| Learning to read is like learning to ride a bike or | | | | It takes commitment and effort by a child and |
| play a piano. | | | | their parents and teachers and it is never too late |
| It is a skill. It is built up step by step. New skills | | | | to learn. No excuses! |
| build on the previously learned skills. | | | | I have found teaching a person to read involves |
| Can you remember the exhilaration you felt when | | | | the same approach. It is used with children who |
| you took off on your two wheel bike. You could | | | | are autistic, have an intellectual disability or are |
| balance without falling! | | | | dyslexic. |
| Remember the hours of practise, the frustration | | | | The alphabet code must be taught. That is 25 |
| of not having success straight away. | | | | letters are used to spell the 44 sounds that make |
| Learning a skill takes effort and input from the | | | | up English. One, two, three and sometimes four |
| learner. | | | | letters are used to spell one sound. |
| People are different. They learn at different rates. | | | | The sounds of English (and other languages) are |
| As far as learning to read is concerned some kids | | | | divided into 2 groups: vowels and consonants. All |
| take to it like a duck to water. Many struggle | | | | words must contain at least one vowel sound. A |
| because of a biological disposition or fail to learn | | | | syllable or part of a word contains a vowel sound. |
| the basics during early primary school. They might | | | | If a word has 2 vowel sounds it is a 2 syllable |
| have a thinking style (dyslexia) which causes | | | | word. Knowledge of blends of consonants, |
| difficulty in learning to read. | | | | prefixes and suffixes, word patterns and word |
| Providing hearing, sight and sound processing are | | | | meaning are all part of the process. When a child |
| normal children usually succeed when reading is | | | | begins with simple texts that are easily decoded |
| taught in a systematic way. | | | | with a sprinkle of the words not easily decoded |
| It seems a quarter of children struggle to learn to | | | | their reading and language develops step by step. |
| read. I find this deeply concerning. I can't believe | | | | I think our education system has to move away |
| one quarter of children have inherited reading | | | | from encouraging children to think that learning |
| problems. | | | | should 'always' be easy or fun. It isn't. The learning |
| It does seem that the whole language approach | | | | process is gradual and success is an ongoing thing. |
| to teaching literacy adopted by modern education | | | | This attitude seems to be prevalent in society. |
| does not suit a lot of children. | | | | "Hard' or 'difficult' seems to equated with 'boring' |
| Research indicates one-quarter to one-third of | | | | or 'grim' so that when the learning requires effort |
| children cannot learn simply by the whole language | | | | too many give up and don't experience the real |
| approach. | | | | satisfaction there is when a task is mastered. |
| I totally support a phonics based program to | | | | The idea that everything has to be easy and fun |
| teach children to read. I have sat using one for | | | | has I believe brought about a lack of respect for |
| with many students and each one has begun to | | | | education and educators. |
| read more confidently. The material they read is | | | | The acquisition of language and the mastery of |
| pitched at their level of development. | | | | reading are two of the most complex and |
| Comprehension skills are developed at the same | | | | important tasks most of us will ever undertake. |
| time. | | | | Part of the joy of literacy development is the |
| They also have to take responsibility for their | | | | sense of accomplishment the learner feels when |
| learning and continue to read. | | | | they know they have worked at, practised and |
| If children are told learning to read is easy the | | | | mastered a skill they have felt to be difficult. |
| achievement is downgraded. Reading is a lifelong | | | | We must get this message across to students. |
| development and one of the most life enhancing | | | | Their life depends upon it. |
| skills a person can develop. | | | | |