Module 2

This week's reading was very extensive but also very helpful. During these four chapters I was able to understand more in detail the differences between someone with a disability and a handicap for example. Chapter four, talks about the different learning styles (or learning preferences) that students have in pg. 139. What very caught my attention was that by teaching a student through their learning preference will not necessarily guarantee that the student will learn more efficiently. The study lead by the Learning Skills Research Centre in England concluded that matching instructional methods to learning styles has no effect on learning. For a long time I believed that this wasn't true and that in fact, students learn the best when they are taught by their learning preference. When we try to figure out what is the best way that a young student learns best, most likely it will be through animation to explain difficult material or another particular way, that doesn't mean that that is the way the learn the most but in reality, the only way they have been taught. As teachers, we must make sure to include and teach in different ways to our students.

Chapter five was the chapter that I was able to relate with the most. It talks about bilingualism, the diversity in language development, knowing how to teach immigrant students, ELL and ELL with disabilities and special gifts. I am definitely part of the 1.5 generation or maybe a 1.75... I was born in the USA but at the age of 8 I moved to Mexico and lived there for 10 years. After graduating high school and attending a year of college in Mexico I moved back to the USA. So, I've been back in forth with these two countries. Most of my culture and the way I do things is influenced mainly by Mexico because there is where I lived during the important parts of my life that shaped my thinking and identity. As I was reading this section in pg. 197 I can definitely agree with it. I feel that I never really learned English grammar properly because I wasn't taught in school, and I was only able to speak it because it was my first language but it was my childhood English. Fortunately, I feel that my grammar has gotten better and the way I speak and communicate with others is great. As a teacher, I am glad the experiences I've had because this definitely helps me understand and know what tools I will use when I teach ELL -- especially, I will be able to connect more with the Latino community and be a great help for them.

Chapter six covers topics about diversity in the classroom and how it affects learning and teaching, the economic and social class differences, ethnicity and race in teaching and learning, gender in teaching and learning, and creating culturally compatible classrooms. The chapter also talks about stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination. It was very interesting to see table in page 231 about the differences in scores between white and black and hispanic students. Although the gaps have gotten narrower over the course of years it's still a problem that needs to be addressed. This topic has been something that I've always been curios and interested in knowing more about it. Some part of me says that is totally because minority students do not have access to extra educational opportunities and often time teachers have low expectations for a certain minority groups, but also there are many things that come into factor. Many minorities students might have immigrant parents and come from a low social class which also affects them in not getting the resources that they need. These families might have other priorities in mind, such as making sure they can survive or not be deported from this country, for them it might be that the most important thing is to have a job that will provide them with enough financial stability in the future but at the moment they can't invest in extra programs because they don't have the fund to do it. I can attest that I've experienced some of this in my family, it is not usual or seen great for me to take out loans or owe money to people because my family doesn't want to see me in debt. I've learn that sometimes it is great to make an investment for my education and in the future I will see the fruits of it. The truth is that yes, as minorities we have been marginalized and discriminated but I believe that we can still find the tools to succeed even if it's going to be 10 times harder than others. It's not right but I wish that we can all be aware of this issue.

Chapter eight talks about cognitive views of learning. Overall, the chapter teaches you about cognitive views of memory, long-term memory and ways to for teaching long-lasting knowledge.