Choice Words by Peter H. Johnston

Peter H. Johnston published Choice Words, How Our Language Affects Children's Learning in 2004. Johnston's text examines the language between teachers and students and how it impacts learning. He states, "In other words, the language that teachers (and their students) use in classrooms is a big deal." p. 10

In chapter one, Johnston gives an overview of the importance language holds on students and learning. Explicitness is one aspect that teachers must determine. "We don't explicitly detail how we do things because one of the rules of conversation is that you don't tell people what they already know. (Grice 1975) Minority students often pay a high price for this assumption." p. 7. Since the assumptions by teachers can have an impact on students, it is important  to consider the explicitness we use in our language, "deciding what to be explicit about requires some knowledge of our audience." p. 8.

Thoughts to consider-

• What do I assume my students already know? How might those assumptions be detrimental to student learning?
• How might my explicit language help my students?
• Where do I need to be more explicit?