Final Reflections- #3

Connection to your own experience


During my experiences with the service learning project at the NALC I can see that there are some similarities and some differences between that and my formative literacy experiences, which I am currently still undergoing. The most obvious difference is that of the content of the learning. During my times at the NALC I feel like I focused on basic language vocabulary with students, which is fine, since that is of course the point of individuals coming there. Yet, a difference with myself and my experiences currently is that I am building on those basic skills with more advanced language skills. However, it could also be a similarity, since in both situations were are both learning and advancing in some skills that we have. Perhaps that is where I was able to take away the most from my time with the NALC- that everyone is learning, even people who are just learning what the sound ‘o’ makes. Just because I am learning different things in my own literacy experiences which could seem more advances, does not make me better than any other person.

One distinct difference is the methods of which I was able to take my own literacy experiences and students during my sessions where is in regard to the methods of learning. One on one learning was the basis of the sessions at NALC in which students follow a lesson plan with lots of repeating and pictures to help guide the study. I feel as though my learning style throughout my formative literacy experience is a self guided learning with the guidance of professors to keep me on track. So, again, there are similarities but there are also distinct differences.