Thoughts from Ways With Words

I have been completely fascinated with the book we're reading now, Heath's Ways With Words. I was a baby in the early 70's, so I have been really analyzing my own home at the time, and my parents' beliefs about literacy and what kinds of experiences and practices were common in our home. At the time, both of my parents had graduated from high school (both in the Dallas area) - my father was in the military and going to college, and my mother stayed home with us (she'd go to college later in my life). What is odd, though, is that our experiences were closer to the "townspeople" in Heath's book. Was that because of the city? Something about the regional environment?

The other thing that I continue to think about is how fascinating it would be to set up a camera in my own home to capture the interactions I have with my own children - what kinds of things we talk about, how many questions I ask them, how many directives they are given, etc. I think I know what happens, but I'd be interested all the same.