Learning to Read...reading to learn

October 1997

UPDATE on Literacy Initiative

The Special Education Department's Literacy Initiative's activities for the month of September began with 18 classroom teams (K-6) coming together to discuss students' reading skills and literacy experiences. The information gleaned from discussion/surveys gave direction for the "next steps". Assessments, student reading materials, instructional resources, and writing activities were often identified as issues to address.

Four assessments have been sent to all 18 classroom teams for use as needed, when needed. A list of high interest/low readability books is available as well as current catalogues to order from. Instructional reading materials are being reviewed by some classroom teams and further work in this area will progress as NY State ELA updates are made available. Resources for writing activities need to be identified.

To better organize the information to be shared about reading, our first few newsletters will focus on a systematic, explicit skills program which includes (1) phonemic awareness (sounds in words), alphabetic knowledge, and decoding skills. Although this information may not directly pertain to your current teaching situation, it may in the future. Please keep in mind that a skills program is just one component of a balanced and comprehensive approach to teaching reading that also includes (2) a literature, language (oral and written), and comprehension program, and (3) on-going diagnosis and assessment that informs teaching.

What is PHONEMIC AWARENESS?

Phonemic awareness is the understanding that spoken words and syllables are made up of speech sounds. This understanding facilitates the learning of our alphabetic language because the letters represent the sounds or phonemes. Without phonemic awareness, phonics can make no sense, and the spellings of words can only be learned by rote.

Phonemic awareness can be fostered through language activities that encourage active exploration and manipulation of sounds. In the early stages of its development, phonemic awareness does not involve written letters or words and is, therefore, not synonymous with phonics. In later stages, however, work on phonemic awareness and phonics appears to be mutually reinforcing. Teaching Reading, California Dept. of Education, 1996.

Support for phonemic awareness development should occur in prekindergarten, kindergarten, and first grade (Yopp, 1992), including the abilities to:

Phonics in a BALANCED Reading Program

Phonics and other word identification skills should comprise only a part of a reading program--a much larger part for beginners than for more advanced readers. An effective phonics program should include specific instruction that encourages listening, speaking, seeing, and writing. In general, instruction in new phonic elements and generalizations should be presented orally, with oral responses by students. Independent activities including writing, reading, and activities such as those found in workbooks, or created by the teacher, are to be done only after the oral phonics. Phonic instruction should help students have an inquisitive attitude toward written and spoken words--breaking them apart and putting them together again, trying to sound out words this way and that, spelling unknown words and then checking in the dictionary for conventional spellings. This playfulness gives students the positive attitude and the confidence needed to use the knowledge and skills they are acquiring (Chall & Popp, 1996).

WHAT MIGHT A LESSON LOOK LIKE?

Date(s):___________________________ Group: ____________________________________ (This lesson may take a couple of 15-20 minute sessions. Concepts taught can be reinforced throughout the day's activities.)

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Stephanie Borgert
Last modified: Sun Feb 15 10:50:38 EST 1998