So when we first started discussing Discourse Analysis a few days ago, in my notes I wrote a question that I think was presented in class. The question is, "Who is the 'real' you."
I think that for my final project, I would like to push this question a little further. I do not want to answer this question myself, but rather, I think this question could be used in a classroom to help students think about language and how it directly applies to them.
What I think I would like to do is create a lesson plan of sorts. The premise of the lesson will be for me to pose this question to students: "Who is the 'real' you and how does language affect that?"
What I want my students to explore is how the way they speak says something about who they are. I want them to examine stereotypes--do they speak a certain way because of "who they are" or are they "who they are" because of how they speak (getting into Gee's ideas of practices)? I want them to consider how they want language to define them and how they want to define language. I want them to examine the relevance of taking four years of "English" as a requirement to graduate high school: why should they be required to do that? How will it impact their futures?
I know that this would be a really big undertaking. However, I hope that this is a way that students can make an emotional connection to what they are learning in the classroom; I want them to answer the question, "Why are we learning this." I hope that, ideally, I can utilize what they come up with to impact my teaching. I imagine that this project would be done early in the school year and would probably be used in an 11th grade classroom. I am not sure about all of that yet, but this is just a starting point.
Any feedback would be more than appreciated!
The question “who is the real you” is very important, especially with the great deal of outside influence we receive. I was thinking about exploring a similar idea; how social language, specifically Facebook, Twitter and text messaging has influenced writing. I believe having access to these sources have changed what we believe is a “correct” way to write or speak, ultimately influencing our linguistic norms.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree that the way one speaks says something about who they are, even if they do not intend it to. What one says, texts, or writes should have more importance placed on it at an earlier age. I do not think our generation or generations younger than us understand the power of voice, or how harmful it can be. Having my primary major as business marketing has show how important communication is, even if it is only four years of “English” in high school.
I think your idea is large but manageable especially if you are fired up about your idea. I believe some students will make an emotional connection but many will not understand the magnitude of written and verbal communication.
This idea seems to almost be the pivot on which this class is based. So much of what we have done in class as indirectly explored this idea. From the idea of differences in language, to how the spoken language in formed in a class room environment, all seem to skirt around the edges of this idea. The concept of personal voice is invaluable.
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