Re: [xmca] Culture & Rationality

[Martin Packer <packer@duq.edu>]

Two thoughts about Olson's work. First, the research he reports that explored at what age children begin to differentiate what is *said* from what is *meant* is open, isn't it, to the classic objection that he has confounded age with years of schooling. Does anyone know of similar research with non-schooled kids?

Second, Olson says that writing makes possible the separation between what's said (what's written) and what's meant, and this leads to a new level of consciousness. Seems to me that writing presents kids with the *problem* that these two levels become separated (where in speech they coincide), and that what schools can provide is the intellectual tools (the meta-vocabulary) to help solve this problem. The texts don't do it alone; what's necessary is adults helping kids figure out the texts. 

Martin

On Jul 2, 2012, at 12:12 PM, Michael Glassman wrote:

> Hmmm, I do love chapter six.  And as Peter suggests this is one of the biggest questions in the US right now, and Vygotsky has always seemed extraordinarily prescient to me - almost an avatar (not the video game avatar, the Hindu avatar). So this is an important issue.
> 
> Michael
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