Kaitlyn Kelleher
ECI 430: Dr. Young
Action Portfolio
Thoughts on Andrews LEA chapter 3:
On page 64, of the LEA text, Andrews discusses the “discombobulated
inarticulacy” that students are faced with once they enter the semantic environment
of the classroom. Andrews observes that students are more comfortable with social
talk because they get more practice with it. As a teacher, I have learned from this
chapter that I must be more aware of the balance between social and academic
communication in speaking. My students will not come to my classroom with
ingrained knowledge of how to interact with their peers and administrators in a
literary discourse community. One way to ensure that students get more practice
with this type of semantic environment is to schedule “group talking activities”
(Andrews 64). These activities must have a distinct purpose and guiding questions
(Andrews 65).
For Your Inquiry and Practice: Why is it that the person initiating a telephone
call doesn’t speak first? No, it’s the one who answers the telephone, the person
being called, who is expected to speak first, either by saying “Hello” or, if it’s a
business telephone, by identifying the organization or firm what happens when
a social fact like this is violated? The next time you answer your residential
telephone, pick up the handset and say nothing. What happens? (Andrews 54).
What happens when I answer my telephone and say nothing? My sister gets
an attitude – that’s what happens. The whole first half of the conversation is edgy
because I broke a rule in communication, and as a result, she believes that my heart
isn’t in it.
It is though, and my sister eventually gets over my faux pas, but it was
amusing. I told her about it later that evening, and she has formally forbidden me
from any future “Jedi-mind-tricks” (whatever those may be). Interuptions in
semantic environments cause disequilibrium in communicating individuals. This
disruption in communication often ends in defensiveness.
Additional Chapter of Choice: Andrews LEA Chapter 8
Larry Andrews’ Chapter 8 is all about “Regional, Social, and Historical
Variations” (Andrews 203). This chapter specifically targets variations in the
English language. This always interests me, because I am a covert
teacher/anthropologist. Clash of cultures within contemporary American society
fascinates me, and language is a component of culture. One can even say that it is a
tool in culture. This chapter discusses the cultural connotations of variation in the
English language and what it means (and has meant) for the field of education.
LEA Chapter 8 Activity (Andrews 212-213)
“FOR YOUR INQUIRY AND PRACTICE:
The following words are all regular verbs. The pastptense marker <-ed> that is
used with them comes in three different phonetic forms, /t/, /d/, and /Id/.
1.) Hop
7.) Bat
2.) knit
8.) Explain
3.) kick
9.) Need
4.) Score
10.) Side
5.) Stretch
11.) Flex
6.) Bag
12.) Burn
Pronounce each of these words aloud in the past tense. Note especially the sound
of the <-ed-> past-tense marker for each one. Sort the verbs into three columns
according to which past-tense marker is used.
MY RESPONSE:
/T/ = hopped, kicked, stretched, flexed.
/D/ = scored, bagged, explained, burned.
/Id/= knitted, batted, needed, sided.
According to Andrews, “This activity helps students understand that language
variation is very normal; language variation is something every English speaker
participates in” (213). I didn’t have anyone to compare it to, but I can see how this
would be an amazing activity in the classroom setting!