Thank you Bill,
 
Let me carry your analogy one more step…. Just as with cancer, the educator sometimes tries one method of treatment, and when this method does not work, must employ another method. For me, the knowledge of different teaching strategies and methodologies of teaching reading is sooooo important. And just as you said, diagnosis is vital. As a child, I did not learn to read using phonics, but I learned to teach phonics and do a good job of teaching using this method. As adults, some of us are not able to distinguish the different sounds; therefore, teachers must utilize other methods. I have had many teachers ask me to write a manual on how to teach reading. I always ask the same question --- “Tell me more about your student. What are his strengths, learning style, interests, background, etc.?” Choosing the correct strategy to teach reading  involves detective work and a lot of trial and error. Carol Allen 
Career Readiness Certification Director
Rowan Cabarrus Community College
PO Box 1595
Salisbury, NC 28145-1595
704-216-7210 office
704-202-7065 cell
-----Original Message-----
From: "Will Fagan" <wfagan at mun.ca>
Sent 4/19/2008 8:36:07 AM
To: "The Learning Disabilities Discussion List" <learningdisabilities at nifl.gov>
Subject: [LearningDisabilities 1961] Re: Research Validated Reading Instruction - Hooked on Phonics?I have been reading different postings and wonder if we are going
backwards or forwards  in terms of teaching reading!
We seem to have different vested interests in reading: the searchers,
the borrowers, the missionaries, the proselytizers, and the
researchers/consumers of research. Unfortunately, the latter group
seem to be in the minority.
Prescribing one method or program for reading difficulties would be
the same as prescribing one treatment for all cancers.
We have well over 100 years of research in reading. This year marks
the 100th anniversary of the publication of Edmund Burke Huey's, The
Psychology and Pedagogy of Reading. As in any problem/issue (cancer
or reading) the treatment has to interact with the nature of the
problem. Of course, to be an accomplished reader (certainly, an oral
reader) readers must be knowledgeable of symbol-sound correspondences
but to say that teaching this aspect of language (one of many) must
be packaged and sandwiched, and isolated, is doing a disservice to
our understanding of language and learners. A good teacher/
facilitator of reading operates on at least  four areas of knowledge:
knowledge of language (its structure, totality, interrelatedness),
knowledge of the  brain and the capabilities of learning, knowledge
of the learners as a social person/socio-economic conditions, and
knowledge of teaching-learning strategies in helping the learner and
learning connect.
In the 1970's a combination of the use of these four areas of
knowledge was called "diagnostic  teaching" of reading. We had all
the research by Brophy and associates on how many decisions a teacher
had to make in the course of a day - the number of decisions being
phenomenal.
Why have teacher education programs gone away from this level of
understanding and knowledge for teaching reading? Rather than making
a decision (Brophy et al) on what is the best strategy  for this
individual at this time, seems to have given way to a request for
"the latest fix".
I am not sure how we get back to understanding the teaching or
reading as good decision making using a range of knowledge. Results
of reading tests suggest we have to make an effort.
Bill Fagan
On 18-Apr-08, at 5:42 PM, Susan Jones wrote:

> Catching up with the list... the same fault lines causing rumbles!

> (Yes, I felt the quake of the a.m. tho' far enough from the

> epicenter it was about the equivalent of the cat jumping on the bed).

>

> I remember a website that described the hooked on phonics claims to

> research as being completely shady; apparently he tried to track

> down the original sources of the research they claimed to have, and

> it didn't exist.

>

> IMO there are lots of more structured resources that are cheaper

> and more effective.  HOP is marketed to the masses, not fo r

> special needs folks.

>

> It's one of those "phonics" products that prob'ly helps (but you

> have to pay for all those ads) ... *if* you already process sounds

> reasonably well. It's not going to help you learn to do it if it

> doesn't come naturally - as is the case for many folks with dyslexia.

>

> Susan Jones

> Academic Development Specialist

> Academic Development Center

> Parkland College

> Champaign, IL  61821

> sujones at parkland.edu

> Webmastress,

> http://www.resourceroom.net

> http://bicyclecu.blogspot.com

>

>

>>>> "Orleck, Ralph" <Ralph.Orleck at doc.ri.gov> 2/14/2008 12:17 PM >>>

> The Special Education Teachers within the Rhode Island Department of

> Corrections have been using a series of research validated

> materials and

> techniques to work to enhance the reading achievement of students with

> special needs.

>

>

>

> I have been approached by staff requesting we add the "Hooked on

> Phonics" program to our inventory.

>

>

>

> Is there research out there to support the utilization of the

> "Hooked on

> Phonics" program as an appropriate instructional program to enhance

> reading skills for students with special needs?  Do any of you use it?

> What are the results?

>

>

>

> Thank you.

>

> Ralph Orleck

>

> Special Education Director / Principal

>

> Rhode Island Department of Corrections

>

> Education Unit

>

> 15 Fleming Road,  Bernadette Building

>

> Cranston, RI 02920

>

> Office: (401) 462-2507

>

> Direct: (401) 462-1415

>

> Fax: (401) 462-2509

>

> E-Mail: Ralph.Orleck at doc.ri.gov

>

>

>

>

> ----------------------------------------------------

> National Institute for Literacy

> Learning Disabilities mailing list

> LearningDisabilities at nifl.gov

> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to

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> Email delivered to wfagan at mun.ca

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