The 6 Language Arts

Language arts is key for all learning. I had never thought about the different strands of language arts before taking this course. I used to think that language arts mostly consisted of just reading and writing. However, learning the significance of each of the 6 strands (Listening, reading, writing, viewing, and visually representing) I feel that they all fit well into language arts and are essential for learning. I think that all 6 strands are equally important and educators need to make a better effort to incorporate each of the 6 strands in their curriculum. I was surprised to find viewing and visually representing surprising because I had never thought of those when i thought of language arts. However, I think that they are very important and often educators have a hard time incorporating them into their curriculum because traditionally instruction in language arts have focused on reading and writing. I think that viewing and visually representing are important because it expands the role of language arts which is key because we live in such a technological society. It is important for teachers to know more about the new technology and use it in the classrooms. Technology plays a huge rule in all aspects in the lives of Americans today. I think that that viewing and visually representing are important and should be part of the 6 strands of language arts. It is important for teachers to use them in the classroom because technology will continue to become more and more important in the future.

Language arts in my life...

I have had a lot of experience with all the different strands of language arts. In my early years of school my teachers mainly focused on the first 4 strands, listening, talking, reading, and writing. As technology as expanded and become more and more important my teachers and professors have made an effort to use it in their curriculum. My favorite is viewing because i am a more visual person and I have found that I learn more from watching a movie or using the internet than just listening to someone lecture. The internet has played a huge role in my academic career. I would much rather search and find important information using my computer than going to the library. I also like visually representing. I would much rather make a poster or chart instead of writing a paper. I also feel that illustrations and charts are good ways to show key concepts and facts instead of reading a lot of words that say the same thing.


Sahara Special..
I am enjoying Sahara Special so far and am looking forward to reading more. I like how the author made Sahara a relatable character. Everyone has had a Sahara in their classroom and one point and will continue to have a Sahara in their own classroom. The author does a good job using plenty of detail so that the reader can paint their own picture of the story in their head.