‘Socio-Cultural’ Approaches to Language, Literacy and Learning
Socio-cultural can be defined as relating to the social and cultural practices, thoughts, beliefs and traditions within a particular society (Princeton University, 2003). Language is used worldwide, however every individual learns their own and different language and literacy’s in a variety of ways. Everyone creates their own Discourse. As a teacher we must learn these ways and relate them to our own knowledge about learning language and then create a new unknown discourse of language for the students. In doing this we may refer to the 4 Resources Model (Freebody and Luke, 1990), language as a social cultural practice, literacy development and different text types.
Without language the world we live in would not exist as it does. Texts are constructed to make meaning. But in saying that how a consumer reads or interprets a text may determine its meaning. Ways in which language is used vary exceedingly from different cultures, different nations and different people. The way we use language can depend on who we are talking to what context we are talking in and what we are talking about. Talking is not the only way we communicate in the world today. There is media e.g. TV and radio and also text message and email as well as written text in books and papers. The context a consumer brings to a text can determine its meaning because they may have a different understanding of the things around them. This is their social and cultural knowledge and their own interpretations; however this does not mean their interpretations are wrong. All children come from a different background or specific cultural beliefs. As a teacher you must be able to communicate with your students on a number of different levels and for this to occur a teacher must be aware of a student’s social context and accommodate appropriately.
Through the use of the 4 resources model we are able to recognise that students of different social contexts will interpret texts and different sorts of language in a
Without language the world we live in would not exist as it does. Texts are constructed to make meaning. But in saying that how a consumer reads or interprets a text may determine its meaning. Ways in which language is used vary exceedingly from different cultures, different nations and different people. The way we use language can depend on who we are talking to what context we are talking in and what we are talking about. Talking is not the only way we communicate in the world today. There is media e.g. TV and radio and also text message and email as well as written text in books and papers. The context a consumer brings to a text can determine its meaning because they may have a different understanding of the things around them. This is their social and cultural knowledge and their own interpretations; however this does not mean their interpretations are wrong. All children come from a different background or specific cultural beliefs. As a teacher you must be able to communicate with your students on a number of different levels and for this to occur a teacher must be aware of a student’s social context and accommodate appropriately.
Through the use of the 4 resources model we are able to recognise that students of different social contexts will interpret texts and different sorts of language in a