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<DIV><SPAN class=554594903-21112008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=4>Yes,
Sharon - We can all agree that we want everyone to enjoy literature.
Can we agree that the solution to illiteracy is appropriate education grades
K-2, delivered by teachers with appropriate tools garnered from their education
at the university? We have the solution within grasp - we need the
will to do this. Lucille </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Tahoma><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=554594903-21112008> </SPAN>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B>
learningdisabilities-bounces@nifl.gov
[mailto:learningdisabilities-bounces@nifl.gov]<B>On Behalf Of </B>Sharon
Hillestad<BR><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, November 20, 2008 6:29 PM<BR><B>To:</B> The
Learning Disabilities Discussion List<BR><B>Subject:</B> [LearningDisabilities
2573] Re: Thinking about the NIFL<BR><BR></DIV></FONT></FONT>
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<DIV>As the director of a Learning Center I see what Shannie described
happening to children she knows. Students are on an educational conveyor
belt which keeps on moving no matter what. Most children could be
brilliant, but not when their attention is so often put on what they
cannot yet do. I have seen so much mutilation of intelligence and
educational abuse. It is a miracle that any child enjoys books past age
eight. When I ask junior high teachers about their students and books,
the simply say "the kids hate reading". I am a phonics advocate, but I
am also an advocate of the "Hook On Books" philosophy. This is a
fantastic book about getting young people to want to read. Check it
out.</DIV>
<DIV>Sharon Hillestad</DIV>
<DIV>State Director of the National Right To Read Foundation
www.nrrf.org<BR><BR>--- On <B>Tue, 11/18/08, Shoshanah Dean Hilmer
<I><wcjshannie@hotmail.com></I></B> wrote:<BR></DIV>
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style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(16,16,255) 2px solid">From:
Shoshanah Dean Hilmer <wcjshannie@hotmail.com><BR>Subject:
[LearningDisabilities 2562] Re: Thinking about the NIFL<BR>To:
learningdisabilities@nifl.gov<BR>Date: Tuesday, November 18, 2008,
9:41 AM<BR><BR>
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Through research it appears that things start slipping for many
children at the 3rd or 4th grade level. If a child doesn't have
a solid foundation, schoolwork becomes overwhelming.
Children also have to deal with a lot of external stresses such
teasing from classmates and turmoil within the family. Unless we
address the social and emotional issues, I am not sure we will see
much improvement. I run a women's literacy department and
we have a babysitting program. I often see the transformation
right before my eyes. A child comes in, struggling with her
schoolwork, but is proud to demonstrate the skills she has
learned. Then, at about 8 or 9 years old, she starts to become
discouraged as children tease her and she discovers that, no matter
how hard she tries, she is not getting good grades.
She wonders why she should even try when all she does is
fail. She has after school tutoring, but it's not
enough. As "icing on the cake" she now needs to process her
older brother getting shot for the second time, mom getting beat up by
her latest boyfriend, and moving from one apartment to another.
The details are different, but the story is the same. Some
children are not getting the help they need at this stage.
<BR> <BR>There are good early intervention programs like Head
Start. I'd like to see NIFL pick up where good early
intervention programs leave off. What's the solution? I'm
not exactly sure. I don't like the whole remedial classroom
idea. However, I know that individualize attention and quality
programs like Wilson are vital. I know that no child should ever
be given a high school diploma and "passed through" when they can't
read. <BR> <BR>I would also like to see that
NIFL doesn't lose their focus on adult literacy. There
aren't many organizations to advocate for adults. At the moment,
there seems to be no quick solution. Therefore, we must still
address the needs of the adults who don't receive what they need early
on and now have to try to make a
living.<BR> <BR>Shannie<BR><BR><BR>
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<P align=left><FONT color=#660066><A
href="http://www.womenscenterofjax.org/" target=_blank
rel=nofollow></A> </P></DIV></FONT></DIV><BR><BR><BR><BR>
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