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Someone said here: "I have the opinion that reading and writing need to be connected."<BR>
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This was tested for thousands of k-1 kids in the 80's. The method was IBM's "writing to read" program using PC Jr's (remember them?). The theory is that someone must write before another can read. Why not teach writing along with reading at the same time. The k-1 kids used keyboards even before they knew how to use cursive.<BR>
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The writing to read system was phonetic. The kids need to learn to spell only the 40 sounds of US English to spell anything in English. Then they transitioned to traditional spelling after phonetic spelling. The book "Writing to Read" by Dr. John Henry Martin and Ardy Friedberg documents the method. It worked very well. Kids were far ahead of their peers in reading and writing But it was expensive, requiring new computers. There also were some special phonetic symbols involved. Not so good. <BR>
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Today the same methodology can be done for free using truespel phonetic spelling. It uses no special symbols, just letters, thus it's email friendly. I believe that experiment should be replicated using the free truespel converter at truespel.com to generate text and phonetic lessons. The result will be that finally there is a way phonetics can reasonably be used in the kids classrooms. And it can be integrated with pronunciation and translation guides. This would be a first. <BR><BR>Tom Zurinskas, USA - CT20, TN3, NJ33, FL5+ <BR>Learn truespel in 15 minutes at <A href="http://tinypaste.com/764f4" target=_blank><SPAN class=yshortcuts id=lw_1228326516_2><FONT color=#003399>http://tinypaste.com/764f4</FONT></SPAN></A><BR>
<BR><BR><BR><BR>> Date: Tue, 2 Dec 2008 11:02:26 -0800<BR>> From: kolgin@glendale.edu<BR>> To: englishlanguage@nifl.gov<BR>> CC: englishlanguage@nifl.gov<BR>> Subject: [EnglishLanguage 3207] Re: I don't understand the current thinking behind teaching reading to adults!<BR>> <BR>> > Well, Ali congratulations. You've hit the nail right on the head. In<BR>> Pearson's Reading in the Twentieth Century, he comments on how "other<BR>> disciplines thought that the educationalists had got it all wrong, and it<BR>> was time for another group to have their say"(p.11). So, the<BR>> different disciplines took a crack at how to read including the<BR>> linguists, psycolinguists,cognitive psychologists, sociolinguists,<BR>> philosophers literary critics and critical theorists. And then the US<BR>> Health Department (NICHD)and religous right threw in their two cents. If<BR>> you go to an International Reading Association Conference, you will find a<BR>> hundred methods to reading all claiming to be a panacea. The problem is<BR>> there is no size fits all when it comes to reading. In my experience, I<BR>> have had the best result with shared reading (a form of LEA) and<BR>> Literature Circles (higher levels). I have the opinion that reading and<BR>> writing need to be connected. That is, they need to be taught together<BR>> and not separately. Although the book's focus is children,Beyond<BR>> Traditional Phonics: Research Discoveries and Reading Instruction<BR>> (Moustafa, 1997)was an eye opener for me.<BR>> Reading for adult;especially, low level educated adults has become a deep<BR>> interest to many. Welcome to the club.<BR>> Kirk Olgin<BR>> Glendale College<BR>> <BR>> Hello all.<BR>> > My name is Ali Hesami, and I am currently a graduate student in the<BR>> adult<BR>> > literacy program at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond,<BR>> Virginia.<BR>> > I've been attending a class called "Teaching Reading to Adults" as part<BR>> of<BR>> > my required curriculum, and I have been wondering about the current<BR>> methods<BR>> > used to teach reading to adults. It seems to me that the teacher teach<BR>> adults just as they would teach children, often even using research and<BR>> writing on teaching reading to children as guidelines.<BR>> > While I understand the usefulness of phonics, phonetics, etc. by<BR>> themselves,<BR>> > I firmly believe that an adult can better benefit from learning to read<BR>> by<BR>> > simply reading in a classroom environment, guided by teachers, tutors,<BR>> etc.<BR>> > An adult in his or her 40s or even 50s simply should not have to sit<BR>> through<BR>> > long sessions of syllable by syllable instruction if all they desire id<BR>> to<BR>> > be better able to communicate with others and better express their<BR>> opinions<BR>> > about the world surrounding them.<BR>> > I speak from experience here. I began learning English as a 14 year old<BR>> in<BR>> > an international school in Tanzania. I placed into the 9th grade to<BR>> start;<BR>> > no one ever even approached phonics, phonemes, etc. I read and listened,<BR>> all<BR>> > the while guided by teachers who helped me with the material at hand. I<BR>> became conversational in about three months or so, while I worked on my<BR>> writing, also with guidance from my teachers. Conversely, while in school<BR>> > in<BR>> > my native Tehran, Iran, I was taught English in a similar manner as<BR>> here,<BR>> > and I spoke a grand total of three phrases when I left Iran for<BR>> Tanzania:<BR>> > Hello, Fine thank you, and Beg your pardon? I'm not even joking here! I<BR>> admit as a 14 year old I had an advantage over adults here, but I<BR>> can't<BR>> > help but wonder if what worked for me would help adults much more than<BR>> playing word games and reading children's books.<BR>> > Let's have them read material they can identify with in some way, and<BR>> keep<BR>> > them reading, while slowly working on their writing skill alongside. Let<BR>> me know any thoughts, ideas, criticisms, etc. It has been eating<BR>> away<BR>> > at<BR>> > me for a few months now.<BR>> > Thanks in advance,<BR>> > Ali Hesami<BR>> > hesamiar@gmail.com<BR>> > ----------------------------------------------------<BR>> > National Institute for Literacy<BR>> > Adult English Language Learners mailing list<BR>> > EnglishLanguage@nifl.gov<BR>> > To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to<BR>> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/englishlanguage<BR>> > Email delivered to kolgin@glendale.edu<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>> ----------------------------------------------------<BR>> National Institute for Literacy<BR>> Adult English Language Learners mailing list<BR>> EnglishLanguage@nifl.gov<BR>> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/englishlanguage<BR>> Email delivered to truespel@hotmail.com<BR><BR><br /><hr />Send e-mail anywhere. No map, no compass. <a href='http://windowslive.com/Explore/hotmail?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_hotmail_acq_anywhere_122008' target='_new'>Get your HotmailŪ account now.</a></body>
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