is and why he or she did certain things in his or her paper. When it comes to a peer responder, asking question isn’t really the purpose. Peer-response groups don’t focus as much on helping the student with their future writing, just how they wrote that one specific paper.

Certain reports have shown that peer evaluation has been as effective as a teacher evaluation, but the opposite has also been found to be true. To some students, they don’t think peer evaluation is effective, because they may just give back responses like: “Your paper was ok”, “This was spelled wrong” or “You just need to explain this a little more”. The tutor has to be a bridge between the students and the teachers. They need to know more than the student, but don’t know as much as the teachers.

Blog 13: “Flipping the Switch: Code Switching from Text Speak to Standard English”

By Elizabeth Hileman

In her article, “Flipping the Switch: Code-Switching from Text Speak to Standard English,” Kristen Hawley Turner examines the place of digital language in the Standard English classroom. When she first encountered text speak, Turner was concerned that it would be the main contributor to the ruin of Standard Written English; however, instructors, like herself, could not ignore the wide use of this informal English on the internet or through texting. Some developed worried attitudes, while others accepted that this “new” language could become the normal means of written discourse.

Turner takes a different view on the situation by utilizing a method created by Rebecca Wheeler and Rachael Swords known as Code-Switching. The method enlists the thoughts and experiences of students, so they are able to learn when to use formal language and when to use informal speech. This method is normally applied to dialects and other informal languages used outside of school; however, Turner and her graduate students have applied this method to secondary classrooms in attempt to teach code-switching to these students of the digital age.

In code-switching, students must first recognize that they utilize alternative languages in varying situations. Turner suggests that the instructor asks the students to propose situations that they encounter daily. Using these situations, the instructor combines the four most common situations, which in the article include the classroom, home, playground, and the internet. Then the instructor supplies sample sentences that the students are to place in the correct category. For example: “Hello. How are you?” is placed in the classroom category. Once the students understand this concept, they create there own sentences to place in these categories. They also are asked to alter each sentence so that it would fit in another category. They discuss the idea that all forms of informal language are acceptable in different situations. Finally, students create a “grocery-list” of common problems for which to search as they edit their future, formal writings.

Turner also considers the idea of class blogs and the extent to which informal grammar should be accepted on these. She suggests allowing the students, at first, to decide what type of speech to utilize on the first posting; then, the instructor is to identify the varying speech and have a discussion about which speech is more appropriate for the classroom setting. Most students, she assures, will choose Standard Written English as opposed to text speak and will come to correct their classmates’ posts. Students should also be encouraged to write first drafts and classroom journals in the manner that comes most naturally to them.

However, she warns that this should not be a one-way task. Instructors should not only encourage switching text speak to Standard English but also allow students to alter Standard English to text speak. This will enhance their language abilities and allow them to better understand classic themes in contemporary society. Students should also be informed that text speak is appropriate to use in digital discourse, but Standard English is appropriate to use in the polished, final drafts of papers. While she admits that this is a difficult task to teach, she, herself, has managed to learn how to code-switch effortlessly and how to connect with her “digital native” students.

Having noted the increasing effects of text speak in the written language of the students I tutor, I must agree that they are having difficulty understanding when to switch to Standard English; however, I must also count myself among these students. The first year I was allowed to have a texting plan, I was surprised to discover my once polished papers littered with informal text speak. I had effortlessly imported my digital language into my written language. By simply becoming aware of the issue, I was able to correct it with editing and eventually, without thought. With this first-hand knowledge, I would like to try to utilize this method with my future students and view the results.

Blog Summary 9: Down Syndrome & Grammar

responses are due by Monday, Sept. 27th, 2010

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by: Brandon Trammel

In this particular study three children with Down’s Syndrome were tested on their language and grammar comprehension in comparison to typically normal children. In the study the children with Down syndrome produce their first 10 words on average 12 months later than typically developing children. This suggests that once the children with Down syndrome get going with the production of the language, they in fact show a similar pattern as typically developing children in the early stages of grammar. Although I know little to nothing about those who have Down’s Syndrome after reading the results of the experiment I was somewhat surprised. I assumed that children with Down’s Syndrome would be slow to catch up on language and grammar rules, but would not have thought once these children grasped the rules of grammar would have the ability to learn it just as well as a typical students. Although I am surprised by these findings I also feel that this cannot be used as valid information for all children with Down’s Syndrome. The study was only done on three children which is a small ratio when being compared to all who have the disease.

Blog 10: Are Twins Delayed in Language Development???

The article, "Are Twins Delayed in Language Development???" by Jennifer Ganger, questions series of articles from researchers that most conclude that twins are in fact delayed in language development and prone to comprehension deficiencies. Although Ganger supports some of these findings, she suggests that twins should not be thought of as a "special population" for language development. She suggest this because she finds that most studies reveal that twins catch up to singleton peers on standardized language exams during sometime in childhood.

In her article Ganger summarizes the findings of two researchers, Day and Davis. Day's study concludes that twins are at least two years delayed by the age of five. Davis's study finds that twins on average catch up to their singleton peers but are prone to communication problems. Ganger then goes on to point out several flaws found in these studies. In addition, Ganger also presents more recent studies done in the 70's and 80's from researchers, Lytton and Conway, who examine biological factors that might have led to language deficiencies in twin children. Their research concludes that both biological and environmental variables lead to language deficiency, but environmental variables are more significant. Ganger later in the article also presents other sources of information that implies that boys are found to be two to three months delayed in articulation while girls are found to be (for the most part) at the normal standard for articulation for their age group.

Further conclusions such as birth weight and social factors (twins receiving less directed speech and three-way conversations) were found that affect the language development of twins. In an article by J. Steven Reznick, Ganger finds that although twins tend to have language deficiencies, they are more advanced than singletons in some language domains; for instance, in the ability to use the word "I". The article also states that twins (or singletons) that have more siblings, have a lower IQ in consequence of lack of environmental resources.

Blog Summary 8: Systematic Approach to Grammar Instruction

Responses are due on Wednesday, Sept. 22, at midnight.
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by: Samuel Wofford

Joan Berger was an english teacher that taught 7th and 8th graders, and she was worried about the students misused commas, run-on sentences, plodding subject-verb agreement, and she was trying to figure out how she could improve their writing. So what Berger began to do at the beginning of every class are mini lessons that will teach them the different techniques of writing. When she first started with the mini lessons she didn't see a change until she saw one of her eighth graders papers and they compared it to her seventh grade papers and they saw an improvement in her writing. From that point on Berger planned out the different mini lessons she would teach her students from their seventh through eighth grade years and after each lesson she would make the students incorporate what they learned in their writing. I believe that the method she used to teach her students was a great way to help them learn, because when the average elementary student would of forgot what they learned within a few hours they left the school, which is why teachers will give you homework to refresh their memories. But the way that she made sure that her students remember the lessons is but making them incorporate all of those lessons that was taught in every assignment they have.

Blog 6: Teaching Standard English as Foreign Language to Ebonics Speakers?

Carrie Secret, a fifth grade teacher at Prescott Elementary school in Oakland California, was interviewed about the school's approach to English. They use the Standard English Proficiency program, which is designed to help children learn standard English while acknowledging that Ebonics is its own language. By treating it as a second language, the school isn't making students feel like they're having their home language fixed.

The school doesn't substitute Ebonics for English. They simply teach children that what they're speaking is okay. Standard English is encouraged as much as possible, but children are never put down for the language that they brought to school with them.

The SEP program empasizes not only literacy, but culture and language as well. The teachers want the children to feel like they're achieving something other than mastering a language they're not familiar with. By teaching students that their culture and individual language is important, they feel empowered.

The school emphasizes hearing the language because many times speakers don't realize what they're saying since they're so used to it. They may not realize that they're dropping off letters in certain words and whatnot. So the program puts a strong emphasis on overenunciation, phonics, and dictation. This teacher, Carrie Secret, spends time with critical thinking and content as well.

This mixture of teaching Ebonics and standard English has even allowed some of the students' parents to come in and speak the way they do at home. They no longer feel ashamed. The school board supports the teaching method as well.

Blog Summary 4: What is AAE?

AAE stands for African American English. The author talks about how names can make a person sound smart or dumb based on how it sounds, and even says that some teachers may base their opinions on students depending on their individual names. He then goes on to talk about how AAE is broken English and that many African Americans talk in "lazy English" which he defines as a fractured form of speech without logic or rules. However, he then goes on to make the point that many believe that this is not lazy English and compares it to calling Latin, "lazy Italian". He then goes on to point out the similiarities between AAE and early forms of American and British English. It suggests that the slaves actually learned AAE from their slaveowners and that is why they started to speak that way in the first place. Theoretically if people are speaking AAE, Appalachian English, and Standard American English, they are all still speaking English. Some think that AAE should be a dialect instead of a language which led some African American scholars to feel as if this is all about racism. Over time, a pidgin becomes dominant in a community, and when this happens the pidgin expands to meet the needs of everyone in the community. In the times of slavery it is very obvious that a pidgin was present. Linguistic research shows that AAE is neither broken language or slang, because it produces it's own vocabulary and characteristics of that vocabulary. He leaves it up to the reader to decide if AAE is a dialect or an actual language.

Blog Summary 3: Pronouns and Prepositions--Asian ESL students

Dear all,
Since Terra didn't post her reading summary, here's the one from the other section, created by Erin Morris:

Mark J. Alves, explains that the roll of a pronoun in Asia is very different than the European languages. In Asia common proper nouns are often used when pronouns would be considered appropriate in European languages. According to the author Southeast Asia's "pronoun" systems are made up of terms of address having to do with family relations. Asian ESL students may also struggle with prepositions because they are "words which show a relationship between a noun or pronoun and some other word." It would be difficult to translate and learn prepositions due to how differently pronouns are used in the two cultures.

Blog Summary 2: Sharpening, by Ken Macrorie

Blog summary appears further below. This here was published in the wrong section (it was supposed to be a comment, not a new thread).