[Xmca-l] Re: "Language Gap" forum in JLA

[Peter Smagorinsky]

I agree. The "word gap" research has often been conducted using standardized vocabulary tests that assume that if words aren't on the tests, then they don't really count. And guess whose words are on the tests? Not the kid in the housing project or barrio. 

But I've heard well-regarded university professors refer to the Matthew Effect of rich getting richer and poor getting poorer based on how kids are talked to at home. How many white university researchers--the sort of people who makes these claims--have ever tried to get up a housing project staircase to talk to anyone and see what they're saying and where they learned it from? (I say staircase because when I lived in Chicago, a chronic problem of high rise housing projects was that gangs would disable the elevators as soon as they opened and patrol the lobbies and stairwells to control life in the building.)

-----Original Message-----
From: xmca-l-bounces+smago=uga.edu@mailman.ucsd.edu [mailto:xmca-l-bounces+smago=uga.edu@mailman.ucsd.edu] On Behalf Of mike cole
Sent: Monday, June 01, 2015 2:21 PM
To: eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity
Subject: [Xmca-l] Re: "Language Gap" forum in JLA

Very interesting paper. It is amazing how the culture of poverty has made such a comback.
mike

On Mon, Jun 1, 2015 at 11:18 AM, mike cole <mcole@ucsd.edu> wrote:

> thanks!!
> mike
>
> On Mon, Jun 1, 2015 at 10:46 AM, Peter Smagorinsky <smago@uga.edu> wrote:
>
>> A lot of pretty smart contributors to this forum. p
>>
>>
>
>
> --
>
> All there is to thinking is seeing something noticeable which makes 
> you see something you weren't noticing which makes you see something 
> that isn't even visible. N. McLean, *A River Runs Through it*
>
>
>


-- 

All there is to thinking is seeing something noticeable which makes you see something you weren't noticing which makes you see something that isn't even visible. N. McLean, *A River Runs Through it*