POWER OF LANGUAGE ESSAY 1

The Power of Language - 21st Century Citizenship

Kristi Hahn

Los Angeles Pacific University

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The world of language has changed so much over the years. When I was a child I was

expected to learn how to read and write, understand the parts of speech and sentence structure

and composition. According to TeachThought Staff, “In recent years it has become increasingly

clear that basic reading, writing and arithmetic are not enough. The importance of 21st century

non-cognitive skills - broadly defined as abilities important for social interaction - is

pronounced” (2020, July 8). As the world has shifted to a more technological one it is

imperative that our students learn more than just literacy using pen and paper and hardcopy

materials.

Language is powerful and ever changing. Sara Davila suggests keeping your curriculum

current, ensuring it is a 21st Century curriculum. The children of today need to be taught how to

communicate and use correct and appropriate language in different platforms; written, spoken,

and technologically on the internet. Davila says to implement the four C’s: collaboration,

communication, critical thinking and creativity, which are important for students to learn in order

to be prepared for the future. If we succeed in teaching our students to be prepared as 21st

century citizens, they will be proficient in navigating a technologically advanced world, working

independently or in groups, adapting to working and communicating in a global community on a

daily basis, being “capable of adaptive, flexible and creative thinking” and understanding “how

to plan for, build, and include collaboration with peers who are colleagues and experts in the

field” (Davila, S., 2016). The future will be even more technologically advanced than it is today,

which is going to require continuous learning. Teaching our students how to communicate and

remain flexible and open to lifelong learning will ensure they can grow along with the constant

advances in technology.
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I liked Mr. Correra’s story of teaching at a school on the border between Mexico and the

United States. He had been teaching for a year when he realized his students were uninterested

in his lessons, so he decided to reevaluate his curriculum. He implemented the question “Why?”

in his teaching, urging students to ask it all the time. At the beginning of the next school year he

allowed the students to voice their opinions about topics they would like to learn. “Over the next

year he saw the test scores of his students rise, the engagement and enthusiasm improve, and

received approval and buy-in from his principal and fellow educators” (Davila, S., 2016). As

educators we might not always be able to allow the students to pick what they want to learn but

being flexible and allowing students to have some control in the classroom has proven to make

them more eager to learn and seek answers to their questions. As a future teacher I would like to

implement this idea of allowing students to have some say in what they learn. Children are

naturally curious and giving them some freedom in the classroom can lead to wonderful self-led

and collaborative discovery. I will also do my best to help my students learn the appropriate use

of language in spoken and written form. Teaching students about writing and speaking

appropriately for their specified audience is important. I will try to keep my lessons interactive,

using different tools and methods including computers, books, videos, partner and group

collaboration and class discussions. I will ask my students tough questions and encourage them

to search for the answers without my help using different resources, either on their own or with a

partner or group. Not many people like being spoken at, which is especially true for students.

Keeping lessons engaging and interactive is important. I will also try to keep my own

excitement level as high as possible when introducing my lessons. We know that excitement is

contagious.
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As a future educator my responsibility is to make sure my students are prepared for 21st

century citizenship. If my students are not prepared to learn and communicate with literacy

using the constantly evolving technology of this world, I am not doing my job. Pta.org defines

the benefit of being a 21st century citizen “Providing your child with a 21st century education

will give them opportunities to develop the skills, knowledge and mindsets they need to be

successful in college, career and life” (Pta.org, no date listed). As technology and

communication amongst all parts of the world increases, our duty as educators is to teach our

students to be prepared to communicate appropriately through multiple media on a global scale

and find their place in the world that surrounds them, so they will be successful in life, learning,

their futures and careers.

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References

Davila, S., (2016, July 27). ​21st century skills and the english language classroom. ​Retrieved

from https://www.english.com/blog/21st-century-skills/

TeachThought Staff, (2014, June 19). ​8 critical skills for a modern education. ​Retrieved from

https://www.teachthought.com/the-future-of-learning/8-critical-skills-modern-education/

Pta.org, (no publishing date listed). ​What is 21st century learning and citizenship all about?

​Retrieved from

https://www.cfsd16.org/application/files/7514/6912/4628/P21_Citizenship_Overview.pdf