Texas A&M University-Commerce | Department

 

Child's Use of Language

What is language used for anyway? The indigenous child uses language to belong, to connect,
and to create a reality within which to grow and prosper, as afforded her by her language partners.
Examining how language use affects the indigenous child’s construction of her own language use
potentially leads us to enriching her early language environment with language that liberates and
empowers her construction of her [new] native tongue. This interactive workshop reviews
research and practice on language acquisition environments in Texas, Solomon Islands, and in
Cameron. What is language used for in your place?

Nairobi Chapel

Growing D.E.E.P. and W.I.D.E.http://www.nairobichapel.org/NC/assets/visionpg1.jpg

Lake Nakuru

A short safari, 3-4 hours out of Nairobi, just one overnight - but what will we see in the morning?

http://www.kws.org/parks/parks_reserves/LNNP.html

Kitale

In Kitale, we have been welcomed into the home and work of http://challengefarm.org/, thanks to the generosity of Kenya Wolff and her family.

A Poem: to Nairobi

To Nairobi

I. Summons
The Land calls, soil beckons me
'Come on home!'
Leakey's Lucy calls across time
'This is your land, our land
Now is your time, out of all time.'

II. Over the edge of the Earth
Land and mountain,
So much more than field and stream,
Savannah and plain,
Safari and excursion come along together,
Opening vistas, changing views, exchanging lenses for a broader look at the world.

I once heard of a teenager from New Jersey who traveled west on a post-graduation tour. Having lived his whole life within the confines of a city, he exclaimed upon first sight of the Grand Canyon, 'My eyes are using muscles they've never used before!'

III. Off the deep end of child study
"… unless you change and become like little children …"
What symbols of teacher/child/parent need absolution?

"… unless you change and become like little children …"
What 'sage on the stage' must bow out to permit the 'guide on the side' to arise?
Follow the child.

"… unless you change and become like little children …"
How …? Better yet, 'What happens when …?'

"… unless you change and become like little children …"
What Post-Colonial / Post-Human / Post-Me looks like in a Majority World setting.

"… unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."
Glory-bound.   

IV. To the Church Militant
the church unequal to her task,
rise up, Africa, and make her great.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Blessed_Be_the_Host_of_the_King_of_Heaven%E2%80%A6_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg

To Nairobi .docx

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