Language as Action -- Van Leir and Walqui's Language Acquisition Theory by Sidney Shaw https://padlet.com/sidneyshaw24/1sjf1mbnn62trwqg Giving students meaningful activities and experiences to support language development in every classroom. en-us 2021-05-15 00:41:13 UTC 2024-02-26 03:41:54 UTC hello@padlet.com Changing our perspective on what language is... sidneyshaw24 https://padlet.com/sidneyshaw24/1sjf1mbnn62trwqg/wish/1526520284 According to Leo van Leir and Aída Walqui in Understanding Language's article, "Language and the Common Core State Standards," language is a form of human action and is inseparable to all parts of our lives, including the physical, social, and symbolic forms.

A students' language is a expression of their agency, which gives them the ability to act and be involved. Language can be facilitated or debilitated by individuals around them and social factors, including sociocultural, historical, economic and political determinants (Van Leir & Walqui, 2011).]]> 2021-05-15 00:51:56 UTC https://padlet.com/sidneyshaw24/1sjf1mbnn62trwqg/wish/1526520284 "It is all about the context in which language takes place" sidneyshaw24 https://padlet.com/sidneyshaw24/1sjf1mbnn62trwqg/wish/1526574096 Walqui discusses that teachers and readers must understand how language is used, how it is embodied in the context, and is made up of movement instead of just what we say. ]]> 2021-05-15 01:47:14 UTC https://padlet.com/sidneyshaw24/1sjf1mbnn62trwqg/wish/1526574096 Step 1: Creating meaningful activities for students sidneyshaw24 https://padlet.com/sidneyshaw24/1sjf1mbnn62trwqg/wish/1526583639 These activates consist of projects, presentations, investigations, arguments, etc.

These should engage students' interest and personal lives and encourage language growth through perception, interaction, planning, research, discussion, and co-construction of academic products. (Van Lier and Walqui, 2011)

Language development occurs when teachers prepare careful scaffolding with student collaboration. It takes focused cognitive and linguistic work with students having the ability to work individually and in group settings that promote choices and creativity. 

https://www.participatelearning.com/blog/let-students-lead/]]> 2021-05-15 01:56:53 UTC https://padlet.com/sidneyshaw24/1sjf1mbnn62trwqg/wish/1526583639 Step 2: Action-based activity example by Anthony Defazio sidneyshaw24 https://padlet.com/sidneyshaw24/1sjf1mbnn62trwqg/wish/1526600779 Having students write multiple letters about language to a person of their choice, this could be a family member, a friend, a teacher, or a person from another country. Students work individually or in pairs to draft and craft their letters  and can also work in groups to create a poster presentation about their main topics. This can later lead to class discussions about what they agree or disagree with and practice their presentation and communication skills which include body movement, posture, expression, gesture, rhythm and oral communication (Walqui & van Lier, 2010).]]> 2021-05-15 02:14:15 UTC https://padlet.com/sidneyshaw24/1sjf1mbnn62trwqg/wish/1526600779 Step 3: Language should ultimately be taught and practiced in all content areas sidneyshaw24 https://padlet.com/sidneyshaw24/1sjf1mbnn62trwqg/wish/1526611913 Schools teach language as its own subject while it can best learned in all subjects (Lier & Walqui, 2011).
Students are engaged in language and its social context in everything they do and giving students autonomy to that language is incredibly important. Providing a safe and comfortable environment where students can make mistakes and learn from them is vital to students being able to engage in meaningful experience. It is also important to address the experiences students will have outside of the classroom that make them feel belittled or unworthy because of their language use. Making sure students understand the complexities of language and how language is "standardized" unfairly is key to providing agency to redress adverse issues in society and inequalities that individuals face.

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