Rhetorical Reading of
Larson’s “Watch Your Language”
Larson’s “Watch Your Language” (1992) is a journal entry
that explores the challenges of students have with learning language. Larson
explains this through his personal experiences. His purpose is to
help others to become better with learning language in order to become successful. His intended audience is
students and teachers.
Larson compares the box he was placed in as a child in regards to his language skills to that of a hurdle or “fabricated obstacle”. I agree with him that placing a label on a child regarding their language can be damaging and confusing, only leading that child or even adult to believe that they have to speak or write or even communicate a certain way, as if they are being forced rather than using a particular form of language of their own free will because they understand how and why. It is easy to rebel against something when that something exhibits qualities a part from one’s own, showing a lack of acceptance. I also respect his insight on the experience he gained when he himself became an educator of English, wanting to correct his way of teaching that reflected the way he was taught by replacing it with a system of support where each students’ experience with language is not discouraged but incorporated with the new codes they are being taught.
Larson compares the box he was placed in as a child in regards to his language skills to that of a hurdle or “fabricated obstacle”. I agree with him that placing a label on a child regarding their language can be damaging and confusing, only leading that child or even adult to believe that they have to speak or write or even communicate a certain way, as if they are being forced rather than using a particular form of language of their own free will because they understand how and why. It is easy to rebel against something when that something exhibits qualities a part from one’s own, showing a lack of acceptance. I also respect his insight on the experience he gained when he himself became an educator of English, wanting to correct his way of teaching that reflected the way he was taught by replacing it with a system of support where each students’ experience with language is not discouraged but incorporated with the new codes they are being taught.
In “Watch Your Language: Teaching Standard Usage to
Resistant and Reluctant Learners” Larson remarks, “we continue to recite these
rules to hapless would-be writers and public speakers, instilling in them a
fear of the hobgoblins and hurdles to which they can easily fall victim if they
do not proceed with caution (Larson 3).” Mark Larson speaks of ways of getting
language through to certain learners similar to himself. He recognizes that to
force learners to memorize rules, it causes them to trip up and make mistakes,
thus making the learner an outsider to specified guidelines. Making a student
an outsider makes them more defiant in learning and in adapting to social
norms, because what is the point if they will be ostracized for something they
do not understand? However, Larson does not believes that everything goes. He
says, “One is to help kids recognize errors that jeopardize a writer's
intention… to make kids aware of what Maxine Hairston (1981) calls "status
markers" such as substandard verb uses…” He wants children to understand
basic errors so there are no misunderstandings in message or basic grammar
skills because to him not “anything goes”. Larson proposes issues, analyzes why
the issues are and offers a final solution with three rules: “1. Support the
language each student brings to school… 2. Provide them with input from an
additional code… [and finally] 3. Give them opportunities to use the new code
in a non-threatening, real communicative context (Larson 4).” Larson believes
there is no way anyone should discourage anyone’s way of English, therefore
creating disgruntled learners. Still, he believe in structure so there are no
barriers in communicating in the English language.
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