Learning to read is complex and there are many pitfalls along the way. Tuning into the learner via muscle testing is a quick and easy way to release blocks.
Kinesiology and EDU-K can connect anyone to their true learning potential. Learn more at
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I clearly remember someone very close to me once telling me that I think too much. Of course at the time I thought you could never think too much.
I now know what was meant. I used to ruminate (go over and over something and not come to any conclusion). Therefore I didn’t take any action because I was unsure of what I needed to do. This can be a complete waste of time.
There are thinking skills that one can learn that can lead towards effective action in whatever a person wants to achieve.
There is such a thing as analysis paralysis. I feel that literacy education is reaching or has reached that stage.
The most researched aspect of education is reading.
Because reading and writing are inter linked and are skills everyone needs in the modern economy the teaching of them is influenced by many powerful vested interests.
Politicians, media, employers, parents, policy makers and academics all seem to know how literacy teaching should be done. Many spear heading the debate have never set foot in a classroom. Teachers in schools are, like the foot soldier in an army, subjected to enormous pressure to win an unnecessary war.
Ilana Snyder an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education of Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, has written a book entitled, ‘The Literacy Wars’.
In this thoroughly researched book she sets out to explain the reasons for the often bitter disagreements between the interested factions over how literacy is taught in Australian schools.
Chapter 3 is where she discusses reading. She mentions the battle lines that have been drawn up between the two main approaches to the teaching of reading – phonics and whole language. This battle is totally unnecessary.
The latest formal literacy review here in Australia was brought about by a significant number of psychologists who blamed children’s poor reading skills on the whole-language approach. Intrinsic to their argument was the belief in scientific evidence for literacy policy and teaching. Their assumption was that in most cases where children did not learn to read it was due to ineffective teaching. It has been in my experience so in many cases but certainly not all.
I do not deny the value of an enthusiastic and knowledgable teacher in a student’s life. But literacy involves mastering the Alphabetic Principle.
It is important to listen to what the advocates of phonics are talking about. I am sure they do not have a simplistic view of the reading process. Phonics teaching has never disappeared we are told but is integrated in reading and writing activities. You can’t do either without at least some letter sound relationship knowledge.
I firmly believe that teachers are at a complete disadvantage when they do not understand the purpose of the alphabet. The Alphabetic Principle is ignored because teachers have not been taught it.
Yes! Reading is much more than phonics but without phonics one cannot read.
Professor Snyder in her book discusses phonics versus whole language the two approaches to literacy teaching.
The pertinent points she makes are as follows. These are followed by my comments.
- Learning to read is complex involving both cognitive and social dimensions. It is not as complex as all that if the material and instruction is at a child’s level of development.
- Reading is about meaning making - I thought this was obvious.
- The reality is there is no single way in which to teach children how to read and write. But there are fundamentals that must be mastered.
- Whole language philosophy was introduced to Australian schools in the 1960’s. It involved helping children to develop skills to enable them to take responsibility for their own learning. This was to happen through ‘authentic’ reading and writing. It did not ignore phonics. My experience was that when invented spelling was introduced students could no longer read their work. Neither could I. Many children had no idea that letters represent the sounds that we speak and there is a code that everyone needs to understand and use. Most children looked for guidance in their learning.
- The importance of teaching students how to think critically about what they read, see and hear. Nothing new about this. In my day it was called reading comprehension.
Successful teaching of reading and writing involves a mixture of techniques including phonics and individualised attention. Becoming literate involves a response from the learner and often a lot of focused attention. At times it isn’t fun.
In December 2005 The Teaching Reading Report was released. You can get a copy from
http://www.dest.gov.au/nitl/report.htm
“The report claimed that, according to research evidence, ‘all students learn best when teachers adopt an integrated approach to reading that explicitly teaches phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary knowledge and text comprehension. This approach, coupled with effective support from the child’s home, is critical to success.
There is nothing new here except a lot of ruminating on behalf of the report’s compilers.
The truth is there is no simple single method of teaching reading and writing. Our forefathers/mothers knew that. Why were schools established?
Literacy teaching involves a response from the student, commitment and professional knowledge from the teacher and most importantly input and support from parents.
I think schools are now battle grounds and the war is being lost.
The title of a book by Robert T. Kiyosaki, ‘If You Want to be Rich and Happy –Don’t Go to School’, has a point.
Learning to read is not difficult if you speak the language and you understand how the Alphabetic Code works.
The complexity of the texts read deepen as a student matures.
The book that has been an excellent resource for me is:
The Literacy Wars: Why Teaching Children to Read and Write is a Battleground in Australia by Ilana Snyder, Allen and Unwin, 2008. ISBN 9781 741754 24 7 (pbk.).
As parents your role in your child’s literacy development is crucial and so is the education system equally responsible.
This article is written by Janelle Spaulding: Stay-at-home mom and teacher
Every step a child takes toward learning to read leads to
another. Bit by bit, the child builds the knowledge that is
necessary for being a reader. Over their first 6 years, most
children
Talk and listen.
Listen to stories read aloud.
Pretend to read.
Learn how to handle books.
Learn about print and how it works.
Identify letters by name and shape.
Identify separate sounds in spoken language.
Write with scribbles and drawing.
Connect single letters with the sounds they make.
Connect what they already know to what they hear read.
Predict what comes next in stories and poems.
Connect combinations of letters with sounds.
Recognize simple words in print.
Sum up what a story is about.
Write individual letters of the alphabet.
Write words.
Write simple sentences.
Read simple books.
Write to communicate.
Read simple books.
Children can take more than one of these steps at the same
time. This list of steps, though, gives you a general idea
of how your child will progress toward
reading.
Talking and Listening
From the very beginning, babies try to imitate the sounds
that they hear us make. They “read” the looks on our faces
and our movements. That’s why it is so important to talk,
sing, smile, and gesture to your child. Hearing you talk is your
baby’s very first step toward becoming a reader, because it helps her to love
language and to learn words. Hearing you talk is your baby’s
very first step toward becoming a reader, because it helps
her to love language and to learn words.
As your child grows older, continue talking with her. Ask
her about the things she does. Ask her about the events and
people in the stories you read together. Let her know you
are listening carefully to what she says. By engaging her in
talking and listening, you are also encouraging your child
to think as she speaks. In addition, you are showing that you respect her knowledge and her ability to
keep learning.
Reading Together
Imagine sitting your baby in your lap and reading a book to
him for the first time. How different from just talking!
Now you’re showing him pictures. You point to them. In a
lively way, you explain what the pictures are. You’ve just
helped you child take the next step beyond talking. You’ve
shown him that words and pictures connect. And you’ve
started him on his way to understanding and enjoying books.
While your child is still a baby, reading aloud to him
should become part of your daily routine. Pick a quiet time,
such as just before you put him to bed. This will give him
a chance to rest between play and sleep. If you can, read
with him in your lap or snuggled next to you so that he
feels close and safe. As he gets older, he may need to move
around some as you read to him. If he gets tired or
restless, stop reading. Make reading aloud a quiet and
comfortable time that your child looks forward to. Chances
are very good that he will like reading all the more because
of it.
Try to spend at least 30 minutes each day reading to and
with your child. At first, read for no more than a few
minutes at a time, several times a day. As your child grows
older, you should be able to tell if he wants you to read
for longer periods. Don’t be discouraged if you have to skip
a day or don’t always keep to your schedule. Just get back
to your daily routine as soon as you can. Most of all, make
sure that reading stays fun for both of you!
What Does It Mean?
From the earliest days, talk with your child about what you
are reading. You might point to pictures and name what is in
them. When he is ready, have him do the same. Ask him, for
example, if he can find the little mouse in the picture, or
do whatever is fun and right for the book. Later on, as you
read stories, read slowly and stop now and then to think
aloud about what you’ve read. From the time your child is
able to talk, ask him such questions about the story as,
“What do you think will happen next?” or “Do you know what a
palace is?” Answer his questions and, if you think he
doesn’t understand something, stop and talk more about what
he asked. Don’t worry if you occasionally break the flow of
a story to make clear something that is important. However,
don’t stop so often that the child loses track of what is
happening in the story.
Look for Books!
The books that you pick to read with your child are very
important. If you aren’t sure of what books are right for
your child, ask a librarian to help you choose titles.
Introduce your child to books when she is a baby. Let her
hold and play with books made just for babies: board books
with study cardboard covers and thick pages; cloth books
that are soft and washable, touch-and-feel books, or
lift-the-flap books that contain surprises for your baby to
discover. Choose books with covers that have big, simple
pictures of things that she sees every day. Don’t be upset
if at first your child chews or throws a book. Be patient.
Cuddling with the child as you point to and talk with great
excitement about the book’s pictures will soon capture her
interest. When your baby becomes a toddler, she will enjoy
helping to choose books for you to read to her. As your
child grows into a preschooler and kindergartner, the two of
you can look for books that have longer stories and more
words on the pages. Also look for books that have repeating
words and phrases that she can begin to read or recognize
when she sees them. By early first grade, add to this mix
some books designed for beginning readers, including some
books that have chapters and some books that show
photographs and provide true information rather than
make-believe stories. Choose books with covers that have
big, simple pictures of things that she sees every day.
Keep in mind that young children most often enjoy books
about people, places, and things that are like those they
know. The books can be about where you live or about parts
of your culture, such as your religion, your holidays, or
the way that you dress. If your child has special interests,
such as dinosaurs or ballerinas, look for books about those
interests.
From your child’s toddler years through early first grade,
you also should look for books of poems and rhymes. Remember
when your baby heard your talking sounds and tried to
imitate them? Rhymes are an extension of that language
skill. By hearing and saying rhymes, along with repeated
words and phrases, your child learns about spoken sounds and
about words. Rhymes also spark a child’s excitement about
what comes next, which adds fun and adventure to reading.
Show Your Child That You Read
When you take your child to the library, check out a book
for yourself. Then set a good example by letting your child
see you reading for yourself. Ask your child to get one of
her books and sit with you as you read your book, magazine,
or newspaper. Don’t worry if you feel uncomfortable with
your own reading ability. It’s the reading that counts. When
your child sees that reading is important to you, she may
decide that it is important to her, too.
Learning about Print and Books
Reading together is a perfect time to help a late toddler or
early preschooler learn what print is. As you read aloud,
stop now and then and point to letters and words; then point
to the pictures they stand for. Your child will begin to
understand that the letters form words and that words name
pictures. He will also start to learn that each letter has
its own sound–one of the most important things your child
can know when learning to read.
By the time children are 4, most have begun to understand
that printed words have meaning. By age 5, most will begin
to know that not just the story but the printed words
themselves go from left to right. Many children will even
start to identify some capital and small letters and simple
words. In late kindergarten or early first grade, your child
may want to read on his own. Let him! But be sure that he
wants to do it. Reading should be something he is proud of
and eager to do and not a lesson.
How Does a Book Work?
Children are fascinated by how books look and feel. They see
how easily you handle and read books, and they want to do
the same. When your toddler watches you handle books, she
begins to learn that a book is for reading, not tearing or
tossing around. Before she is 3, she may even pick one up
and pretend to read, an important sign that she is beginning
to know what a book is for. As your child becomes a
preschooler, she is learning that When your toddler watches
you handle books, she begins to learn that a book is for
reading.
A book has a front cover.
A book has a beginning and an end.
A book has pages.
A page in a book has a top and a bottom.
You turn pages one at a time to follow the story.
You read a story from left to right of a page.
As you read with your 4- or 5-year-old, begin to remind her
about these things. Read the title on the cover. Talk about
the picture on the cover. Point to the place where the story
starts and, later, where it ends. Let your child help turn
the pages. When you start a new page, point to where the
words of the story continue and keep following the words by
moving your finger beneath them. It takes time for a child
to learn these things, but when your child does learn them,
she has solved some of reading’s mysteries.
Early Efforts To Write
Writing and reading go hand in hand. As your child is
learning one, he is learning the other. You can do certain
things to make sure that he gets every opportunity to
practice both. When he is about 2 years old, for example,
give your child crayons and paper and encourage him to draw
and scribble. He will have fun choosing which colors to use
and which shapes to make. As he holds and moves the crayons,
he will also develop muscle control. When he is a late
toddler or early preschooler, he will become as eager to
write as he is to read. Your preschool child’s scribbles or
drawings are his first writing. He will soon begin to write
the alphabet letters. Writing the letters helps your child
learn about their different sounds. His very early learning
about letters and sounds gives him ideas about how to begin
spelling words. When he begins writing words, don’t worry
that he doesn’t spell them correctly. Instead, praise him
for his efforts! In fact, if you look closely, you’ll see
that he’s made a pretty good try at spelling a word for the
first time. Later on, with help from teachers (and from
you), he will learn the right way to spell words. For the
moment, however, he has taken a great step toward being a
writer.
Reading in Another Language
If your child’s first language is not English, she can still
become an excellent English reader and writer. She is on her
way to successful English reading if she is beginning to
learn many words and is interested in learning to read in
her first language. You can help by supporting her in her
first language as she learns English. Talk with her, read
with her, encourage her to draw and write. In other words,
do the same kinds of activities just discussed, but do them
in your child’s first language.
When your child first enters school, talk with her teacher.
Teachers welcome such talks. They even have sign-up times
early in the year, though usually you may ask for a meeting
at any time. If you feel that you need some support in
meeting with the teacher, ask a relative, neighbor, or
someone else in your community to go with you.
When you do meet, tell the teacher the things that you are
doing at home to strengthen your child’s speaking and
reading in her own language. Let the teacher know how
important you child’s reading is to you and ask for support
for your efforts. Children who can switch back and forth
between languages have accomplished something special. They
should be praised and encouraged as they work for this
achievement.
READ TO YOUR CHILD EVERY DAY!!!
|
Janelle Spaulding: Stay-at-home mom and teacher to 10, 8 of whom are adopted. [http://www.10kidsathome.com] is a free newsletter. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Janelle_Spaulding |
I enjoy watching European films on a government sponsored television channel here in Australia. Fortunately for me, the other than English programs, all have subtitles so I at least know what is going on. Unfortunately I miss all the nuances and colloquial expressions that express layers of meaning.
I have to admit I use English to try and work out the other languages. I believe this is called language transference. I use my knowledge of the structure of my mother tongue to work out how another language works.
This gets me to the point of this article.
Human beings can imitate sounds. Notice how young babies practice and try to reproduce the sounds they hear.
This aural/oral mimicking skill is a vital living skill. The speech of our fellow humans is what we work hard at understanding.
The ability to acquire fluency in a language is developed by infants in a few short years.
Humans are genetically endowed to first mimic, comprehend and then speak (articulate) words in the language spoken in our family and culture.
Competence in speaking a language is hopefully established before a child begins formal schooling. Called linguistic competency this ability is the foundation for learning to read and write.
The purpose of formal schooling is to introduce children to a broad range of texts to enable them to broaden their vocabulary and to develop and refine their grammar.
It is very important for parents to be aware that competency in spoken language does not automatically mean ease in learning to read and write.
The idea that children become literate in the same way as they learned to speak was put forward a few years ago. The idea was that if children were just immersed in the written word they will become literate through osmosis.
This doesn’t work when it comes to reading and writing. Using written symbols to represent speech sounds is recent in human development. The facility of decoding words from symbols is not innate.
How do we know this?
Well most humans can speak but not all can read and write despite being surrounded by visual symbols.
This is why phonics skill development must be part of early reading programs and also
monitored as students move through school.
If a student is conscious of the common ways of writing English from their early school years they will be able to cope with the sometimes notoriously inconsistent English spelling.
An excellent reading program that incorporates all essential skills needed to develop reading fluency is the Fitzroy Readers.
If you want to read more about helping your child develop as a fluent reader go to: http://www.fitzprog.com.au/
This informative site will give you lots of information and testimonials from satisfied users.
One of the most hotly contested debates in education circles is the one concerning how a child will learn to read.
Learning to read should be straightforward but in reality it is not. Each generation thinks they have discovered a new approach.
The controversy called the ‘Phonics versus Whole Word Debate’ has it seems been going on for decades and beyond the educational community. Anyone who can read has an idea how reading should be taught.
Whole Word means the reader recognises words as a whole and not letter by letter.
A principle: Individual sounds are blended together to form words that have meaning to the speaker of a language.
In simple terms phonics is about the connection between the sounds of the language and the letters of the alphabet. A principle is: letters represent the sounds of language.
Well commonsense has finally prevailed.
It is now widely accepted that a combination of both methods is the most effective teaching tool.
In the 1950’s the ‘new’ approach to teaching children to read involved a dual approach to teaching reading. According to early years educators this dual approach involved visual work and phonic work proceeding in parallel lines. The prevailing thought was as a child becomes more familiar with the look of words the need for phonic props will be seen when tackling new words. A successful reader can sound out quickly and accurately written words that they are familiar with in their day to day speech. The importance of the reader maintaining the meaning of the text being read was emphasized.
And what have researcher’s uncovered today?
We need to take into account text level knowledge, world level knowledge, self management and direction: and letter and letter name knowledge. This provides a truly modern approach to teaching children to read!
Teaching children to read does not need more research and experts. It needs parents to speak to and read to their children and schools to provide trained teachers and a child centred curriculum.
If you would like to learn more about this modern approach to teaching children to read see
www.education.vic.gov.au/studentlearning/teachingresources/english
The Internet enabled me to go back in time to when I learned to read.
I found the set of graded books called readers I learned to read with. I now have the full set of these, to me, precious books. The amazing thing is I can remember vividly much of their content.
Whitcombe and Tombs Ltd was the publisher. I believe these books were used in other Australian states at the time as well as in New Zealand. These books originated from New Zealand. It is interesting that New Zealand leads the world in reading research.
I attended primary school in Adelaide, South Australia and learned to read during the mid nineteen fifties. It was ten years after the end of World War 2 and there was not a lot of money around but there were plenty of children. The Baby Boom was well under way. Classes were big.
Later I trained as a primary school teacher in Victoria during the mid nineteen sixties.
I always knew the value of phonics knowledge. I never thought that this was the only strategy to use when teaching a child to read but without it reading can be very challenging.
My realistic view about the place of phonics in early reading instruction ensured I found the controversy around teaching phonics so unenlightened.
Thanks to the internet and online booksellers I have found the the teaching guide used by my teachers. It has a brown cardboard cover on it with illustrations from the readers in the colours black,red and blue. The title is ‘The Teaching of Reading to Infants’. The book has 64 pages and measures 12.5 by 18.5 centimeters.
This guide talks about the progressive method of teaching young children to read!
I have heard that term used over the years in a number of situations! Each generation likes to think they have made a great discovery instead of acknowledging that commonsense was all that was needed.
The author(s) talk about why the primers were developed. They were ‘an answer to an expressed need for a dual approach to reading – visual work and phonic work proceeding in parallel lines and each given due importance. From the beginning the child is reading for content. At first the idea is associated with a word and later a phrase or sentence.’
Before each child commenced the first book , ‘The Tiny Tots’ Primer’ they were prepared. Associated activities and ideas with the written symbol and spoken word were experienced.
Today it is acknowledged that phonemic awareness (knowledge of speech sounds) is a major precursor to reading success. It is not a new discovery.
The instructions given to ‘infant teachers’ in the 1950′s were:
‘Reading is the conveying of ideas not sounds. The child must read for content. Every printed word must convey an idea. Hence the necessity for beginning reading with visual work and giving practise in quick visualisation through all the preliminary stages of reading. As the child becomes more familiar with the look of words s/he will need the ‘phonic props’ only in attacking a new word. It is essential however that s/he can ‘sound out’ a new word accurately and quickly so that the idea contained in the sentence may not be lost. Hence the necessity for a thorough grounding in phonics.’
There has always been a resistance by some, often influential, people to phonics. It’s nothing new.
I will quote from my guide again.
‘The old objection to a phonic approach was that it mechanised the subject matter, making reading stilted and unreal. In the progressive primers this error has been avoided by building only those words which occur frequently in the child’s vocabulary. The sounds are presented in a definite order, taking into consideration-
- Ease
I have it seems, spent a lifetime trying to come to grips with the role phonics has in teaching a child, or anyone else for that matter, to read.
Experience has taught me time and time again that phonics strategies are necessary when decoding print.
But teaching a child to read involves so much more.
My belief is most children who struggle with reading do not have phonics strategies in place.
Reading is about language, comprehension (meaning) and thinking. It is complex and develops over a person’s lifetime. It involves response from the reader. But first the text needs to be decoded.
One of the best outlines on the role of phonics in early reading development can be found in
“The Reading Bug… and how you can help your child to catch it by best selling Australian author Paul Jennings.
He speaks from experience as a teacher, speech pathologist, lecturer, writer and parent.
His book is an outstanding overview of the reading process.
I would have benefitted greatly by reading it in the years my children were learning to read.
I recommend all parent’s read as it is both fun and informative.
He says, ” I am not against the use of phonics. I am against the abuse of it. Phonics is dynamite and must be handled with extreme care. If I had to point to one thing that has done more to put children off reading than anything else it would be the misuse of phonics.”
My sentiments exactly!
Have you ever come across a statement, saying or part of a book that sums up exactly what you want to say?
I have just finished studying a book entitled “Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons.”
In it I found a summary of my view of the initial stage of learning to read.
My experience working with scores of children who struggled with reading and writing backs this summary up.
The book was published in 1983 and is still available probably because parents are looking for a program that will help their child with reading.
I have been very fortunate to have had a long and varied teaching career and seen many of the changes in teaching and learning in Victorian (Australia) schools.
Changes for good I must say.
Teaching and learning research findings have filtered down to the teachers in schools particularly here in Australia. We are learning and implementing them all the time.
Modern education here in Victoria is fantastic particulary since the introduction of the integrated curriculum and technology.
Now reading is the fundamental skill we all need to participate in modern society.
Learning to read is like learning to play a piano. The sophisticated reading an adult does comes from years of practice. It can be likened to the playing of a concerto on a piano.
As the authors of ‘Teach Your Child to read……..’ point out ’the ultimate goal of reading instruction is to prepare children for the concerto of reading. It involves reading complicated material silently, at a reasonably fast rate, and understanding the details of the message the author presents.”
Now for the information from this book that says what I believe based on years of teaching experience.
“Decoding-is the central skill in initial reading. Most of the other skills are nothing more than language skills. Once a sentence has been decoded, it is like a spoken sentence that may have been presented slowly. If the child has the language skills necessary to understand the spoken sentence, the child has the skills necessary to understand the decoded sentence. The central issue is not that of teaching the child to understand, but of teaching the child how to decode the sentences that are to be understood. We should not require the child to read sentences that are beyond the child’s understanding,…”
As a former colleague of mine said, “Thirteen years of formal education before studying for a career occur because it is necessary.”
My wish is for every child to receive the benefit of what modern education has to offer by ensuring the fundamental reading and writing skills are developed in the early years of schooling.
Many researchers, teachers and scholars have contributed to the education debate and will continue to do so.
I would like to pay tribute to the authors of
“Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons”
Siegfried Engelmann, Phyllis Haddox and Elaine Bruner
1983 Fireside Books, Simon and Schuster
for their contribution to my professional understanding.
Learning to read begins very early in life, alongside learning to talk.
Learning to talk is the fundamental skill that a young child needs to master and reading is an aspect of language.
Babies love bright colors and need large colorfully illustrated books.
When a trusted parent or adult talks about the pictures and words a child begins to realize that the information in a book never changes.
A child who is used to being read to will begin to mimic the adult reading behavior and begin to hold the book the right way up, turn pages correctly, ‘read’ and chant from known parts of the book. All aspects of learning to read.
Young children who have their own books ‘read’ their favorites or ask to have them read to them again and again.
I still have a vivid memory of my young son protesting when his father took a short cut and left out parts of his favorite story. He knew this story by heart!
During the early phases of learning to read your child is remembering word patterns and learning about the language of books.
This is a very important part and often underestimated aspect of learning to read.
There is no need for formally teaching a child at this stage. Incidental teaching when the need arises is of course valuable. The aim at this stage should be to develop an interest in written language through sharing and discussing books and other written material.
Once this foundation has been set the next stage is recognizing and noticing letters in their own names and in books. The first letter my sons discovered was the letter K. This was the letter on the K Mart store. They called the letter kmarto and searched for it in every piece of print they could find.
Much fun and laughter ensured as they did this.
Before starting school, some children take the next step and begin to notice letters from their name or recognize a word or two as books are read together.
Many children don’t, though. This is normal, because children all develop at very different rates.
I have noticed that many young children begin school knowing their letters and sounds and words that begin with them thanks to television and computer programs and of course interested parents.
Phonics or letter sound relationships are firmly established.
There should be no stress placed on the child to learn letter names and the sounds they represent.
In years past a strategy for teaching children to read was by using words on cards. When you knew enough words, you were given a book to practice.
Teaching methods have certainly changed for the better since those days.
As close as forty years ago, books for young children often had poor illustrations and very simple language. The illustrations were regarded as secondary to the reading of text.
Things have improved due to the change in teaching and learning.
Today quality texts, where the language sounds good and the illustrations often stunning, play an important part in developing children’s reading skills. Often a whole class is taught to read together through the use of a big book so everyone can see and join in as the teacher points out letters, words and sentences. Reading and writing are linked.
The modern classroom and technology provide a wide range of activities that encourage every child to succeed at developing their literacy skills.
A website that offers great information and activities is
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/parents/index.shtml
I found this poem in a 1899 copy of “The School Paper” published by the Education Department of Victoria, Australia. It caught my eye after I had watched a television program on how parents in an African country did everything in their power to get their daughter enrolled in school.
I wonder what poem there was for girls?
What the School-Bell Says
It is wonderful what unlike things
The school-bell says to the boys when it rings.
For instance, the laggard who drags along
On his way to school hears this sort of song:
Study till four -
Books are a bore!
Oh, how I wish
I could rush off and fish
See, there’s the brook,
Here’s line and hook
Suppose I must go
Whether or no,
Study till four -
Books are a bore.
Then the boy who loves to be faithful and true,
Who does what his parents think he should do,
Comes bravely along with satchel and books,
The breeze in his whistle the sun in his looks;
And these are the thoughts that well up like a song,
And he hears the old bell with it’s faithful ding-dong
Cling, clang, cling -
I’m so glad I can sing!
Even a boy
Finds study a joy.
When my work’s done,
I’m ready for fun;
Keener my play for the tasks of the day.
These are the songs that the two boys heard
When the school bell was ringing, word for word.
Don’t be a laggard I far better, say
To work when you work, and play when you play
From The Children’s Friend
Any comments? Have times changed?
This article from Reading Rockets (www.readingrockets.org) may answer some of your questions.
Does my preschooler have delayed development?
It’s natural to want the very best for your child, and to worry when you begin to suspect there might be a problem. Parents and caregivers are often the first to notice delays, and these concerns should be discussed with the family doctor or pediatrician. A diagnosis for developmental delay can be made by a physician after careful and thorough evaluations.
Developmental milestones exist for many areas, for example motor, language, social and thinking skills. It is important to remember that there are wide ranges within each set of milestones. Developmental delays are not small differences in reaching milestones, they are more ongoing, and reflect major delays in development.
Language and speech problems are among the most common types of developmental delay. Speech has to do with how your child produces sounds and words and her voice, and language has to do with how well your child understands others and how well your child can share thoughts, ideas, and feelings. It’s important to talk with your doctor about speech and language development at every routine well-child visit.
According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, a two-to-three-year-old child should be able to understand the differences in meaning (big-little, up-down) and can follow to requests (“Get the book and put it on the table.”) Most two-to-three-year-old children have a word for almost everything, can use two or three words to talk about and ask for things, and their speech is understood by those who know the child. By the age of three to four, a child can answer simple, “Who?”, “What?”, “Where?” questions, are understood by people outside of the family, and can talk in sentences that have four or more words.
If you have concerns or questions about your child’s speech and language development, do not hesitate to contact your pediatrician or family doctor. Your doctor may encourage you to seek help from a certified speech-language pathologist, or point you in the direction of some early intervention services. The earlier you seek help, the earlier your preschooler can receive any extra help he or she may need.
For more information, read “How Does Your Child Hear and Talk?”
