Ch. 2 A Cognitive Apprenticeship Approach to Literacy

This chapter discussed in specific detail the language and role of teachers in literacy activities. The teachers’ tools for communicating specific knowledge, skills and strategies to children assist to stimulate children’s problem solving processes and to provide immediate feedback explicitly describing children’s behavior to reinforce the desirable response (p. 16). Dorn, French and Jones (1998) believe that good questioning prompts help children learn how to problem solve; examples include: Does that make sense?, Does that sound right?, Does that look right? Language to promote self-monitoring actions include: Were you right?, Try that again., What else can you do?, What’s wrong? Along with this the teacher has to monitor their own language and ensure it is meaningful to the students as they ponder the relevance to the task at hand. Our interactions with students is imperative to promote understanding and transfer to all subjects.

Another important aspect to consider is what the authors, Dorn, et. al. (1998) researched as intersubjectivity. This means that the teacher and children share a similar understanding of a particular task. The students have limited experiences especially young learners so the teacher and student have to have the same understanding which comes from the language we choose to use. This concept can be relative to older students in regards to vocabulary. They have to understand the many ways one can explain a concept. A younger child has to know what “little” means in terms of letter case as well as “lowercase” and “small” for example. We cannot assume that students know all vocabulary related to a topic or concept. A child develops new meaning with assistance in the Zone of Proximal Development which is dependent on meaningful interpretations of the situation (p. 18).

The authors of this book characterizes apprenticeship learning as shared problem solving between and active learner and a more skilled partner (p. 19). This sounds like the Discourse theory that Gee (1989) talks about. Modeling, coaching, scaffolding, articulating and reflecting are key points to apprenticeship learning. Modeling requires simultaneous models of language and action for children to observe the strategies and skills they need to apply as they problem-solve on their own. This is done by “think out louds” and asking yourself questions to demonstrate the process of solving a problem say trying to read an unknown word. At the same time the teacher observes the students for understanding. Good models provide children with standards or benchmarks against which they can reflect and evaluate their own progress (p. 19).

Coaching involves guided participation where the teacher observes children and offers hints, reminders, feedback, modeling and other support to ensure a successful performance (p. 19). If a child reads a word wrong, the teacher brings attention to it and knows the skill she is trying to teach which could be first letter cues as she questions the child for meaning and correct letter pronunciation for the word. If the teacher needs to go to a higher level of support she should. This coaching allows the child to understand a new concept from meaningful and successful performance. As students become better readers they can learn to monitor their own reading. The teacher should not red light mistakes with their language but allow the student to problem solve on their own. My son is going into third grade and is not reading at grade level for second grade. We have been reading but I tend to give him the words when he is stuck and he looks at me for corrections or reassurance when he sounds a word out by himself. He does not have self monitoring strategies and will just read and read without understanding what he has read. This is most likely due to a timed reading test from Dibels to show progress and growth that his school assesses. I will have to monitor my language when reading with him.

Scaffolding occurs during guided instruction where teachers provide support to enable students to accomplish a specific task. This is an interactive process where the teachers regulates levels of support according to the child’s understanding so that they can successfully complete the task at hand. Levels of support vary at different times and depend on what the child needs to do and what he needs to accomplish.

Articulation is any language prompt that encourages children to articulate their own knowledge or problems solving strategies during a particular task (p. 21). Articulation develops cognitive processes. Questions allow students to answer as they clarify their thinking. The key to articulation is that students must know the meaning of the language as it describes a way to help them accomplish their goals.

Teachers promote reflection through questions that focus on personal accomplishments as students learn to set standards for themselves in their work. Students learn to self reflect as they analyze work and find examples of good spacing or letter formation at the same time they reflect on what needs improvement. Teachers models reflective actions through “think out loud” when writing or editing.

This chapter discussed in detail the teachers role in apprenticeship learning and how that role extends to students as they acquire new learning and begin to expand their knowledge and skills. A major aspect is the language the teacher uses to guide students toward successful interactions that lead to becoming better readers and writers.   Intersubjectivity occurs when both parties of the apprenticeship understand concepts with meaningful interactions that lead to accomplishing a goal with success.