Three Arguments Against Whole Language & why They are Wrong

Three Arguments Against Whole Language & why They are Wrong PDF Author: Stephen D. Krashen
Publisher: Heinemann Educational Books
ISBN: 9780325001197
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 112

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Book Description
Stephen Krashen, one of the country's most respected authorities on language and literacy, sets the record straight about today's reading wars, offering an incisive analysis of the three major "battle cries" of whole language critics. In a step-by-step dissection, Krashen reiterates the three arguments, then explores the most salient studies that support or refute them. CLAIM: Eye movement studies prove that readers assay text "completely," and therefore do not sample text to confirm predictions, as maintained by whole language advocates. In exploring the Eye Fixation Studies, which attempted to disprove the Goodman-Smith reading theory, Krashen reveals that study participants had no alternative but to examine every fine detail of the print. Further evidence is provided that supports the hypothesis that literacy development and comprehension are in fact closely related. CLAIM: Context interferes with reading. This is only true, says Krashen, if the context (e.g. pictures) is too rich, or "overdetermining." We also see how the results of studies supporting this claim were biased by the methodology used. CLAIM: Skill-building approaches to reading have been shown to produce better results than whole language. In fact, asserts Krashen, when whole language is correctly defined as providing comprehensible texts, it is a consistent winner. The author also skewers the national frenzy over early intervention and illustrates his point with a humorous scenario showing how "prenatal phonemic awareness testing" could be the logical outgrowth of an entirely skills-based approach! But beyond its point/counterpoint format, Three Arguments offers some real solutions, chief of which is making sure that all children have access to interesting reading material so they can finally achieve the standards of literacy they deserve.

Three Arguments Against Whole Language & why They are Wrong

Three Arguments Against Whole Language & why They are Wrong PDF Author: Stephen D. Krashen
Publisher: Heinemann Educational Books
ISBN: 9780325001197
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 112

Get Book Here

Book Description
Stephen Krashen, one of the country's most respected authorities on language and literacy, sets the record straight about today's reading wars, offering an incisive analysis of the three major "battle cries" of whole language critics. In a step-by-step dissection, Krashen reiterates the three arguments, then explores the most salient studies that support or refute them. CLAIM: Eye movement studies prove that readers assay text "completely," and therefore do not sample text to confirm predictions, as maintained by whole language advocates. In exploring the Eye Fixation Studies, which attempted to disprove the Goodman-Smith reading theory, Krashen reveals that study participants had no alternative but to examine every fine detail of the print. Further evidence is provided that supports the hypothesis that literacy development and comprehension are in fact closely related. CLAIM: Context interferes with reading. This is only true, says Krashen, if the context (e.g. pictures) is too rich, or "overdetermining." We also see how the results of studies supporting this claim were biased by the methodology used. CLAIM: Skill-building approaches to reading have been shown to produce better results than whole language. In fact, asserts Krashen, when whole language is correctly defined as providing comprehensible texts, it is a consistent winner. The author also skewers the national frenzy over early intervention and illustrates his point with a humorous scenario showing how "prenatal phonemic awareness testing" could be the logical outgrowth of an entirely skills-based approach! But beyond its point/counterpoint format, Three Arguments offers some real solutions, chief of which is making sure that all children have access to interesting reading material so they can finally achieve the standards of literacy they deserve.

The Power of Reading

The Power of Reading PDF Author: Stephen D. Krashen
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN: 0313053359
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 214

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Book Description
Continuing the case for free voluntary reading set out in the book's 1993 first edition, this new, updated, and much-looked-for second edition explores new research done on the topic in the last ten years as well as looking anew at some of the original research reviewed. Krashen also explores research surrounding the role of school and public libraries and the research indicating the necessity of a print-rich environment that provides light reading (comics, teen romances, magazines) as well as the best in literature to assist in educating children to read with understanding and in second language acquisition. He looks at the research surrounding reading incentive/rewards programs and specifically at the research on AR (Accelerated Reader) and other electronic reading products.

Essentials of Assessing, Preventing, and Overcoming Reading Difficulties

Essentials of Assessing, Preventing, and Overcoming Reading Difficulties PDF Author: David A. Kilpatrick
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1118845404
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 450

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Book Description
Practical, effective, evidence-based reading interventions that change students' lives Essentials of Understanding and Assessing Reading Difficulties is a practical, accessible, in-depth guide to reading assessment and intervention. It provides a detailed discussion of the nature and causes of reading difficulties, which will help develop the knowledge and confidence needed to accurately assess why a student is struggling. Readers will learn a framework for organizing testing results from current assessment batteries such as the WJ-IV, KTEA-3, and CTOPP-2. Case studies illustrate each of the concepts covered. A thorough discussion is provided on the assessment of phonics skills, phonological awareness, word recognition, reading fluency, and reading comprehension. Formatted for easy reading as well as quick reference, the text includes bullet points, icons, callout boxes, and other design elements to call attention to important information. Although a substantial amount of research has shown that most reading difficulties can be prevented or corrected, standard reading remediation efforts have proven largely ineffective. School psychologists are routinely called upon to evaluate students with reading difficulties and to make recommendations to address such difficulties. This book provides an overview of the best assessment and intervention techniques, backed by the most current research findings. Bridge the gap between research and practice Accurately assess the reason(s) why a student struggles in reading Improve reading skills using the most highly effective evidence-based techniques Reading may well be the most important thing students are taught during their school careers. It is a skill they will use every day of their lives; one that will dictate, in part, later life success. Struggling students need help now, and Essentials of Understanding and Assessing Reading Difficulties shows how to get these students on track.

The Schools Our Children Deserve

The Schools Our Children Deserve PDF Author: Alfie Kohn
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ISBN: 9780618083459
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 356

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Book Description
Arguing against the tougher standards rhetoric that marks the current education debate, the author of No Contest and Punished by Rewards writes that such tactics squeeze the pleasure out of learning. Reprint.

The Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading

The Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading PDF Author: Jessie Wise
Publisher: Peace Hill Press
ISBN: 9780972860314
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 378

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Book Description
Providing a wealth of tools, instructional advice and easy-to-follow guidelines.

Language, Power and Pedagogy

Language, Power and Pedagogy PDF Author: Jim Cummins
Publisher: Multilingual Matters
ISBN: 1847698441
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 322

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Book Description
Population mobility is at an all-time high in human history. One result of this unprecedented movement of peoples around the world is that in many school systems monolingual and monocultural students are the exception rather than the rule, particularly in urban areas. This shift in demographic realities entails enormous challenges for educators and policy-makers. What do teachers need to know in order to teach effectively in linguistically and culturally diverse contexts? How long does it take second language learners to acquire proficiency in the language of school instruction? What are the differences between attaining conversational fluency in everyday contexts and developing proficiency in the language registers required for academic success? What adjustments do we need to make in curriculum, instruction and assessment to ensure that second-language learners understand what is being taught and are assessed in a fair and equitable manner? How long do we need to wait before including second-language learners in high-stakes national examinations and assessments? What role (if any) should be accorded students’ first language in the curriculum? Do bilingual education programs work well for poor children from minority-language backgrounds or should they be reserved only for middle-class children from the majority or dominant group? In addressing these issues, this volume focuses not only on issues of language learning and teaching but also highlights the ways in which power relations in the wider society affect patterns of teacher–student interaction in the classroom. Effective instruction will inevitably challenge patterns of coercive power relations in both school and society.

Reading Fluency

Reading Fluency PDF Author: Timothy Rasinski
Publisher: MDPI
ISBN: 3039432680
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 146

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Book Description
Reading fluency has been identified as a key component of proficient reading. Research has consistently demonstrated significant and substantial correlations between reading fluency and overall reading achievement. Despite the great potential for fluency to have a significant outcome on students’ reading achievement, it continues to be not well understood by teachers, school administrators and policy makers. The chapters in this volume examine reading fluency from a variety of perspectives. The initial chapter sketches the history of fluency as a literacy instruction component. Following chapters examine recent studies and approaches to reading fluency, followed by chapters that explore actual fluency instruction models and the impact of fluency instruction. Assessment of reading fluency is critical for monitoring progress and identifying students in need of intervention. Two articles on assessment, one focused on word recognition and the other on prosody, expand our understanding of fluency measurement. Finally, a study from Turkey explores the relationship of various reading competencies, including fluency, in an integrated model of reading. Our hope for this volume is that it may spark a renewed interest in research into reading fluency and fluency instruction and move toward making fluency instruction an even more integral part of all literacy instruction.

Understanding Reading

Understanding Reading PDF Author: Frank Smith
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1135619727
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 569

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Book Description
Understanding Reading revolutionized reading research and theory when the first edition appeared in 1971 and continues to be a leader in the field. In the sixth edition of this classic text, Smith's purpose remains the same: to shed light on fundamental aspects of the complex human act of reading--linguistic, physiological, psychological, and social--and on what is involved in learning to read. The text critically examines current theories, instructional practices, and controversies, covering a wide range of disciplines but always remaining accessible to students and classroom teachers. Careful attention is given to the ideological clash that continues between whole language and direct instruction and currently permeates every aspect of theory and research into reading and reading instruction. To aid readers in making up their own minds, each chapter concludes with a brief statement of "Issues." Understanding Reading: A Psycholinguistic Analysis of Reading and Learning to Read, Sixth Edition is designed to serve as a handbook for language arts teachers, a college text for basic courses on the psychology of reading, a guide to relevant research on reading, and an introduction to reading as an aspect of thinking and learning. It is matchless in integrating a wide range of topics relative to reading while, at the same time, being highly readable and user-friendly for instructors, students, and practitioners.

The Linguistics, Neurology, and Politics of Phonics

The Linguistics, Neurology, and Politics of Phonics PDF Author: Steven L. Strauss
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1135704368
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 224

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Book Description
This book explores the driving forces behind the current government-sponsored resurrection of phonics, and the arguments used to justify it. It examines the roles played by three key actors--corporate America, politicians, and state-supported reading researchers--in the formulation of what Strauss terms the neophonics political program. Essential for researchers, students, and teachers of literacy and reading, and for anyone seeking to understand what is happening in U.S. public schools today, The Linguistics, Neurology, and Politics of Phonics: Silent "E" Speaks Out: *analyzes the political nature of the alleged literacy crisis in the United States, through an investigation of the political and corporate motives behind the renewed focus on phonics, and media complicity in promoting the neophonics political program as the solution to the so-called crisis; *examines the scientific claims of neophonics, including methodology, linguistics, and neuroscience, and exposes the flaws in its reasoning and the weakness of its arguments; *addresses the scientific, empirical investigation of letter-sound relationships in English (of phonics itself), and demonstrates the complexity of the system and its associated benefits and limitations in the theory and practice of reading; *proposes actions to help make a return to politically undistorted science and to democratic classrooms a reality; and *introduces, in a postscript, a formal analysis of the letter-sound system, using empirically based rules to convert one finite set of elements, the alphabet, into another, the phonemes of the spoken language. Offering up-to-date information and an original critique, this book makes two important contributions. One is the policy analysis linking government agencies, policymakers, and corporate interests. The second is the neurological and linguistic treatment of why traditional phonics programs are not the solution and why the rhetoric developed to support their resurgence is so far off the mark.

Whole Language Lives On

Whole Language Lives On PDF Author: Louisa Cook Moats
Publisher: DIANE Publishing
ISBN: 1437902367
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 32

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Book Description
This position paper contends that the whole language approach to reading instruction has been disproved by research and evaluation but still pervades textbooks for teachers, instructional materials for classroom use, some states' language-arts standards and other policy documents, teacher licensing requirements and preparation programs, and the professional context in which teachers work. The paper finds that many who pledge allegiance to "balanced reading" continue to misunderstand reading development and to deliver "poorly conceived, ineffective reading instruction." It argues that "rooting out whole language" from reading classrooms calls for effort on eight separate fronts. The paper describes what whole language is, why it is contradicted by scientific studies, how it continues in education, and what should be done to correct the situation. (Contains a glossary and 57 notes.) (NKA)