2x journal based on Pratt, Gee and Falyn

Pratt

Many commentators have pointed out how modern views of language as code and competence assume a unified and homogeneous social world in which language exists as a shared patrimony-- as a device, precisely, for imagining community.

Falyn

I believe language is a vehicle that bridges people together and forms a community. Language is very unique and caters to many different groups of people. language is associated with culture, religion and origin and sets people apart or brings people closer together. I believe Gee would consider people that are second language learners an affinity group because they are a group that is bonded shared endeavors, goals, and practices that are not shared by race, gender, nation, ethnicity, or culture. ESL learners in classrooms are an affinity group because they share the goal to learn English and be able to communicate and learn the new language effectively. Anyone can learn a language in order to communicate with other speakers of the language. People who have difficulty hearing or suffer from complete hearing loss belong to an affinity group that uses sign language. They are like their own community with events, dating sights, and social gathering specifically catered to sign language users. If you take the time to learn a literacy like language you then belong to that imagining community.

Pratt

In keeping with autonomous, fraternal models of community, analyses of language use commonly assume that principles of cooperation and shared understanding are normally in effect.

Falyn

I agree that the use of language determines a certain cooperation and shared understanding amongst its users. Language is a literacy and when you have grasp this semiotic domain you will use it with other speakers assuming that you have the knowledge to effectively communicate and they have the knowledge to effectively understand. The principles of cooperation for learning a new language have to do with understanding words, sentence structure and pronunciation which are key in communicating.

Every semiotic domain has a language or jargon that is used to communicate within its community. I believe language sets communities apart and is the core of a semiotic domain. Every semiotic domain has a language that is used for communicating that can be verbally used with the English language, other speaking languages, physical gestures, sounds, sports gestures, sign language and the list can go on. People who who learn the language of a semiotic domain uphold the principles and rules that are associated with it.

Gee

Why am I discussing concepts and the mind? Because such a discussion leads us to an important paradox: If the human mind is a powerful pattern recognizer--and the evidence very much suggests it is--then what is most important about thinking is not that it is "mental," something happening inside our heads, but rather that it is social, something attuned to and normed by the social groups to which we belong or seek to belong.

Falyn

I do believe that thinking is part mental but how you think and reason is predominately due to how you were nurtured to think from society and your immediate environment. Drinkers tend to bread drinkers because that is the social norm in their society they tend to subconsciously or consciously prepare their children to be drinkers and it become a continuous cycle. As humans we do think in patterns which can be a good characteristic for new learners like children or people gaining literacy in a semiotic domain, but if you become a perpetual pattern thinker you will be forced into a stereotypical box unable to see the logic of things outside of the patterns.

That is why it is important for parents and adults in general to set an example children through words, and behavior to encourage learning and positive thinking. Children will mimic and assimilate what they see and if they do not receive positive images of learning, and education the will not have positive thoughts regard school and education. Children should be encouraged to read, write and have desire to learn. Adults should also surround themselves with positive thinkers and people that they wish to aspire to be.

Gee

So, thinking and reasoning are inherently social. But they are also inherently distributed, and more and more so in our modern technological world. By this I mean that each of us lets other people and various tools and technologies do some of out thinking for us.

Falyn

To be an effective learner and researcher which are key elements for someone with a zest for knowledge you have to use other people's ideas and various tools and technologies to guide you through learning. Most ideologies are developed through societies and just passed down so we are constantly recycling ideas, myths and facts to develop our own unique sense of thinking. Technology and tools are a great way to learn new things and should be used as help when needed. As much as humans like to give themselves credit everyone is not going to be competent in every area equally. Sometimes using technology and tools saves us time by thinking for us so that we can be productive in a more significant area in life. Again, someone with a significant genius developed theories, practices, tools and technologies to make life easier for the less genius. Knowing when you are incapable, and the ability to use another person's capabilities to help you effectively is genius in itself.

Reflection

This writing assignment has taught me how to use a different style of journaling that includes multiple authors sharing similar thoughts. The double entry journal is good for students when they read two works of literature that compliment one another and is also a good way to jot down notes for the future. I learned several things in the reading and using this style of journaling helped me to get my thoughts on paper and express my views on different learning strategies. This is a good assignment for keeping track of what I did through the semester also, because after I read the informations tends to evaporate by the time class is over, but I can always refer back to my journal entries.