Educational Theory

I sat studying the affective side of learning and the effect that teachers' language has on it. I wondered how I could integrate more student-centered language in a classroom where the students are not able to actively participate in the target language...where a one word response for a question is looked upon as a victory. I looked up, pondering the thought, just in time to see the window filled with several kindergarten faces bouncing in and out of view.

"Teacher Emily!" I heard. "Teacher Emily esta aqui!" "Teacher Emily ta aqui!". Soon I saw a mini-crowd of hopping kindergarten students. I said hello but decided it was probably wise not to discuss educational theory with them, since there is a small but steep drop-off under my classroom window.

After a few more jumps, the kids got tired. But, of course, they couldn't give up that easily. As I tried to decide if I wanted to read, they decided to sit under the window. Every few seconds, I heard "Teacher Emily!" "Teacher Emily! ABC!" "Teacher Emily! ABCDEFG!" (Of course, they had to stop at 'G' because 'H' isn't worth the effort.) "Teacher Emily! Hello!" "Teacher Emily! Blue!" "Teacher Emily! Two!" "Teacher Emily! Baw!" I couldn't quite understand that one, so I looked at the window, just in time to see one of the little munchkins slowly push a ball into sight. I laughed and went to the window to talk to them. They were elated...until two of their little soccer-playing friends ran right into each other, giving one a goose egg the size of Kansas. The kids were rounded up and I returned to Anton and Vygotsky.

One word conversations may not be as thought provoking as a class' work on discovery of the appropriate uses of "would", "should", and "could" but it they sure do make me smile...and I bet in a few years these little rugrats will be debating the word recognition versus the sociopsycholinguistic views on language insturuction...well...maybe not. But I bet they will tell some great stories.