TyroneC.Howard
UCLA
TheEnglishLearnerMasterPlanInstitute
July26,2016
Followthistalk@TyroneCHoward
AttitudeofGratitude
Thankyouforbeinginthearena!
• “Iwanttobeinthearena.I
wanttobebravewithmylife.
Andwhenwemakethechoice
todaregreatly,wesignupto
getourasseskicked.Wecan
choosecourageorwecan
choosecomfort,butwecan’t
haveboth.Notatthesame
time…Alotofcheapseatsare
filledwithpeoplewhonever
venturetothefloor.Theyjust
hurlmean-spiritedcriticisms
andputsdownsfromasafe
distance.”
Whydosomechildrensucceedinschoolswhile
othersdonot?
Grit…
…Alsonecessaryisaqualitycalled“grit,”looselydefined
aspersistenceovertimetoovercomechallengesand
accomplishbiggoals(Duckworth,2013,Schectman,
2013;Dorsnife,Rosier,&Yarnall,2013)comprisesasuit
oftraitsandbehaviorsincluding:
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Goaldirectedness(knowinghowtogetthere)
Motivation (havingstrongidentifiedgoals)
Self-control(avoidingdistractionandfocusingongoal)
Positivemindset(embracingchallengeandseeing
failureasalearningopportunity)
Perseverance&Grit
UniversityofPennsylvaniapsychologistAngelaDuckworthinvestigated
theroleofperseveranceinachievement.Duckworthandcolleagues
haveusedintheirstudiesitemsthatarelistedundergrit’stwo
subscales,thefactorsthatcomprisegrit:
• ConsistencyofInterestsSubscale.Theseitemsareansweredona
four-pointscale:
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Verymuchlikeme
Mostlylikeme
Somewhatlikeme
Notmuchlikeme
PerseveranceofEffortSubscale:
• Newideasandprojectssometimesdistractmefrompreviousones.
• Ihavebeenobsessedwithacertainideaorprojectforashorttime
butlaterlostinterest.
• Ioftensetagoalbutlaterchoosetopursueadifferentone.
• Setbacksdon’tdiscourageme.
• IfinishwhateverIbegin.
• Ihaveachievedagoalthattookyearsofwork.
Whynotconsider…
• Ihearmyparentstalkingaboutnothaving
enoughmoneyfortherent.
• WheneverIgetsick,Iamabletogotoadoctor.
• Wealwayshaveenoughfoodinourhome.
• Iworryaboutgettingtoschoolsafely.
• TherearetimeswhenIhavetostayhometocare
foryoungerbrothersorsisters.
• IknowwhereIamgoingtosleeptonight
• Iamaskedtolearnwithoutusingmyprimary
language.
AttributionTheory
Attributions- arethereasonswegivefor
ourownandothersbehaviors.
Peoplearemotivatedtounderstandthe
causesofbehavior.Attributiontheory
seekstoexplainhowandwhypeople
makethesecausalattributions.
(Graham,1982,Weiner,1980,1982)
TheFundamentalAttributionError
….isthatweoverestimate thepower
oftheperson
andunderestimate
thepowerofthesituation.
Jones & Nisbett (1971; Graham, 2004; 2011)
Whydopeoplemakethefundamental
attributionerror?
• Thesituationisnotsalientwhenpeoplemake
attributionsforthebehaviorof others,butthe
situationissalientwhenmakingattributions
forone’sownbehavior.
• Thus,peoplearemoreinclinedtotakethe
situationintoaccountwhenexplainingtheir
ownbehavior.
ALookatClassroomsinLosAngeles
County
CurrentdemographicsintheU.S.,ifanurbanclassroomof30wouldlooklikethefollowing:
— 20ofthe30studentswouldliveinpoverty
— 3wouldliveinwhatisconsidered“extremepoverty”
— 10ofthestudents’primarylanguagewouldnotbeEnglish,butwouldbeoneof
over350languagesspokeninU.S.schools
— 6wouldnotberearedbytheirbiologicalparents(Rearedbyextendedfamilyor
fosterparents)
— 2ofthestudentswouldbehomeless
— 10ofthestudentswillhavebeenexposedtosometypeofphysical,verbal,or
emotionalabusebeforeturning18yrs old
- U.S.DepartmentofEducation,2013;U.S.CensusBureau,2011;CaliforniaDepartmentofEducation,2015;Children'sDefenseFund,2014;CaseyFoundation,2013)
Whatismissingintheconversationon
motivation&grit?
Trauma
Culture
Language
Learning
The Effects of Trauma
Traumaistheemotional,psychologicaland
physiologicalresidueleftover fromheightened
stressthataccompaniesexperienceofthreat,
violenceandlifechangingevents
Source:AustralianChildhoodFoundation,MakingSpaceforLearning:TraumaInformedPracticeinSchools, 2010,
<www.childhood.org.au>
Amoreoverwhelmingeventthanaperson
wouldordinarilybeexpectedtoencounter.
Untreatedtraumahasadirectinfluenceon
cognitivedevelopmentandacademicoutcomes
Source:AmericanAcademyofChildandAdolescentPsychiatry,<www.aacap.org>
TypesofTrauma
InformedPracticeGuide,ProvincialMH&PracticeCounsel,May2013
• Singleincidenttrauma:unexpected&
overwhelmingevent
• Complexorrepetitivetrauma;ongoing&
normalized
• Developmentaltrauma:exposuretoearlylife
trauma
• Intergenerationaltrauma:Effectsfromliving
withtraumasurvivors
• Historicaltrauma:massivegrouptrauma;
experiencesofimmigrants,refugees,historically
marginalizedpopulations
Whatarecontributorstotrauma?
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Poverty
Abuse
Neglect
Exposuretodeath/violence
Separation
Lackofsafety
Bullying
Displacement
Discrimination(Race/Gender)
Disconnectfromculturalnorms/knowledge
CultureMatters
Asystemofsharedbeliefs,values,
customs,behaviors,andartifacts,
consciousandunconscious,transmitted
acrossgenerationsthroughlearning.
CULTURE: integrated human
knowledge, belief and behavior,
which depends on the capacity of
symbolic thought and social
learning (pan-human or shared
by different groups).
Mind
LANGUAGE is a system of
(verbal) signs
embedded in social and cultural
reality of language users.
Fundamental to acquiring new
Knowledge.
The structures of language
reflect (and shape?) COGNITIVE
STRUCTURES.
Language
Culture
Learning
Theory’s Principles and Concepts
n Children construct their knowledge.
Knowledge is not transferred passively, but is personally
constructed.
n The learning is mediated.
Cognitive development is not a direct result of activity, but it is
indirect; other people must interact with the learner, use mediatory
tools to facilitate the learning process, and then cognitive
development may occur.
n Language plays a central roles in mental
development.
The most significant sociocultural tool is language, as it is used to
teach tool use and is vital in the process of developing higher
psychological functions.
LinguisticMicro-aggressions
Denialof
Primary
Language
Belittling
Primary
Language
Failureto
recognize
non-linear
formsof
discourse
Devaluing
NonStandard
Formsof
Language
CultureinDiscourse
(Au,1995,Gay,2000)
TopicCenteredApproach
TopicChainingApproach
-Linear
-NonDescriptive
-Straightforward
-LacksContext
Episodic
&
Detailed
HowCanSchoolsRespond?
• Recognize&respectlanguagediversityand
dexterity
• Recognitionofthesalienceoflanguage,
cultureandlearning
• Socio/emotional&Socio/culturalsupports
• Mentalhealthsupportsareintegraltostudent
learning
• Enhanceknowledgeonlanguagesupports
PopularCultureVocabulary:Canyouidentifyat
leastfiveofthesewords?
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Ratched
Throwin’Shade
OnFleek
Bru
Fo Shizzle
LMAO
StruggleBus
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Frontin
OnBlast
Homie
Dawg
Keepit100
Beastin’
Lit
“I'velearnedthatpeoplewillforgetwhatyou
said,peoplewillforgetwhatyoudid,but
peoplewillneverforgethowyoumadethem
feel.”
- MayaAngelou
THANKYOU!!!!
[email protected]
Popular Culture Vocabulary: Can you
identify at least five of these words?
} Ratched
} Throwin Shade
} On Fleek
} Beastin’
} Bru
} Fo Shizzle
} LMAO
} Struggle Bus
} Frontin
} On Blast
} Homie
} Dawg
} Keep it 100
} Beastin’
} Lit
Y-Chart Activity
Instructions
1. At your table post it note write
one characteristic that you see,
hear, or feel in a culturally
responsive and linguistic
supported classroom.
2. Put your notes it on the
corresponding chart in the
room.
Copyright: Video Education America
• “Itwasthiscombination
ofpassionand
perseverancethatmake
achievers”
• “Mytheorydoesn’t
addressoutsideforces”
(p.42)