More to language than words...

The way we communicate with each other through language is something that has always been of interest to me. It is of particular interest because I am fluent in Spanish and English, and because I aim to teach a second language. To me, there is more to language than just words. The way we speak to each other or the way we address each other is significant. It can bring positive or negative emotions, and it can set up the tone for our classrooms. I had never really considered this until last Thursday, as I observed the first day of school in my classroom. I noticed a substantial difference in the language my co-operating teacher used with her Spanish 1 students and her AP Spanish students. The language she used in each classroom set up two different classroom environments. In the AP Spanish classroom the environment was informal, comfortable and very fun. While in the Spanish 1 classroom, the environment was more formal and strict. I know that she does this on purpose, and I understand her reasoning. Still, I was taken back by the importance of language in setting up classroom tone.