Blog 6

Learning and Acquisition

Directions:  Label each activity (L) for learning/word recognition or (A) for acquisition/sociopsycholinguistic view.

The students:
A - look up words in the dictionary to write definitions
A - make a Venn diagram to compare two stories
L - practice sounding out words
L - read in round-robin fashion
A/L - correct peers when they make a mistake during reading
A/L - identify words on a big book page that start with the same sound
L - group cards with classmates' names by a criterion on such as first or last letter
L - write rhyming poetry and then discuss different spellings for the same sound
A - ask the teacher how to spell any word they don't know
A - read a language experience story they have created with the teacher
A/L - work in pairs to arrange words from a familiar chant into sentences
L - divide words into syllables
L - on a worksheet, draw a line from each word to the picture that starts with the same sound
A - make alphabet books on different topics

The teacher:
L – pre-teaches vocabulary
L - does a shared reading with big book
L - makes sure that students read only books that fit their level
L - has students segment words into phonemes
A - writes words the students dictate for a story and has students help with the spelling of difficult words
A/L - asks students to look around the room and find words starting with a certain letter
A - uses decodable texts
A - sets aside time for SSR each day
A/L - teaches Latin and Greek roots
A - has students meet in literature circles
L - conducts phonics drills
L - chooses predictable texts
A - teaches students different comprehension strategies
A/L - does a picture walk of a new book
L - uses a variety of worksheets to teach different skills

Source

Freeman, D., and Y. Freeman. Essential linguistics: What you need to know to teach: reading, ESL, spelling, phonics, grammar. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.