The Power of Language 0

The Power of Language

Kristi Dowty

Los Angeles Pacific University

ENGL 420: Principles of Language

Professor Smarr

April 22, 2024

The Power of Language 1

What is language and why is it important for students to learn? Language “supports the

ability of your child to communicate, and express and understand feelings. It also supports your

child’s thinking ability and helps them develop and maintain relationships.” (Hope Abilitation

Medical Center, 2019) It is the foundation for reading and writing as well as developing

cognitive skills and relationships all throughout life. It has been proven that language

development is connected to early literacy throughout the kindergarten years. Once children are

able to understand how to read and recognize words, they begin to understand how language

works. Before the age of eight, children are forming a foundation for literacy and language

development by discovering patterns and symbols have meaning.

When it comes to the 21st century, “The phrase itself is meant to imply a classroom ready

for the upcoming STEM needs of employment that will allow for innovation, development and

significant advances across tech and non-tech industries.” (Languages, 2023) The goal for

teaching language is to prepare students for the modern age. These goals are intended for

students to be able to work independently as well as within a group in a technically advanced

atmosphere, to be prepared for daily and global interaction, be able to adaptably, flexibility, and

creatively think, and to be able to collaborate with peers and colleagues in the work field. There

are many ways that teachers can get creative inside the classroom, in order to prepare their

students with the skills they need to accomplish these goals.

Some ways that I would incorporate language development in my classroom is to first be

aware of each and every student in my classroom and focus on their needs as a whole. For those

students who are lower than others, I would make sure to offer additional resources that they

could use in order for them to understand the concept better. I want to not only know who my

students are and where they come from, but I also want them to feel just as important as any
The Power of Language 2

other student in my class. For those students where English is their second language, I would

make sure to incorporate the language skills they need to learn with additional help and support

of ESL teachers. I would let my students know where they can go to get additional help. Patience

and clear speech from me is very important for my students because I don’t want them to be

more confused trying to understand me as they are trying to learn the concept of language as

well. Giving each student their own time length to fully grasp and understand a concept is also

important for me because no student should feel rushed when trying to learn a new topic. I would

also make sure to incorporate a fun and engaging activity with each language concept because

students should have fun and want to enjoy learning especially when it comes to language.

Making sure to always review concepts with my students and not moving on to the next concept

too quickly is also important to me because each individual student learns at their own pace and

it is important to me as an educator, to make sure I respect and understand that. Coordinating

with my colleagues and using their help to learn new skills to bring to my classroom is also

important because using the same teaching methods over and over again can bore students and

cause them to lose interest. One concept I will always use in my classroom is allowing my

students to work in groups to practice language concepts because not only will this help them

learn the concept, it allows to be able to build their communication skills, learn about other

cultures and backgrounds, as well as gain an understanding of different perspectives even though

they are all learning the same concept.

The 21st century focuses on global competency which is being used in the education field

today. Schools play a critical role in global competency because “They can provide opportunities

for young people to critically examine global developments that are significant to both the world

at large and to their own lives.” (OECD, 2018) Students are also able to learn to appreciate and
The Power of Language 3

respect people from all over the world. It allows every student to be able to learn how to adapt,

work, and build relationships with them in the workforce. For those students who don’t have

English as their first language, they will learn the skills they need in order to be able to

communicate, read, and write so they can build relationships in the English world. Globally

competency is important because it teaches us how to live harmoniously within multicultural

communities, to be able to succeed in a diverse workplace, to be able to keep up with technology,

and to be able to learn about world inclusion and why it is important.

The Power of Language 4

References

Hope Abilitation Medical Center. (2019). Importance of Language Development and Literacy in

Children. Hope AMC. https://www.hope-amc.com/importance-of-language-development-and-

literacy-in-children/

Languages, P. (2023, September 19). 21st-century skills and the English language classroom.

Www.pearson.com. https://www.pearson.com/languages/community/blogs/2023/09/21st-

century-skills-in-the-classroom.htmlOECD. (2018).

Global competency for an inclusive world. In OECD. https://www.oecd.org/education/Global-

competency-for-an-inclusive-world.pdfUniversity of San Diego. (2022, March 21).

11 Essential strategies for teaching english language learners [For any teacher]. University of

San Diego - Professional & Continuing Education. https://pce.sandiego.edu/11-essential-

strategies-for-teaching-english-language-learners-for-any-teacher/