Blog: Week 6: Sharing Your Language and Literacy Development Journey with Your Community of Practice

Blog: Week 6: Sharing Your Language and Literacy Development Journey with Your Community of Practice

Language and literacy as we all know starts at birth. It has been quite a journey with my conceptualized child involving factors her diagnosis and environmental situation. Language and literacy predicts success in life. My conceptualized child is affected by such skills because of her condition

I am writing about a child named Gracie. She lives in one of the lowest poverties areas of Detroit. Her mother and teacher have just found out that she has ASD. How does a teacher focus or work on this only child in a classroom full of children? I teachers deal with many students a day. Almost as if they are single parents. I have experienced this as a teacher, but not with an exceptional student. This is the stage that is most difficult to me because after preschool, I do not know what is supposed to be mastered during the elementary years. I have no experience with kindergartens and elementary students. It is difficult to write on something that I have no experience with.

Introduction piece on the child

Gracie’s mother is a single parent living in the city of Detroit. Being a single parent can be very challenging Gracie’s mother was always on it when it came to follow up appointments. When Gracie had turned five years old, she was officially diagnosed with autism. The suspicions had been there for a while, but what parent wants to face the reality of their child actually having autism. This opened up many doors of fear for her mother. Gracie’s mother did not know where to go or where to start, but she stayed positive and hopeful.

Week 4: section on Gracie’s support system.

Family and cultural influences is like a master over mind type deal. We read and see so many articles that projects what a child is supposed to be doing at this age, how they are supposed to act, by this age and what should be developed by this age. All of those assumptions and facts go out the window because every child is different. Every child is their own unique individual. When we study the background of families and their living situations, we then get the scope of the child. Gracie has been growing up in a poor environment. She has a pretty good support system though coming from her grandmother, uncle and church members. Even though Gracie has all of this support, it does not mean she is getting the actual help that she needs. Her mother tries her best to provide for her, but what about her overall development? It makes a difference when we have educated parents versus un-educated parents. What can the teacher do?

Areas of feedback;

·         What can teachers do if they’re hands are tight with curriculum and classroom management?

·         Would all areas of domain be affected by Gracie’s condition?