Illiteracy: An Incurable Disease or Education Malpractice?

gue_barium

Illiteracy in America is still growing at an alarming rate and that fact has not changed much since Rudolf Flesch wrote his best-selling expose of reading instruction in 1955. Illiteracy continues to be a critical problem, demanding enormous resources from local, state, and federal taxes, while arguments about how to teach children to read continue to rage within the education research community, on Capitol Hill, in business, and in the classroom.

http://www.nrrf.org/essay_Illiteracy.html

MarylandTeacher

gue_barium wrote:

Illiteracy in America is still growing at an alarming rate and that fact has not changed much since Rudolf Flesch wrote his best-selling expose of reading instruction in 1955. Illiteracy continues to be a critical problem, demanding enormous resources from local, state, and federal taxes, while arguments about how to teach children to read continue to rage within the education research community, on Capitol Hill, in business, and in the classroom.

http://www.nrrf.org/essay_Illiteracy.html

I can tell you that teachers alone cannot solve it....for it to really change, the child must see reading at home...parents/grandparents must glorify reading for enjoyment....PARENTS: sell those fancy computer games and put away those cell phones....let's get back to basics.

even flow?

MarylandTeacher wrote:

I can tell you that teachers alone cannot solve it....for it to really change, the child must see reading at home...parents/grandparents must glorify reading for enjoyment....PARENTS: sell those fancy computer games and put away those cell phones....let's get back to basics.

I have heard more times then I care to from more people then I want to admit that it is the school's that need to teach the children. F'd up I know.

in_hiding79

The school's can teach all they want, when it comes down to it, KID'S NEED TO READ A DAMN BOOK! I read so much when I was in school. I liked video games and stuff, but I loved to read and I still do. Parent's need to make sure that once their child comes home he/she needs to do all his/her homework and read. Reading is great, it makes you use your imagination which I think children don't do anymore! :( I know I have no children, but I know how my Parent's raised me and I was to read one or two books a month. During the Summer it was one book a week.

chopitdown

MarylandTeacher wrote:

I can tell you that teachers alone cannot solve it....for it to really change, the child must see reading at home...parents/grandparents must glorify reading for enjoyment....PARENTS: sell those fancy computer games and put away those cell phones....let's get back to basics.

wait... you want parents to educate and play a role in their children's lives??? that's just crazy. It's not like the first 5 years of life are formative at all. The teachers of today just must not be very good if kids can't read; there is no other reason. Parental responsibility for teaching and reading??? HA! what's next...do you want parents to teach their kids to respect others and help the students with homework??? That's what teachers are for. I mean, a parent may actually have to tell their child "no" or tell their child they can't play outside b/c the work isn't done.

jlew24asu

MarylandTeacher wrote:

I can tell you that teachers alone cannot solve it....for it to really change, the child must see reading at home...parents/grandparents must glorify reading for enjoyment....PARENTS: sell those fancy computer games and put away those cell phones....let's get back to basics.

this is a huge problem. kids today and on the way have too many toys to distract them. I didn't have my first computer until I was 18, cell phone when I was 20. getting back to basics is a difficult challenge for parents today.

in_hiding79

jlew24asu wrote:

this is a huge problem. kids today and on the way have too many toys to distract them. I didn't have my first computer until I was 18, cell phone when I was 20. getting back to basics is a difficult challenge for parents today.

Exactly!!

know1

It's a parenting issue....but conveniently they're not mentioned.

gue_barium

know1 wrote:

It's a parenting issue....but conveniently they're not mentioned.

Well, like any social malady, illiteracy tends to move from one generation to the next. I disagree that it cannot be remedied with good early age schooling.

gue_barium

oops, wrong thread.

Ahnimus

As some of you may know, I agree with the ecological systems perspective of human development, and I tend to stray from stage-like concepts like that of Piaget, Vygotsky or Kohlberg, though they are useful in themselves.

The primary requirement for reading comprehension is the appropriate brain function. A function that develops through neural training. Typically infants begin their training early, with books with large graphics depicting an object and a single word, "Duck" for example. If this development is postponed or neglected, it may hinder the humans ability to learn reading comprehension.

This part of the development is most directly related to the home environment and the primary caregivers. However, extending this ecological perspective, let's look at the factors that might influence the primary caregivers. Modern families have two working parents, often children are left at daycare services, which will also be a strong influence on child development. Parents are stressed by society, working, paying bills, etc.. as well as the chores common to raising children, dentists, haircuts, school supplies, etc.. These stresses affect the parent-child interaction. Parents are less apt to devote quality time to constructive parenting within our modern society. Sometimes under the impression that it's the duty of daycare services and public school teachers to support the development of their child.

By extension, the ecological systems perspective implies that we all play a part in the development of 'our' children. There are things all of us can do to help, it starts with a less selfish approach to the issue. Parents can spend more time with their children, assisting in their child's development and offering compassion, love and constructive learning assistance. Teachers can help by rewarding children for their efforts, not rating them against other children and not prescribing hundreds of hours of homework. Children are often overwhelmed by school, especially if they already feel inadequate. The rest of us can help by respecting each other as human beings and supporting social programs like federally funded daycare and legislation like maternity/paternity leave. I hear good things about the Swedish system, perhaps we could learn something from them.

Peace

chopitdown

Ahnimus wrote:

As some of you may know, I agree with the ecological systems perspective of human development, and I tend to stray from stage-like concepts like that of Piaget, Vygotsky or Kohlberg, though they are useful in themselves.

The primary requirement for reading comprehension is the appropriate brain function. A function that develops through neural training. Typically infants begin their training early, with books with large graphics depicting an object and a single word, "Duck" for example. If this development is postponed or neglected, it may hinder the humans ability to learn reading comprehension.

This part of the development is most directly related to the home environment and the primary caregivers. However, extending this ecological perspective, let's look at the factors that might influence the primary caregivers. Modern families have two working parents, often children are left at daycare services, which will also be a strong influence on child development. Parents are stressed by society, working, paying bills, etc.. as well as the chores common to raising children, dentists, haircuts, school supplies, etc.. These stresses affect the parent-child interaction. Parents are less apt to devote quality time to constructive parenting within our modern society. Sometimes under the impression that it's the duty of daycare services and public school teachers to support the development of their child.

By extension, the ecological systems perspective implies that we all play a part in the development of 'our' children. There are things all of us can do to help, it starts with a less selfish approach to the issue. Parents can spend more time with their children, assisting in their child's development and offering compassion, love and constructive learning assistance. Teachers can help by rewarding children for their efforts, not rating them against other children and not prescribing hundreds of hours of homework. Children are often overwhelmed by school, especially if they already feel inadequate. The rest of us can help by respecting each other as human beings and supporting social programs like federally funded daycare and legislation like maternity/paternity leave. I hear good things about the Swedish system, perhaps we could learn something from them.

Peace

couldn't you have said, "read to your children early" and "it takes a village to raise a child?"

blackredyellow

gue_barium wrote:

Well, like any social malady, illiteracy tends to move from one generation to the next. I disagree that it cannot be remedied with good early age schooling.

It can be remedied with early age schooling, but a part of that still falls back on the child and/or their upbringing. You can't force someone to learn, so if a kid has no desire to learn how to read, and isn't taught by their upbringing about the importance of reading, in some cases a teacher can't do a whole lot.

That being said, there is no excuse for a student to be able to get passing grades through school all the while not being able to read. That just shows a lack of engagement on the teacher's part in my opinion.

Ahnimus

chopitdown wrote:

couldn't you have said, "read to your children early" and "it takes a village to raise a child?"

I don't know man, I don't want to sound dictorial or too opinionated and not learned enough. But this way, I always come across as arrogant. But ultimately that's something that's up to the reader. So, yea, I could have said that, but I said it my way.

gue_barium

blackredyellow wrote:

It can be remedied with early age schooling, but a part of that still falls back on the child and/or their upbringing. You can't force someone to learn, so if a kid has no desire to learn how to read, and isn't taught by their upbringing about the importance of reading, in some cases a teacher can't do a whole lot.

That being said, there is no excuse for a student to be able to get passing grades through school all the while not being able to read. That just shows a lack of engagement on the teacher's part in my opinion.

I can't recall ever knowing a grade-schooler who didn't want to learn.

chopitdown

Ahnimus wrote:

I don't know man, I don't want to sound dictorial or too opinionated and not learned enough. But this way, I always come across as arrogant. But ultimately that's something that's up to the reader. So, yea, I could have said that, but I said it my way.

no worries, just havin a little fun while i'm working on a presentation. I think you're mantra should be...Why use a big word when a diminutive one will suffice.

Ahnimus

I think MarylandTeacher nailed it when he/she said:

"I can tell you that teachers alone cannot solve it....for it to really change, the child must see reading at home...parents/grandparents must glorify reading for enjoyment"

I didn't appreciate reading until about 9th grade when I got into reading the dictionary. Afterwards I tried The Hobbit and House of Cain but quickly became bored of fiction. I refound my love of reading around 23 when I picked up a textbook. I've mostly found an implicit negative association with reading though, and I find television or video easier to follow. I think it's a sign of our culture, our society, something we are collectively responsible for.

Ultimately, I can't change the way MarylandTeacher teaches, or the way Mr. Doe raises his children. The only thing I can change is how I interact with MT, Doe, Doe's child and my government. Those are my responsibilities that I need to focus on to help with child development.

Yoyoyo

Ahnimus wrote:

I don't know man, I don't want to sound dictorial or too opinionated and not learned enough. But this way, I always come across as arrogant. But ultimately that's something that's up to the reader. So, yea, I could have said that, but I said it my way.

Arrogant or pompous?

Ahnimus

Mestophar wrote:

Arrogant or pompous?

Either way. I get my share of both. Interestingly, when someone calls me either arrogant or pompous, they come across to me as being arrogant or pompous.

Yoyoyo

Ahnimus wrote:

Either way. I get my share of both. Interestingly, when someone calls me either arrogant or pompous, they come across to me as being arrogant or pompous.

You lead a very boring life if that is interesting to you.

Ahnimus

Mestophar wrote:

You lead a very boring life if that is interesting to you.

Depends, boring and interesting are subjective catagories.