Background I’ve worked in the field of anthropological linguistics on a number of projects over the years. I’ve had the opportunity to learn on the ground from many different tribes and tribal members in different linguistic contexts who have shared their experiences with me as well. Specifically, I have worked in the field of language revitalization and education where I have worked with groups of people who want to make sure their language has as many rights and privileges as other languages; to ensure that their children will not be persecuted or put down due to their language choice. My field has taken me to many different parts of the world as I’ve collaborated on the development of dic
Listen to the podcast here. Show notes: Amelia studied linguistics, foreign language education, lexicography Anthropological lexicography Worked on language preservation and keeping the language alive for the next generation Quotes: “Words have so much power.” “Words can be used to put others down.” “One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is realizing how powerful language is.” Taught many different age groups, they all just want to be understood As a listener, we can help by actively listening. Foreign language education is important for cultural value- to understand other cultures Language is tied to identity Showing respect to a person’s language shows respect to the people themse
Parents are partners in education It can be easy to think that we send our children to school to learn, and that we don’t need to focus on educating them at home. Vinnie Reynolds said, “Parents as partners in education are critical to learning, especially before they even start school. The foundation we give them at home helps them to grow and progress on a much faster trajectory when they get into school.” The focus on education at home will help our children to have a foundation for learning so that they are able to assimilate the information they learn in school, and have a desire to keep learning. This foundation for learning has a lot to do with how we talk to our children. We want the
Listen to the episode here. Show notes: Mother of 5 children; ages 7, 6, 6, 4, and 2. Been in education since before 2005. Taught preschool. Graduated from Brigham Young University, studied English and Education. Taught in public schools for 8 years. Taught 7th, 8th and 9th grades. Teaches online for a university. Parents have power to influence their children. Too often we outsource the teaching of our children to schools. Parents as partners in education are critical to their learning, especially before they even start school. The foundation we give them at home helps them to grow and progress on a much faster trajectory when they get into school. Parents might feel like their job is just
Reading aloud can really make books come alive! People of all ages enjoy listening to a story. Here are some tips from Kayla Stucki that will help you as you read aloud with your kids. 1. Keep reading to your kids, even when they are older. Reading aloud is not just for the younger kids. Enjoying a book together is a great way to connect to your child. Your kids will never be too old to listen to you read! 2. Alter your voice. There are many ways to do this that can add variety and make the story come alive. Use different character voices, such as nasally or making your voice come from deep down in your chest. Change the speed by reading fast or slow. Change the pitch of your voice, making i
Listen to the episode here. Show Notes: Kayla Stucki is one of 8 kids and grew up in Arizona. Loves reading, started at an early age. Always been interested in books. Volunteered at local library all through high school. Studied early childhood education. Newly married. She is working to become a librarian. “Provide positive reading experiences for kids.” Create a literacy rich environment. Make it a part of your everyday lives. Read to kids, even when they’re older in a fun voice. It’s as interesting and fun for them at an older age as it was when they were younger. Continue to read aloud with your kids as they grow. The voice-Adds to reading experience and connection Audio books are known
From an interview with Jen Crook Comprehension is more important than fluency. If your child is struggling, slow down. Break the words into syllables and help them to read and recognize the parts they know. Then put them together by blending the pieces. Speed will come when foundational skills are met Go back to the basics Make reading fun! The rest will come! Often, children who are struggling with reading have gotten into bad habits. They are sometimes reading so quickly that they miss the meaning of what they are reading. It can be helpful to slow the child down and focus on compression rather than fluency. When a child doesn’t comprehend what they read, this will affect them in so many a
Listen to the podcast here. PODCAST NOTES: Jen Crook is a mother of 4. She studied early childhood education. Jen works with children who are 1-3 grade levels behind in small reading groups. These kids are from a variety of backgrounds. Jen tells how her young daughter did not have a lot of verbal language, but one day she saw her moving letter magnets around on the fridge and naming the letters to make words. She was amazed! About this experience she said, “We read to her a lot. I really felt very strongly- I’d had lots of literacy classes as an early childhood education major and we really felt strongly that that was the key and foundation to all learning, even though we were busy parents
