|
|
|
|
|
Jackie Collier Web Site Written by a Speech Teacher for Speech Teachers |
| Children's talk is an essential part of language arts and is necessary for academic success in all content areas. (Heath, 1983) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| There are many reasons
for teaching and encouraging speaking in Middle Level and High School
classrooms. I personally have always wondered why so many people go
into the teaching profession who seem to dislike the sound of children
talking. We spend the first five years of children's lives teaching
them and encouraging them to talk. Then they go to school and talking
is often discouraged or punished. Talking is the primary means by
which people communicate. I do not mean to say that every student
should be able to say whatever, whenever. However, a wise teacher will
take advantage of the natural inclination of children to converse to make
learning more meaningful. My position is supported by research:
Cazden, 1988, Wells & Chang-Wells, 1992, and Heath, 1983 all found talk to
be essential to academic success in all content areas.
While most students are able to talk, not all have an understanding of how to participate appropriately in conversation and many are terrified of public speaking. Children must learn appropriate uses of talk just as they learn other academic skills. Teachers, therefore, need to teach these skills. Using speech appropriately and accurately will give students confidence and power over their own learning. Valerie Tompkins (1998) does an excellent job of describing types of talk and strategies and skills teachers can use to teach them.
adapted from: Tompkins, Valerie (1998). Language Arts: Content and Teaching Strategies. Upper Saddle River, NJ. Merrill. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||