Chapter 4:Simulations and Bodies
1. What does the author mean when he says, "Learning doesn't work well when learners are forced to check their bodies at the school room door like guns in the old West."
I believe the Author means that when students come to the classroom they are always asked to bring their mind only. They are not asked to fully embodied themselves in a concept. He says that when students are learning in a cultural process, "their bodies are invovled because cultural learning always involves having specific experiences that facilitate learning, not just memorizing words" (Gee,2004). He later says that when we are learning how to play gmaes we are ivovled in the learning which allows us to learn more content than just memorizing.
2. According to the author, what is the best way to acquire a large vocabulary?
The author says that the best way to acquire a large vocabulary is to have "...experienced the "worlds" to which these words refer" (Gee, 2004). If you have come across words before then you have already experienced them. This allows you to understand the words better because you have already seen and understood them.
3. What gives a word a specific meaning?
A word gets a specific meaning when it's used in a certain context. The author gives an example of the word "work". It has many differenet uses and can be used in different context. The meaning depends on the context in which the word is used in. There person reading or using the word will understand the word only in the context they have experienced.
4. What does the term "off the hook" mean in each of these sentences?
a. My sister broke up with her fiance, so I'm off the hook for buying her a wedding present.
off the hook here means that they don't have to spend the money to buy a wedding present becuase they broke up
b. Them shoes are off the hook dog.
Off the hook here means they are cool or stylish.
c. Man that cat was fighting 6 people and he beat them all. Yo, it was "off the hook", you should have seen it!!
Off the hook here means that it was exciting, or worth watching.
5. According to the author what is the"work" of childhood? Do you agree?
The work of childhood is play. I do agree with this. The more they play the more experiences they have. The more experiences they have the better off they will be.
6.Why is NOT reading the instruction for how to play a game before playing a game a wise decision?
"The texts that come with games are very hard to understand unless and until one has some experience of playing the game - experience which, then, will give specific situated meanings to the language in the text" (Gee, 2004).
7. Does knowing the general or literal meaning of a word lead to strong reading skills?
Knowing the general or literal meaning of a word doesn not lead to strong reading skills. Knowing the meaning of the word is pointless to say the least because if you can't apply the word then what's the point?! Especially if the word can mean different things in the different contexts.
8. What does the author mean by the terms "identity" and "game". Give an example of 3 "identities" or "games" you play?
The author means that every person plays a certain role in society. For example, I am a student, a teacher, and a server.
9. According to the author what is good learning?
Good learning is understanding words in the different contexts/situations.
10. How does understanding that being able to build a mental model and simulations of a real-word experience is closely tied to comprehending written and oral language support of change the way you think children should learn in school?
When students are given the opprotunity to participate in real world simulations it allows them to comprehend the written or oral laguage better. They can use their own experiences to tie into the simulations and bring it home, so to speak.
11. Why is peer to peer interaction so important for the language development of young children? How does knowing this support or change the way you think children should learn in school?
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