Return-Path: <nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id j04NcIV16963; Tue, 4 Jan 2005 18:38:18 -0500 (EST) Date: Tue, 4 Jan 2005 18:38:18 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <1d9.337ac561.2f0c8232@aol.com> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: MWPotts2001@aol.com To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-4EFF:2909] Misunderstandings about Reading T. Sticht X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Mailer: 9.0 for Windows sub 5036 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" Status: RO Content-Length: 3956 Lines: 88 Happy New Year to All. We begin the year with an interesting message from Tom Sticht, in which he states that the essential components of reading as defined by the US DOE are not really components at all. See how he defines fluency, comprehension, vocabulary. See how he takes on the "old bromide" *First we learn to read, then we read to learn. * We will welcome comments. All the Best, Meta Potts, Moderator 4-EFF list Some Misunderstandings About Reading January 4, 2005 Tom Sticht International Consultant in Adult Education The U. S. Education Departments web page for Reading First states "Reading First will provide funds to train teachers in the essential components of reading (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension)… ," http://www.ed.gov/programs/readingfirst/applicant.html This seems to me to contain certain misunderstandings about reading which I have summarized below, along with some other misunderstandings that I have seen in the literature on reading. Misunderstanding #1: Fluency is one of "the essential components of reading" that include alphabetics (phonemics, phonics), fluency, vocabulary, comprehension. Correction: "fluency" is not a "component" of anything. Rather it is the quality of a performance. In reading it refers to reading that is executed without a lot of mistakes, not in a slow, halting, recursive manner but rather in a regular left to right, progressive moving, fairly rapid (around 200-250 words per minute) manner when reading materials of some familiarity. Misunderstanding #2: Vocabulary is one of "the essential components of reading" that include alphabetics (phonemics, phonics), fluency, vocabulary, comprehension. Correction: Vocabulary is a component of language, not listening or reading, though it can be acquired using either of these information pickup processes. Misunderstanding #3: Comprehension is one of "the essential components of reading" that include alphabetics (phonemics, phonics), fluency, vocabulary, comprehension. Correction: Comprehension precedes reading and directs the reading process, not the other way around. Listening to speech is one way to comprehend language, reading graphic symbols is another. Children typically learn to comprehend by listening to speech before they learn to comprehend by reading. Comprehension is what the reader tries to achieve, but comprehension is not a component of reading, it is both a precursor to and a result of reading. Misunderstanding #4: Listening and reading are the same language processes. Correction: Listening and reading are both information pickup processes which may be used to construct language, but they are not language and they are not the same. You can do one in the dark, the other in a noisy room, but neither in a dark, noisy room. Languaging can be accomplished using tactual information pickup processes, too. Misunderstanding #5: "First you learn to read, then you read to learn." Correction: Despite the widespread use of this old bromide, you always read to learn. Even when learning to read, one looks at the graphic displays and tries to learn (i.e., "read") them as symbols. First you read to learn to read graphic information as symbols then you read to learn some other new information forming new ideas expressed in graphic symbols. Misunderstanding #6: We can teach reading skills to children and adults. Correction: We cannot teach "skills." We can teach knowledge but skill must be developed through practice. We can coach for skill, and we can model skillful performance, but we cannot teach skill. When we teach phonics we are teaching knowledge of sight-sound correspondences, not decoding skill. The latter can only be developed through practice. Thomas G. Sticht International Consultant in Adult Education 2062 Valley View Blvd. El Cajon, CA 92019-2059 Tel/fax: (619) 444-9133 Email: tsticht@azznet.net
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