Oct 19, 2009 these words of peter johnstons from his book choice words 2004 have been tumbling around in my mind this weekend. Developing in children a sense of agency is not an educational frill or some mushyheaded liberal idea. I often find connections to and examples of things i read in the book as i go about my daily work. This easy to read book contains examples of effective choice words to use in the classroom. Word choice what this handout is about this handout can help you revise your papers for wordlevel clarity, eliminate wordiness and avoid cliches, find the words that best express your ideas, and choose words that suit an academic audience. How our language affects childrens learning up to now about the guide weve choice words. If nothing else, children should leave school with a sense that if they act, and act strategically, they can accomplish their goals. Much of my talk expanded on vygotsky s 1978 observation. Choice words lesson plan choice words have students define and give examples of the following. Children who doubt their competence set low goals and choose easy tasks, and they plan poorly.
If you need more room, use lined paper and staple to the back of this sheet. There is a new first chapter, basics of logic, which is a brief introduction to. How our language affects childrens learning by peter johnston you have the opportunity to earn more than 3 ceus when you take the sorla bookstudy class. I plan to keep them close as i go about my work this week. Johnston explains how we may be limited in some of our choices as educators, but the language we use with our students is always our ch. Choice words peter johnston used the book choice words to explain the importance of language and how it can affect the way a student learns. It is a book that speaks well to dilemmas we wrestle with in ministry. Even though it has been three years since i first read johnston s book, it still resonates with me strongly and impacts my teaching.
Questions that support the language category noticing and naming we notice, we observe, we name. The greater the gap between teacher and learner, the harder teaching becomes johnston, 2004, p. Throughout this book, peter johnston provides examples. I would, without hesitation, recommend choice words for any project that is seeking a professional grant writing team.
As you work on a paper, you choose your topic, your approach. Literacy, learning, thinking and classroom communities. Grounded in a study by accomplished literacy teachers, the book demonstrates how the things we say and dont say have surprising consequences for what children learn and for who they become as literate people. As children become literate they are developing personal and social identities johnston 22. Jan 01, 2004 this was the case for me with peter johnston s choice words. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. To earn the additional ceus, you will need to both read the book. That intellectual life is fundamentally social, and language has a special place in it. Johnston if we have learned anything from vygotsky 1978, it is that children grow into the intellectual life around them p. As i am often behind the curve, im still reading choice words, johnston s first book or rereading as the case may be. In it, the author focuses on things teachers say and dont say that effect powerful change in.
How our language affects childrens learning opinions consumers are yet to yet left their article on the overall game, you arent see clearly but. Rewrite this passage replacing the underlined words with more interesting alternatives. This makes it much easier for me to organize the information in my head. Teachers create intellectual environments that produce not only technically competent students, but also caring, secure, actively literate human beings. Choice words has helped craft a successful narrative that allowed these critical hudson valley projects to receive funding from both new york state and the federal government. Much of my talk expanded on vygotskys 1978 observation. Word choice worksheet loudoun county public schools. Peter h johnston discusses the importance of the language teachers use with children for developing successful readers, writers, and literate members of society, and highlights the complex learning that teachers. Choice words, peter h johnston shop online for books in. But even so, we are free to choose, free to become great by choice.
Choice words classroom classroom management code of conduct community construct content cooperative disciplin co teching. In preparation and while waiting for amazon to deliver opening minds, i decided to reread johnston s choice words. Amazon price new from used from kindle edition please retry. Peter johnston and some powerful ideas teaching ace. Joan johnston is the new york times and usa today bestselling author of 54 novels and novellas, with more than 10 million copies of her books in print. Just by simply stating things differently or redirecting behavior differently a teacher can change the way their class learns. Questions we have about faithfulness versus fruitfulness. Compound words phrase idiom slang adage expression the game can be played many ways and adapted to many different classrooms. Choice words in productive classrooms, teachers dont just teach children skills.
Opening minds chapters it is finally time to read opening minds by peter johnston. The award cited choice words as a book that has demonstrably and positively influenced literacy teaching in classrooms and districts nationally. Agency matters developing in children a sense of agency is not an educational frill or. Choice words by peter h johnston, 9781571103895, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Choice words is a paradigm stretching book about how we can change the dynamics of our classrooms and guide students toward their independence and agency. I can use protocols to structure discourse with my students. Identity the uniqueness and affiliations that define the.
Word choice is an essential element for any student learning to write effectively. How our language affects childrens learning and over one million other books are available for amazon kindle. In productive classrooms, teachers dont just teach children skills. To set up agentive narratives, children have to face problems johnston, 2004, p. Grounded in a study by accomplished literacy teachers, the book demonstrates how the. Making a choice requires one to act preferably to deliberate and act johnston, 2004, p. Originally, the wording was used to indicate an especially pleasing bouquet of words, as, for example, in this instance from vernon lushington, on learning by heart, reproduced in classbook of english poetry 1866. I can cite reasons for embedding discourse into my classroom. The set phrases a few choice words and some choice words have a more interesting past than i had imagined. About a decade after that study was published, peter johnston and. I read johnston s first book, choice words, during my student teaching, and i can honestly say that his ideas and suggestions have forever changed the way that i talk to kids. In his groundbreaking book, choice words, peter johnston demonstrated how the things teachers say and dont say have surprising consequences for the literate lives of students.
Peter johnston s new book choice words how our language affects childrens learning grew out of his work with exemplary teachers. Choice words language affects childrens learning teachers have to think carefeully about the language they use to offer students the best learning experience and environment heres what i thought about the book this book was enjoyable easy to read love the flow of the book i felt. In his groundbreaking book choice words, peter johnston demonstrated how the things teachers say and dont say have surprising consequences for the literate lives of students. Choice words by peter johnston category what it means. For the past decade, johnston and his colleagues have observed, interviewed, and reported on what makes an effective teacher. Choose a group member to record all of these interesting words while the.
These students are denied exploring the real role of words in writingto create meaning, and to attract and satisfy the reader. Other books are gamechangers profoundly changing my view of teaching and learning. Throughout, peter johnston provides examples of apparently ordinary words, phrases, and uses of language that are pivotal in the. Chapters one and two this summer there is quite a bit of discussion happening all around the place focused on peter johnston s new book, opening minds. Once home, with my mind freed up from the constant stream of information i. I have also added answers to selected exercises at the end of the book to provide the student with quick feedback on his or her under standing of the material. Teachers conversations with children help the children build the bridges between action and consequence that develop their sense of agency johnston, 2004, p. Use a thesaurus or the word choice booklets if necessary. A few weeks ago i had the opportunity to hear peter johnston, author of choice words and opening minds, speak. Johnston explains how we may be limited in some of our choices as educators, but the language we use with our students is always our choice. The more all staff use the same language when addressing issues in school, the more students will consistently meet our behavioral expectations. Some of my favorite quotes from choice words by peter h. These points and all transcripts and some cartoons are in my book opening minds. How our language affects childrens learning 9781571103895 by johnston, peter h.
Using language to change lives, peter shows how the words teachers choose affect the worlds students inhabit in the classroom, and ultimately. Choice and chance i have reorganized, simplified, and extended the material in the third edition. Throughout, peter johnston provides examples of apparently ordinary words, phrases, and uses of language that are pivotal in the orchestration of the classroom. Sep 14, 20 in chapter three peter johnston talks about how children develop an identity through literacy.
We have to ask what discursive histories have made it possible for them to say what they say and we have to be aware that we play a critical role in arranging the discursive histories from which these children speak johnston, 2004. See all 8 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. Proper usage and audio pronunciation plus ipa phonetic transcription of the word choice of words. Appropriate word choice allows students to display their knowledge, not just about english, but with regard to any given field of study from science and mathematics to civics and history. Choice and chance an introduction to inductive logic. Choice of words definition of choice of words by the free. If you are looking for a professional book to add to your reading list, choice words. I am truly grateful for choice words,and i wish there was a way to ensure that every teacher. We often assume that students know things, or know them in particular ways, when they do not johnston, 2004, p. How our language affects childrens learning paperback jan 1 2004. Find 263 synonyms for choice of words and other similar words that you can use instead based on 2 separate contexts from our thesaurus.
Through the identity of characters in a novel children can create theirs. We have to remember that we are not just giving students feedback. Choice words shows how teachers accomplish this using their most powerful teaching tool. Ive read johnston s book 5 times at least and it definitely helps remind me of what matters. I am truly grateful for choice words,and i wish there was a way to ensure that every teacher, teacher educator, school administrator, and researcher would read it.
Johnston s book, choice words, is a must read for all educators. Its sometimes hard for me to write acknowledgments for the simple reason that my life as an author has been blessed with a kind of professional stability that strikes me as somewhat rare in this day and age. I like the way the author breaks the chapter into sections. I can apply the why, what and how of discourse to my classroom. How our language affects childrens learning by peter h johnstonbuy. I always reread parts of choice words another of his books every summer to refresh my thinking about the language i use with my students so i was excited to learn he had written another book on this topic.
877 416 841 109 589 163 1210 747 1379 1251 896 1010 116 422 1567 591 616 583 1141 178 702 1157 159 212 852 135 1566 1189 196 634 1185 173 1168 1144 478