Fourth Grade Musings

In Elite Ben-Yosef’ article, “Respecting Students’ Cultural Literacies,“ the author works with students who have been labeled to have academic difficulties.  Through her experiences, Ms. Ben-Yosef believes that many of these students are not “slow,“ but their life experiences and background knowledge are different that what is expected in the curriculum.  The article encourages teachers to identify and embrace local cultures and ethnic experiences surrounding the school.  Teachers should reach out to their students’ social and familial literacy and try to build on that to modify, adapt and change standard academic literacy. 

            I believe Ms. Ben-Yosef is correct in her ideas that students’ cultural, social, historical and familial experiences and education to modify the standard literacy programs.  I think this approach should be used for any subject, whether its reading, language, math or whatever.  Identifying the students’ background knowledge opens doors into their cognitive abilities as well as “building bridges” (Ben-Yosef, 82).  When I was young, everyone went to bed and read for at least thirty minutes.  It wasn’t a chore, but a good part of the day.  We were allowed to read anything we were able, without exception. I wonder what children’s literacy would be like if more families encouraged reading as entertaining and fun way of life instead of just “work for school.”  If reading every night with his or her family was part of student’s background, I believe literacy difficulties may be less pronounced for those students as it is something they want to do, not just something they have to.  Reading would part of their social and cultural background.  I’m not sure how I feel about making students read to meet a school wide goal.  Yes, reading is important.  I think reading would be less strenuous for many students if they saw it as fun

This is the first time I’ve entered a blog in edublog.  Yeah me!