Socio-Cultural Approach to Teaching Writing - Report Example

Running head: Socio-Cultural Approach to Teaching Writing Name Course name Professors’ name Date Introduction This paper utilizes literate practices model to elaborate on socio-cultural approach to teaching writing. In a nutshell, socio-cultural theory propagates a view that learning uses tools for thinking presented by social agents who in the first instance play a role of interpreting and guiding individuals through the cultural path. The argument in this context is that a child internalizes and transforms means of social interaction like language to form intra-mental tools for reasoning, solving problems and other cognitive events. An example is a child who spends time watching cartoons at home. Learning in class will be shaped by such kind of experiences as a child compares classroom work with cartoon experience. The social literacy model applied in reading This model captures four sets of interrelated practices that build literacy in children during the early learning experiences. The first practice is breaking down text and encoding them to give a different meaning from the supposed intended meaning by a writer. The next practice is interpretation and composition of a meaning by both the writer and reader. Subsequent stage of the model sees readers and writers use texts to realize their social need like enjoyment. The final practice in the social literacy model is where the reader or rather a learner goes through route practice to detect underlying ideological meaning in written work and deduce how they are placed in text (Bourdieu, 1998). At the same time, writer consciously or unconsciously brings to light specific values, beliefs, or norms and wish to draw attention of the reader to a particular standing point. Demonstration of the model A child who is reading in class about domestic animals may encounter diagrams of those animals. In order to differentiate between wild and domestic animals, a reader reflects on experiences at home where a cat and dog are kept as pets. Some children may have seen cattle, goats and sheep kept as domestic animals at home. If a reader finds a difficult term which he or she does not know like a hyena, the first reaction is to associate the animal with one of the pets or domestic animal carrying similar details e.g. a dog. This process of trying to determine meaning by associating them with past experience is decoding (Harris, 2003). Reader further navigates through space and time to reflect on cartoon tales previously read or watched. In the long run, the reader will be able to construct a real meaning through reflection and decoding approach. Ability of a child to find meaning is therefore highly dependent on whether a child has encountered a comparably similar situation which formed the basis for attaching cues. From this example, literary practices and context of situation shapes how children execute their reading and writing role. Context of the situation According to Harris et al (2003), the context of situation explains the environment in which readers read and writers write. The choices made by a reader and writer when fulfilling literacy tasks is highly dependent on context of situation. This context is characterized by roles and relationship among participants in a reading and writing circumstances. In writing or reading class, the context comprises of a reader, instructor who is the authoritative figure, and the peers who participate with a common goal of building literacy. The second characteristic of context of situation is subject matter which simply reflects on content focused during a learning process. From the example given to demonstrate the model, the content was a reading on domestic animals. Finally, language mode describes clearly proximity of a reading or writing to spoken or written language. A common example of subject matter or rather content in a writing class for children is identification of diagrams by labelling them with their respective names (Luke, 2000). If a learner is expected to label a diagram of a cup correctly, choice of words occupies the top priority. A child will have to reflect at a term frequently used by caregiver. This indicates that socio-cultural interaction shapes how learning progresses. Context of culture While addressing context of situation, context of culture subsequently comes into play. In a study by Harris (2003), the context of culture influences choices made by learners concerning literacy practices organized. Context of culture is made up of values, beliefs, world views and recommended behaviours shared by members of a culture. Daily activities pursued by children in conjunction with their immediate families define how learners relate with the world. This internalized culture predetermines views and behaviours assumed by children. As children are integrated into their respective homes, schools, and community, they collect vital information which acts as resources for learning and understanding the world (Luke, 2000). What a child encounters at home contributes to the fund of knowledge and will automatically feature while in a learning setting. The funds make up children’s cultural capital and are used to reposition oneself in a teaching learning environment. On the contrary, funds of knowledge may not be used in a classroom due to policy framework or rather times pressures in addition to child’s relationship with an instructor. While students attempt to position themselves in classrooms, they draw on their previous experience which makes up resource power. Nevertheless, the resources and ways children express them may not be in agreement with teacher’s expectation or rather pressure from the curriculum system. Education system gives a defined curriculum followed by teachers regardless of context of culture. This therefore prevents a learner from using his or her resource power to learn. Learning to write from socio-cultural perspective Socio-cultural perspective of learning to write explains a situation where children struggle with various conventions and rules of written or visual codes in addition to encoding choices made from available varieties (Hamer, 2003). Past experiences of a child contribute to the meaning of words or text. To construct words with the right spelling, a child my use strategy of reflecting on previously encountered words or associative meaning. In that same instance, a tactic of vowel or consonant sound is utilized. Effective writing is also realized when children set purposes similar to that of teachers. Theories applied when learning to read are also applicable when learning to write. During early stages of learning, a learner engages in constructing texts with an objective of conveying a message (Barratt-Pugh, 2006). At this stage, learning to write begins with writing letters, grouping them before participating in coping directly from drawings. As learning progress, a learner starts to type common words accurately before constructing variety of text from specific information. At a higher level of learning, a learner creates a sequence of words and images to demonstrate a procedure. Subject matter when learning to write is choice of words used to label diagram. A common observable feature with beginner in writing is drawing diagrams and trying to label them. Normally, the diagrams are not labelled correctly but with constant practice and rearrangement of words, a student succeeds in making correct labels with precise spelling. Skills and strategies in writing sentences This is where a learner produces simplified text thus illustrating materialization of grammar and punctuation which are essential in order to achieve the purpose of writing. With reference to grammar and punctuation, the immediate starting point is completion of a simple sentence while using accurate words (Kress, 2003). An example of such a simple sentence is “she is pretty.” Grammatical errors at this stage are not recognized by a learner thus copies the mistakes. Adverbial phrases are factored into the sentence to show when, where, and how. Subsequently, a learner will check for an adjective that will add more information about noun. At this point, the text produced is clear, accurate with a sentence structure, precise grammar and punctuation marks. To avoid spelling mistakes, a learner has to practice loudly the beginning and ending sounds which will automatically give a potential spelling. An example is ‘Roll’ which ends with a letter “l”. This strategy breaks down words into individual sounds and subsequently, a learner writes letters that carries those sounds. This is one of the encoding strategies evident in literacy practise model propounded by Harris. Letters are also exchanged in a written word to give a different word. In a dissimilar scenario, words are written while paying attention to blends, letter combination and long vowel sound. Words containing letters with double consonant or double vowel take precedence when learning to writer. At a higher level of learning, a learner uses knowledge of word meanings so as to spell the word correctly. In the same vein, to spell mysterious words accurately, a student employs knowledge of word parts e.g. prefix, suffixes, and compound words. From the analysis above, it is evident that learning begins from a simplified format to a more complex stage that requires a learner to use imaginative skills. To measure whether learning took place, one of the guiding objectives is: by the end of the lesson, the leaner should be able to construct simple sentences. This objective capture low learning levels but at an advanced stage of learning, the learning objective may be framed as follows: by the end of the lesson, the student should be able to think critically and interpret information from imaginative and creative angle. These two objectives demonstrate that learning progresses from simplicity to complexity. Relevance of the model to classroom teachers The model helps a teacher to view a learner from some specific angles including codes, meaning, purpose, and critical literacy view (Harris, 2003). These angles corresponds to the four dynamics of literacy building including breaking down text, composing meaning, reading and writing for a reason, and scrutinizing text for their reality and place in society. This therefore provides a detail view of how a teacher should observe, asses or monitor learners. The context in which children arrange meaning, purpose, codes and beliefs should be considered by a teacher in a learning environment. This will help understand how context, both cultural and content, helps shape choices made by a child as they position themselves in class. Conclusion A learner’s perspective of classroom situation and their choices is understood vividly in relation to their cultural capital. In a classroom environment, teachers prefer to use some types of text over others and subsequently marginalize others from the main stream literacy lessons. At the same time, the learning environment is marked by power relation and distribution of status by virtue of choices merit, behaviour and leadership roles. All these factors shape how a child finds a place and voice as literacy learners. Read More