language theorist summary

Name: Kristin Hettler Professor: Lynn CohenCourse: EDS 610Date: 9-17-2014Summary of assigned language theorist(Halliday)Language is all around us. We need to speak to other people, to ask for things, to communicate our desires, and to tell people our feelings, for example if we are happy, we tell people why, or if we are sad, and tell people we are sad. There are many ways to communicate and express oneself and to children language is the biggest step one can make.Michael Hallidayis a British-born Australianlinguistwho developed the internationally influentialsystemic functional linguisticmodel of language. Children learn to talk to satisfy their own needs and desires. They talk to in order to get what they want and to control objects and other elements around them that they have experienced. When children begin going to school language is often seen as intense interest to children. In school teachers look and listen to the way children talk and make assumptions to their success and potential to the success of their language. Teachers focus on language has become distant because of the new curriculum. The new curriculum is readdressed to instruct children in areas they have been judged deficient. Throughout childrens childhood, children learn to talk within a network of social relationship. Many people talking surround children, while they watch, listen, participate, and acquire the knowledge of the language. According to Halliday “language development is a process whereby the child gradually learns how to mean” (Pinnell pg. 318). Halliday is saying that when infants here language, they are also learning to express meanings by how they can vocalize sound. Infants can rapidly differentiate sounds and learn to say words to satisfy their own needs. For instance, Halliday identified language as universal used to communicate meaning to others and labeled language functions in seven categories. These categories include: 1) instrumental language, 2) regulatory language, 3) interactional language, 4) personal language, 5) imaginative language, 6) heuristic language and 7) informative language. Halliday states “ it is important for children to have experience with many kinds of talking” ( Halliday 1973). Children need to hear and try new language for themselves. When children enter school they bring their knowledge if they ways that language can be used. Pinnell states that eavesdropping on children conservation as they work in a classroom setting. This will help provide insight into different ways language functions in an everyday setting. Interactional language is used in half of all language settings. Children use this kind of language to build social relationships with other children. “Lets work in the sand” is an example of interactional language. Children work together in a social environment they have to share materials and learn how to work together. Instrumental language is defined in about seven percent of all classroom environments. This type of language is seen as children talk to teachers then to other peers. This type of language is used to ask for request, ask for help and seek advice from the teacher. Regulatory language is seen in thirteen percent of language. This type of language is seen in peer-to-peer relationship to control others and say demands. Children use this language to state rules and while playing competitively with each other.Personal expressions of both the teachers and the students are limited by perceptions of roles of the teachers and the lack of time for extended interactions. This kind of language is defined as an expression of ones individuality, such as “here I am.” Teachers roles in a classroom are to help children accumulate knowledge and help communicate this kind of expectation to the students. According to Pinnell “when asked what they usually talked about to their peers and to their teachers, children usually talk to other peers about home and school, but when talking to teachers they always talked about work at school” (Pinnell Pg. 323). This kind of talk makes up about 60 percent of language. Heuristic language is made through investigation and exploration. This is conserved as “I wonder why?” Interacting with other children and working with them in a classroom setting offers many possibilities for exploration. This is crucial to the development of language. Heuristic language can be seen about 30 percent of classrooms. Imaginative language is seen in children who express their fantasies. Fantasy play is crucial is the developmental role of language because they have to think hypothetically and to elaborate on details and to consistent details with a created world. Playing dress up and house with their peers helps language development to help plan and create new ideas in a fantasy role-play. Informative language is often seen in fifteen percent of childrens language. In this type of language children state information. Children tend to use this language to inform about different objects, people and the world that they have experienced. The teachers role is to provide a learning situation where a variety of information can be used. Teachers need to be aware of the possibilities of language development in all the different functions. While working under the limitations of the new curriculum can be difficult, changes in organization could help free up time and help children learn the critical role of language. References Halliday, M.A.K (1973, 1974) Relevent Models of Language. London Introduction (pp 26-37) Pinnell, Gary S. (1975) Language in Primary Classrooms. Theory into Practice. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates , Inc. Vol 14 No 5 (pp 318-327).