Blog # 9
Learning Vs Acquisition

Directions:

Label each activity (L) for learning/word recognition or (A)

for acquisiton/ sociopsycholinguistic view. Some activities

can have both labels. Be prepared to explain your choices.

The students:

_L__ 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

_L__ correct peers when they make a mistake during reading

_A__ 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

_A, L__ write rhyming poetry and then discuss different spellings for the same sound

_L__ 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, A__ divide words into syllables

_L__ on a worksheet, draw a line from each word to the picture that starts with the same sound

_L__ make alphabet books on different topics

The teacher:

_L__ pre-teaches vocabulary

__L, A_ does a shared reading with a 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

_L__ asks students to look around the room and find words starting with certain a letter

_A__ uses decodable texts

_A__ sets aside time for SSR (sustained silent reading) each day

_L, A_ 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

_L__ does a picture walk of a new book

_L__ uses a variety of worksheets to teach different skills

Teachers that believe that language is acquired teach students

methods to use during independent reading and writing. They

model the skill the students should demonstrate. Then the students

do the majority of the reading and writing silently then in

shared classroom discussion discuss comprehension of skills. They

are more concerned about the thought behind what is

written and not necessarily concerned with grammatical

correctness. The thought that authentic learning is done by doing

and then anything that needs to be corrected is done afterwards.

Teachers that subscribe to the learned language approach teach

skills prior to reading or writing. They pre-teach vocabulary,

phonetics and correct students immediately as they read and write

orally. The thought process is that skills learned incorrectly are

harder to correct.