Language Investigation #2

Language within the classroom varies widely from the language one might use anywhere else. I feel as though my elementary and middle school educations didn’t do much to establish the language I would use within my further education however high school started to lay the ground work.
While I was in high school I took advanced placement English all four years. We always had an assigned list of reading that we had to do and we would delve into the books within each class to better our understanding. My teachers always had us write about our reading from different approaches as well. I always thought that those classes were intense until I hit my senior year.
My senior AP English teacher’s name was Mrs. Whaley and she taught in a way I had never experienced before. In her class we didn’t read novels instead we read short stories. However we analyzed those stories like you couldn’t believe. She had the class sit in groups of 4 or 5 and she would read the story to us and then let us loose. We had to dig in and find anything and everything we could from the story. Our small groups had to communicate and ask questions and decipher the meanings of things as best we could. She wanted us to explore our own imaginations and our own sense of language to make sense of complex stories. Once our small groups came up with ideas we would come together as a collective class and share what we came up with which would lead to greater discussions and analyzing. After we did such extensive work with the short stories she would have us right about them and she was tough with that aspect as well. She wanted us to portray a good sense of understanding within our writing that matched the understanding we created as a class. If we fell short on this expectation in our writing she would have us rewrite the paper. Mrs. Whaley wanted us to write to an advanced level and she wanted us to see the difference between our first try at the paper and our last. I probably rewrote one or two of my papers six times. I struggled with writing more than most others in my class and so it was the most frustrating process of my life but it really was helpful. Not only did Mrs. Whaley’s class help me learn how to really analyze and how to write at a more proficient level but it gave me the confidence to create my own thoughts from reading and be confident about them.
Having to actually speak up in her class and create a language with the rest of my classmates that we could all understand throughout our analyzing helped me develop my own language that I could build on as I continue my education. I was shown how to think critically and how to pull things out of what I’m reading that I would otherwise think ludicrous. I don’t know how Mrs. Whaley came up with her way of thinking or why her teaching was so different than my other AP teachers but it was the most effective teaching I have had thus far. These days when I am reading or writing I can hear her voice in the back of my head correcting me or I can hear her saying what she would do in certain situations.
Now I don’t want to make it seem like I am amazing at analyzing or at writing because I still struggle, sometimes immensely. But without her I wouldn’t have the basis of how to even begin analyzing or writing. The language I use now when I do volunteer my opinions in class or when I write is more advanced that it would have been without taking her class and I am very thankful that I had her as a teacher in my high school career. She is the one that I will use as my model for when I begin teaching because I believe every kid should experience that level of analyzing and thinking. It will give them a chance to build on their creativity and imagination the way I did while laying amazing groundwork for them to build on as the go to college or wherever life takes them. That class gave me more confidence as a reader and a writer and I want to do the same for my students so that they can extend on their reading and writing and create a classroom language that they can be comfortable with the way I did.

Language Investigation #1
When it comes to communication, mine varies depending on what group I happen to be with or what my surroundings are.
When I am with my roommates or my friends I speak in a very loose manner. When I am with them we don’t have to sound refined, we can laugh and make jokes and bring up anything and everything that is on our minds. Sometimes we do have very serious talks and discuss our life issues, relationship or family problems, school, or anything else we need each other for. My friends and I also have plenty of inside jokes or gestures so we can say things like “O” and we all know exactly what the other is talking about and we all burst into laughter.
The same communication manner happens with my family. Granted with them I can’t necessarily cuss or say absolutely everything that is on my mind but they are also people I can talk about serious things with or laugh with. I come from an extremely large family so the jokes and family insides that we have come up with throughout the years are endless. My dad and I have a special bond and can just look at each other and laugh when certain instances in our family that we always laugh about.
Texting is an entirely different world for most people when it comes to communication but for me it’s not much of a stretch. Yes I am a fan of using “lol” or “jk” or a smiley face here or there but for the most part I like to use proper English. Certain acronyms are just silly and it’s not that hard to text the entire word you are meaning to say. So when I text I spell out words entirely and I put in punctuations where they need to be. I don’t want to sound illiterate just because I am texting; there is no reason for that.
Now when it comes to more professional settings like a classroom or the work place I don’t joke around as much or use such loose forms of communication. People are more likely to judge you within a classroom or work setting so if you don’t up the ante and sound more refined you may be looked down upon. I don’t mean to say that I completely lose my personality but I do tone it down and use a more refined vocabulary and I try to communicate with a more adult sense of attitude.
I always try to use what I consider proper English no matter who I am communicating with, it really all just depends on the level of humility I can bring in to the conversation or situation. I personally feel like you need to sound educated whether you are with your friends or with professionals, it sheds better light on who you are.

memory vignette

When I’m trying to overcome a fear of speaking in front of a crowded room, how do I make myself understood? My mind is in a million places at once, I think to myself keep breathing, don’t get embarrassed, stand tall, and calm the nerves in the pit of your stomach. All the while I’m trying to remember what I meant to say in the first place. As the anticipation creeps up on me of having to speak my actual first word the anxiety starts to overtake me, my mind goes blank. I had everything I wanted to say planned out in my head; I even had a strong array of words that would make my point even stronger. However it’s my turn to speak so I must formulate my point somehow. As I begin to talk I stutter and trip over my words, my heart is racing and I can feel my face turning red from embarrassment.
Keep breathing, you can do this.
The beginning of my dialogue is rough, but I continue and it starts to become easier. My heart rate slows down, my breathing evens out, I have calmed my nerves and the pit of my stomach feels normal. The words I had previously planned start to flow out of my mouth and my array of vocabulary strengthens my argument.
You can do this; it’s not so bad after all. Just keep breathing.