Return-Path: <nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id iB3M0GF26462; Fri, 3 Dec 2004 17:00:16 -0500 (EST) Date: Fri, 3 Dec 2004 17:00:16 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <1102111022.3939620619.10807.sendItem@bloglines.com> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: PHCSJean.2164047@bloglines.com To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-FOBASICS:1221] RE: Big ideas X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Content-Type: text/plain Status: O Content-Length: 1941 Lines: 51 You're right, Chris. Adults want to learn more. ESL folks complain that they want to be able to talk about more than the weather. But how do we get from point A to point T? They attempt conversation locally where it is "normal" and they don't have enough words. I know in working with children that talking about the bog ideas generally helps them stretch to higher levels. I suspect it would be the same for adults too. Curiously, it's the odd words that the low level readers with no phonics often remember--ostrich and giraffe are recognized consistently in the story while pan and man and fan all get mixed up. Maybe this big ideas is worth a try. Jean --- nifl-fobasics@nifl.gov wrote: I may be alone on this but here goes. Too often I have met teachers who work > with illiterate and marginally literate adults who spend little or no time > on "big ideas." Discussing the social changes in Europe brought about by the > Black Death or how on comma in the Bible divided Christianity into two > philosophies or how the Greeks determined the size and shape of the Earth > may seem disconnected with the need for functional literacy but overreaching > is good. Adults are curious about their world. They want someone to treat > them like intellectual equals. We all need that. Vocabulary, spelling, > reading are learned when adults see a need. But they are learned best when > adults use learning as the means to a personal end. I have first, second and > third grade readers who daily spend time "reading" books on history and > science. They don't know all the words but they do ask surprisingly > intelligent questions They ask want to know why Joan of Arc was put to > death, who was the first man to sail around the world, and which is > correct - evolution or creationism. These are big ideas with big vocabulary > but that should spur us as teachers to occasionally ignore phonics in favor > of philosophy. >
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Thu Dec 23 2004 - 09:47:20 EST