Power of Language 1
Power of Language
Venus Fields
Los Angeles Pacific University
When asking the importance of language study as a means of preparing students for 21st-
century citizenship, so many questions come to mind. After pondering and reading, I stumbled
Power of Language 2
across, the perfect answer from Jeff Esabar he said, "As our world recognizes increased
globalization, 21st-century learning refers to the skills and technologies that will position our
students to succeed in a world that ever increasingly requires collaboration, critical thinking,
adaptability, grit, perseverance and relies less on the learning of facts and data. The how and why
of learning becomes central and is far more important than the what or who from past models.
Students must approach lifelong learning with a flexible mindset as they tackle 21st-century
issues. They must learn to work with and listen to a variety of points of view." (Escabar, 2019)
Language is a critical skill for well-educated children for the future because they are the
future. It is important to study language because that is the way we communicate.
Acknowledging that each culture has its own way of speaking language and communication is
how we begin to understand each other. When in the proper hands language used effectively and
directly can help change the way we view the world. "Regardless of whether it's technically a
federal constitutional right, students have the moral right to be provided with an education that
prepares them for their futures. Such an education includes not only basic literacy and math skills
but also what's known as "deeper learning" competencies: Master core academic content; Think
critically and solve complex problems; Work collaboratively; Communicate effectively; Learn
how to learn; Develop academic mindsets." (Lenz, 2018)
As a future teacher, there are many things that I plan to implement in my classroom.
Knowing that each student comes from a different background and all acquire different strengths,
I plan to lead an open layout for teaching. I want to have effective communication in my
classroom. I understand it is my job to educate them, but I feel that I owe it to the children to
make a personal connection to them. As I make communication a fundamental rule in our class,
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children often get shot down by their peers and teachers. If I can figure out a strategic way to
allow communication to be a part of our everyday classroom work, it'll help them.
I will also encourage them to collaborate with one another. When we teach children to
collaborate, we're not only teaching them to do their work with their friends, but we're
introducing listening skills, teaching them to make goals and accomplish them, and teaching
them how to speak with one another. These are necessary skills that they will need in life, and to
implement them into my classroom as a strategy to help them learn skills will be beneficial to
their success in the 21st century.
A priority I hope to lead is allowing the students to help lead the classroom. I often do it
in my dance classes, where the kids teach each other and take turns taking the lead. That feeling
that they get teaches them good leadership and empowers them to take more responsibility. To
keep the children engaged, I hope to use games as a way of gaining their attention. Giving out
rewards when accomplishing complicated and straightforward tasks is a way of positive
reinforcements. We have to make learning fun because if they don't learn how we teach, we
have to figure out a way to teach it in a way they learn.
The importance of language in studying when preparing students for 21st-century
citizenship is Always evolving and never-ending. Similar to the things I plan to implement in my
classroom, language study means to prepare students for real-world situations. However, none of
it matters without first understanding language. We must understand the cultural impacts that
language has on students and effectively teach vocabulary development and morphology.
Understand that reading comprehension is different for each student, so finding Pathways to
allow the student to understand completely is our duty.
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B.B. King once said, "the beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away
from you." As a future teacher, I find myself always asking; how can we communicate better?
How do I plan to make this subject or class beneficial to the student? Will this work, and if not,
how can I make it work. What challenges do my students face? Language is critical to the
development of our society. As a future teacher, it's my job to make sure that it's obtainable.
References
Escabar, J. (2019, October 24). What is 21st Century Learning and Why Is It Important?
Retrieved August 22, 2020, from https://spanishinfusionschool.org/21st-century-learning/
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King, B. B. (n.d.). Inspiring Quotes By B.B. King Which Will Make You A Fan Of The Blues.
Retrieved August 25, 2020, from https://quotes.thefamouspeople.com/b-b-king-6210.php
Lenz, B., & Larmer, J. (2018, October 15). Students' Basic Needs Must Be Met Before They Can
Learn Deeply. Retrieved August 25, 2020, from
https://www.gettingsmart.com/2018/10/students-basic-needs-must-be-met-before-they-can-learn-
deeply/
