Language Arts and Socialization

It goes without saying that communication is the foundation of one’s social life. If a student were to have trouble in reading or writing – two forms of communication – then that child runs the risk of stunting his/ her social life. For Sahara, her difficulty to make and keep friends may stem from her academic delay. From passing notes in the hallway, to sending instant messages online, reading and writing are integral parts of making and keeping friends.

Throughout my time at Meredith College, I have tutored ESL students around the Raleigh area. In working with these students, I can see the importance of reading and writing on their social skills. Ms. Savastano, a kindergarten teacher at Powell Elementary, stated that, ““the fostering of self-confidence and self-esteem is extremely important.” Ms. Savastano informed me that as Irbin began to speak and communicate in English (he knew none when he came to Powell Elementary in August), it was important that the teachers encouraged and praised him for everything he said and did. Even from the beginning, it was easy to see that Irbin was very eager and loves to learn. Today, Ms. Savastano can see that Irbin is gaining more confidence daily and speaking more. She said that it is important not to correct his mistakes in a harsh way so as not to discourage him. Through this example, we can see that language arts have a great deal to do with socialization.

Although this ESL student represents an extreme case, it helps to show that language delay or disability can have an impact on socialization. Students with less vocabulary or poor grammar may be reluctant to speak up in class in front of their peers.

As a teacher, I would encourage all of my students to keep a journal. In personal journals, students can write about events in their own lives and about other topics of special interest. Furthermore, I would encourage collective learning such as group work, and think-pair-share activities.