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 h6HI0a718122; Thu, 17 Jul 2003 14:00:36 -0400 (EDT) Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2003 14:00:36 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <1058464584.3f16e34821fcc@mail.msln.net> 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: Bonnie Fortini <bfortini@mmhs.u102.k12.me.us> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-4EFF:2425] Re: A small point on reading theory X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Status: O Content-Length: 2527 Lines: 43 George asks, "The broader question then is how does reading take place and what are the key relationships between top-down (whole language) and bottom-up (skill-based) processes?" Virginia notes," I have yet to meet a student who uses only one strategy to be successful in life or in reading." Andrea comments, "I have thought a lot about the use of the term "balanced," and I would ditch it, I don't know where it comes from. I would use the word "integrated" which is what we are aiming for, after all." I think you have all addressed the essence of how reading (and learning to read) happens...lots and lots of ways! As many ways as there are people who read, probably. But all share some common events which we well know, basic awareness of sounds, understanding of a sound-symbol sytem, a reason or context for reading, and some tools to help when things get rough. It's sort of a discovery process, so would have to work differently for each person, predicated on their perceptions and experiences. I remember as a child reading "The Boxcar Children" which totally captivated me to the point that a strange word I encountered several times during the story puzzled, but did not stop me. The word was "risen" with a long i sound. It wasn't until the end of the story that I realized what the word was. This was an independent activity (rainy day in a neighborhood with no kids) so there was no "instruction" or anyone to ask. I was just thinking back over the pictures the text had painted in my head. That's when the realization hit. That funny word appeared everytime the older sister and brother were washing the one chipped china mug and the two saucers. They were "rinsing" the dishes! I had inadvertently mixed up the last three letters and persisted in misreading the word (they washed those dishes a lot of times!). I wasn't looking to figure out the word, I had just ignored it while I was reading. It hadn't bothered me or made me curious to go ask someone. It just hit me later, when I wasn't even looking. Pretty passive, if you ask me, just a happy discovery. [I've got a similar experience with the word "Yo-sem-ite" with which I shall not bore you] I think we do have to integrate (or balance as needed) top-down, whole language, contextualized purposes and opportunities for reading with bottom-up, skill-based, varied and individualized tools. And that's the fun of it all- facilitating the need and the instruction so that emergent readers "get it." Bonnie F. Machias, ME
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