TBCS - Craig - PLD - Nurturing Competent Communicators Andrew Pudwa

Two Things You Can Do To Build Language Patterns And Nurture Competent Communicators

These notes are taken from the PLD conference I attended with Andrew Pudewa entitled Spicing up Your Kids' Learning.

There is a false assumption that good readers make good writers...

Some get it (write and make sense) - some don't.

You can't get out (good English) what isn't in there in the first place.

Four reasons might be...

1.  T.V. / Radio etc. are not a reliable, correct, or sophisticated language to input.

2.  Peers are not a reliable, correct, or sophisticated language to input.

• Children change their vocabulary and complexity of language if with older children
• Children with the same age tend to dumb down and degress.

3.  Busy parents and adults.

4.  The way they read.

• Read lots - Read too fast and don't audibly hear complete sentences etc.                                                      - Skip unknown words                                                                                                   
• Read little - do other stuff and not get language from books.

Solutions

1.  Read to them.     

• Don't skip anything.
• Read nuance

Read to them above their own decoding level.

The number 1 predicator of good writing in Adults is being read to by your parents.

The 2nd is audiobooks.

Reading to others does the same.

As an adult...

• Read what you want to read.
• Read whole books.
• 1850 - 1900 was the golden era of writing and language.
• Read to the whole family

2.  Memorizing and Recitation

Memorization of anything is de facto good for the brain. It makes you smarter.

• Poetry
• Music and Drama
• Choreographed Dance
• Precise Memorization

In the olden days, "I have to go to school to say my lessons."

Memorising grows the brain and database of reliable, accurate, sophisticated language and syntax etc.

Suzuki Method is one example.

When learning another language, you can often hit a wall. One way passed is memorising a book (e.g. Jack and the Bean Stalk) 

At school and even pre-school, it is good to memorise poems every week and keep reciting all of them all the time.

Where to next

2019 will see me begin to teach recorder. It will include teaching the students to read and play music with confidence but also learning songs by memory. 
I will continue to prioritise reading aloud to my students with nuance and at a level above their own decoding level.
Memorising Memory Verses will be a priority for 2019. I will also add memorising some poems to the programme.

• Professional Learning

Undertaking PLD and further professional reading.

Attending and contributing to PLD opportunities within and beyond my school.

Sharing PLD knowledge, relevant readings and research with colleagues.

• Learning-Focused Culture