•  
  •  
 

Publication Date

2-1-2005

Abstract

Reading methodology courses, like other courses in college, are often one-dimensional when it comes to instructional delivery systems. Too often, "teacher talk" that elicits far too little reflection prevails. This practice can be changed with activities calling for students to construct knowledge from their experiences, thus following basic tenets of constructivism. The purpose of this article is to discuss how pre-service teachers can be taught to think beyond strategies in methodology and reflect upon language itself Three instructional strategies - semantic feature analysis, fictitious writing systems activities, and nonsense story analysis - are examples of ways college professors can get students to reflect upon the intricacies of language and thought processes relating to reading and language arts. We discuss how these strategies can help move classes away from lecture-oriented formats that call for too little reflection and integration of students' experiences and knowledge to formats that actively engage students in learning.

Included in

Education Commons

Share

COinS