Reading Response 3
Dan Feuerbach
English 354
Reading Response 3
1-28-2006
The third reading of this semester was a twenty-eight page odyssey entitled “Coach Bombay’s Kids Learn to Write” by Anne Haas Dyson. This text studies children’s relationship between school, peers and the media around them. Although a mildly interesting read, I found it loaded with psychological jargon that was difficult to interpret for somebody, such as myself, with little training in the field.
In her study, Dyson collects data by observing and audio-taping children in various reading and writing oriented activities in their school over an eight month period. The conclusion draw is that children’s ability to write is influenced by the media they look at. They use this as a basis for the outside world and it can help or hinder their writing.
Although the data collected and the overall message of this is text good. The presentation of this material is dense and difficult to wade through. I would compare reading this essay to soldiers in Vietnam struggling to cross a river with all of their gear on. I took little away from this reading because of its use of psychological jargon.
If I were to suggest to Dyson how she could improve this piece, I would try using diction that wasn’t so mystifying. The problem arises from the fact that this piece was intended for a psychological and academic community. I am not in either of these categories so the essay was as exciting as a bucket of sand.
The research was done well, and validated the points she argued at the outset, as far as I could tell, but I had trouble determining her points. I feel she didn’t clarify the terms she was using early on, leaving the reader to flop like a fish out of water trying vainly to interpret her overall message.
An important topic like media influences on children’s acquisition of literacy is something everyone needs to know about. When the average college student can’t understand what is being said, this is a problem. Phrasing this in a simpler or plainer language would help to solve the rift I have between needing to know the topic and struggling to read the information.
English 354
Reading Response 3
1-28-2006
The third reading of this semester was a twenty-eight page odyssey entitled “Coach Bombay’s Kids Learn to Write” by Anne Haas Dyson. This text studies children’s relationship between school, peers and the media around them. Although a mildly interesting read, I found it loaded with psychological jargon that was difficult to interpret for somebody, such as myself, with little training in the field.
In her study, Dyson collects data by observing and audio-taping children in various reading and writing oriented activities in their school over an eight month period. The conclusion draw is that children’s ability to write is influenced by the media they look at. They use this as a basis for the outside world and it can help or hinder their writing.
Although the data collected and the overall message of this is text good. The presentation of this material is dense and difficult to wade through. I would compare reading this essay to soldiers in Vietnam struggling to cross a river with all of their gear on. I took little away from this reading because of its use of psychological jargon.
If I were to suggest to Dyson how she could improve this piece, I would try using diction that wasn’t so mystifying. The problem arises from the fact that this piece was intended for a psychological and academic community. I am not in either of these categories so the essay was as exciting as a bucket of sand.
The research was done well, and validated the points she argued at the outset, as far as I could tell, but I had trouble determining her points. I feel she didn’t clarify the terms she was using early on, leaving the reader to flop like a fish out of water trying vainly to interpret her overall message.
An important topic like media influences on children’s acquisition of literacy is something everyone needs to know about. When the average college student can’t understand what is being said, this is a problem. Phrasing this in a simpler or plainer language would help to solve the rift I have between needing to know the topic and struggling to read the information.
posted by Dan at 12:39 AM
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