Double Entry Journal #11

Chapter 4:Simulations and Bodies

 

1. What does the author mean when he says, "Learning doesn't work well when learners are forced to check their bodies at the school room door like guns in the old West."

The author is pointing out that learning in typical schools today is disconnected from the students’ actual lives and is outside of the context of their everyday decisions and actions, and therefore, the learner’s minds are “disembodied”. (Gee,39)

 

2. According to the author, what is the best way to acquire a large vocabulary?

According to Gee, reading alone will not build a large vocabulary. The best way to acquire a large vocabulary is to “actually experience the ‘worlds’ to which these words refer.” (Gee,40)

 

3. What gives a word a specific meaning?

There is much more to word meaning than just literal definitions. So many of the words in the English language can be spelled the same way, but have a different specific meaning according to the context in which it is used. (Gee,41)

 

4. What does the term "off the hook" mean in each of these sentences?

a.       My sister broke up with her fiancé, so I'm off the hook for buying her a wedding present.

In this sentence, “off the hook “means you are released from a previously required duty.

b.      Them shoes are off the hook dog.

I think this use of “off the hook” means that the shoes are particularly pleasing.

c.       Man that cat was fighting 6 people and he beat them all. Yo, it was "off the hook", you should have seen it!!

I think here “off the hook “means that the experience was incredible or amazing.

 

4. According to the author what is the"work" of childhood? Do you agree?

According to Gee, the work of childhood is play.  (Gee, 42)Although I understand that play is a legitimate and important part of children’s development, I’m not sure I agree with this exactly. When I was growing up I got to play of course, but I was expected to be a contributing member of the household and I spent a lot of time working. Play definitely came last, and was certainly not my “job”. I didn’t like it much then, but looking back, I’m glad that I developed a good work ethic and learned how to get things done and enjoy myself in the process. I don’t think that is something I would have learned naturally if my parents had decided that it was my job to just “play” until I was 18 and then thrown me out into the real world and expected me to know how to work. That doesn’t prepare kids to succeed; it sets them up for failure.

 

5.Why is NOT reading the instruction for how to play a game before playing a game a wise decision?

It is a good idea to skip reading the instructions for playing a video game because the texts are very hard to understand until they have been given specific meanings relevant to actually experiencing the game itself. Its easier just to play the game and learn what you need to do along the way. (Gee, 42)

 

6. Does knowing the general or literal meaning of a word lead to strong reading skills?

Knowing the general or literal meaning of a work does not necessarily lead to strong reading skills because there are so many ways to use words outside of their literal meanings. According to Gee, the literal level of understanding vocabulary is only an “illusion of understanding.” (Gee, 43)

7. What does the author mean by the terms "identity" and "game". Give an example of 3 "identities" or "games" you play?

The author uses the term “game” metaphorically to describe the ways people have to know specific moves they need to make to be accepted in a role, such as a basketball player or a marine biologist, just as in a game, certain steps must be mastered to achieve the ultimate goal and beat it. “Identities” are the roles people take on as they play these “games” I play the games of Aunt, artist, and student. (Gee, 46,47)

 

8. According to the author what is good learning?

 Good learning is learning that involves understanding the right moves in embodied interaction in the world, moves that give person recognition in a certain identity. (Gee, 48,49)

 

9. How does understanding that being able to build a mental model and simulations of a real-word experience is closely tied to comprehending written and oral language support of change the way you think children should learn in school?

Understanding that building mental models and participating in simulation of real- life experiences requires much of the same kind of thinking as comprehending written and spoken language definitely illustrates the disconnectedness of a traditionalist, skill-building approach to learning to read. Students need a variety of experiences in all subject areas that will help them build simulations for understanding specialist areas. (Gee, 52)

 

10. Why is peer to peer interaction so important for the language development of young children? How does knowing this support or change the way you think children should learn in school?

Kruger (1992) is a study that found that when students were evaluated on their responses to a moral dilemma, those who engaged in discussion with their peers made further gains than those who discussed with adult authority figures. Clearly, peer groups offer more reflective discourse and allow children to simulate “ what other people have said and done in relation to their own works, desires, perspectives, and deeds, thereby  seeing what the world and they themselves look like from the perspective of the other” , thus promoting moral reasoning. (Gee, 56)

Knowing this supports my belief that students should not be kept quiet in school constantly, but should be allowed to interact. Students should be given opportunities to engage socially, but also given many more opportunities in the classroom to debate, discuss, and interact in ways that take advantage of the social nature of most children to deepen learning.

 

 

 

source

Gee, P. (2004). Situated language and learning a critque of traditional schooling.