a Few Words on Words

Studying one's first language offers a unique opportunity to allow the language to be the topic of study on its own. While courses in other subjects utilize language to communicate lessons, English studies allow the language itself to become the primary focus. It is also unique to learning a foreign language because basic principles of the language have already been established, and the topic of the language can be approached more abstractly and in greater detail.  Because of this unique situation, it is very important that English teachers spend plenty of time exploring the English language itself.  When reading and discussing novels in English class, instructors must focus on formal analysis of the texts as well as focusing on the topics of plot, characters and historical context.  Without the close reading of texts by students, language again becomes simply a tool to communicate a lesson about something else. The breakdown of the meter and language in Emily Dickinson's poetry needs to be at least as important and represented in lessons as her biography.

Showing students how language can be used creatively is extremely important in helping to develop their own individual writing style.  Introducing students to close reading techniques allows them to learn ways to flesh out their own writing more purposefully, and to become more actively critical readers.  Exploring the many ways that language can be used, whether it be in stories, poems, or lyrics, help students become more comfortable with language in their own lives.  Developing a better sense of interpreting language can make them much more confident speakers as well. The more comfortable a student is with how intentionally they can use their language, the easier it becomes to clearly express their own thoughts and ideas for others.