1. What is the strange fact about not learning to read?
The children that have the most difficulty learning how to read are children who come from poor or minority backgrounds.
2. Why is this fact so strange?
The author states that the emphasis on teaching reading is usually the method of instruction, not understanding the links between socioeconomic status and learning to read. In this way, he feels the real "root" of the problem is not addressed - just glossed over by situations that are easier to address or more within the realms of instructor control.
3. What is it about school that manages to transform children who at good at learning things like Pokemon into children who are not good a learning?
Schools inherently obey a structure that emphasizes reading success in proportion to socioeconomic status, race, and gender - Pokemon is marketed as, and is in fact, a game that any child can learn and become good at regardless of these factors.
4. What is the differences between a traditionalists approach to learning to read and more progressive educators?
3. What is it about school that manages to transform children who at good at learning things like Pokemon into children who are not good a learning?
Schools inherently obey a structure that emphasizes reading success in proportion to socioeconomic status, race, and gender - Pokemon is marketed as, and is in fact, a game that any child can learn and become good at regardless of these factors.
4. What is the differences between a traditionalists approach to learning to read and more progressive educators?
Traditionalist approaches state that reading is an instructed process (taught through overt instruction); Progressive approaches embrace "Whole Language" reading experiences that emphasize reading as a natural process.
5. Is learning to read a natural process like learning to speak a language?
Learning to read is described by the author as not being a natural process; reading is different from learning a language. The process is more complex and requires more than "mimicking" to achieve.
6. What is the differences between natural, instructed and cultural processes and which process should reading be classified under?
5. Is learning to read a natural process like learning to speak a language?
Learning to read is described by the author as not being a natural process; reading is different from learning a language. The process is more complex and requires more than "mimicking" to achieve.
6. What is the differences between natural, instructed and cultural processes and which process should reading be classified under?
Natural processes are learned through immersion as a child develops, instructed processes are learned through instruction, and cultural processes are learned through cultural immersion and "masters" creating a rich learning environment for learners. Of all, reading should be classified as a cultural process.
7. How do humans learn best? Through instructional processes or through cultural processes? How is reading taught in school?
Humans learn best through cultural instruction, and in fact do not generally respond well to overt instruction. Reading in schools is taught as either an instructive or natural process (most usually instructive).
8. According to the author, what is the reason for the "fourth grade slump."
The "fourth grade slump" results from students learning reading as an instructive process. That is, students can decode words and pass reading tests, but reach a point in the curriculum where their reading skill have to be applied to other content areas. It is in this transition that they struggle.
9. What is a better predictor of reading success than phonemic awareness?
"Early language ability"; this refers to students being able to understand meaning and structure within a language.
10. What is the difference between "vernacular" and "specialist" varieties of language? Give an example of two sentences, one written in the vernacular and one written in a "a specialized variety", about a topic in your content area.
Vernacular is how we commonly speak in face to face interactions. Specialist varieties of language are more technical "jargon" related to a topic. For example, to describe a set of odd, prime integers less than fifty, I could describe the set (vernacular) as "The set of odd, prime integers less than fifty" or I could describe it using technical math vocabulary (specialist) as "The set of all x in the integers such that x is odd and x is prime and x < 50".
7. How do humans learn best? Through instructional processes or through cultural processes? How is reading taught in school?
Humans learn best through cultural instruction, and in fact do not generally respond well to overt instruction. Reading in schools is taught as either an instructive or natural process (most usually instructive).
8. According to the author, what is the reason for the "fourth grade slump."
The "fourth grade slump" results from students learning reading as an instructive process. That is, students can decode words and pass reading tests, but reach a point in the curriculum where their reading skill have to be applied to other content areas. It is in this transition that they struggle.
9. What is a better predictor of reading success than phonemic awareness?
"Early language ability"; this refers to students being able to understand meaning and structure within a language.
10. What is the difference between "vernacular" and "specialist" varieties of language? Give an example of two sentences, one written in the vernacular and one written in a "a specialized variety", about a topic in your content area.
Vernacular is how we commonly speak in face to face interactions. Specialist varieties of language are more technical "jargon" related to a topic. For example, to describe a set of odd, prime integers less than fifty, I could describe the set (vernacular) as "The set of odd, prime integers less than fifty" or I could describe it using technical math vocabulary (specialist) as "The set of all x in the integers such that x is odd and x is prime and x < 50".
11. What is "early language ability" and how is it developed?
Early language ability is a reflection of the "prototypes" a student "brings to the table" as a reader. These experiences are heavily shaped at home. (examples: reading a pretend book or making up stories, reciting a day's events at the dinner table like presenting a book report.
12. According to the author why and how does the traditionalist approach to teaching children to read fail?
This approach fails because it doesn't generate experiences like the "prototypes" learned from home. The traditionalist approach focuses on drill-based instruction and decoding and grammar, but does not provide a good basis upon which to connect reading with other content areas and experiences.
13. Are parents of poor children to blame for their children's inexperience with specialized varieties of language before coming to school?
I think they are in as much as they aren't. It is true that many parents don't take the time to help their children establish these skills and work with them to increase their early reading proficiency. Also there is a possibility that children in poor homes are raised by parents who didn't receive proper instruction themselves - which can inhibit this development. It just so happens that in a family dependent upon two incomes from parents working more than one job, that time to work with children becomes a rarity.
14. Did you struggle with reading this text? Why? Are you a poor reader or are you unfamiliar with this variety of specialized language?
No. This writing style is enjoyable. I like the casual approach to such daunting issues, as well as the integration of video games and pop culture into the content.
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