Making and Communicating Meaning
Meaning is a useful understanding of the world around us...an
understanding that allows us to predict or influence events and
actions, or to make appropriate responses to events and others’
actions. An understanding is a recognizable, relatively
stable, reoccurring pattern that encompasses or captures the
relationships between events, ideas, or people.
Making meaning, understanding the world, gives us control over our
lives and empowers us to make good decisions, to be the kind of
people we would like to be. Understanding is always good. Meaning, by
definition, is useful.
Communication is the art or act of expressing the meanings one
person has made in a way that allows others to make meaning.
The making and communicating of meaning are at the center of the
Language Arts and of literacy in general. Once we have made meaning,
it is human nature to want to communicate it to others. We develop
communication skills because we have something, some meaning, we want
to share and because we are interested in the meaning that others
have made. Literature is the accululated attempts of people to
communicate the meanings they have made, and the study of literature
can enable our own attempts to make meaning. Students must make
meaning when they read, and reading is one of the major sources of
the stuff we make meaning from.
Things we all make meaning about, things we all need to understand
are (an expanded version of this list is attached):
Taking these as our central (essential) questions for the two years
of study will provide both focus and motivation all individual
activities, and for the course.
How do people relate to (and in) institutions or groups...
How do people communicate effectively...
How do people make or discover meaning...
What personal traits are necessary for survival and success
(personal fulfillment)?
What things (objects, ideas, attitudes, relationships, etc.)
are worth valuing, worth struggling for to attain and protecting once
you have them?