Adults must ‘set the stage’ for reading

Press, 30 November 1978, Page 16

Adults must ‘set the stage’ for reading

MRS M. E. KINLEY’, who has studied diagnostic and remedial reading, teaches remedial reading in Christchurch. Here, in the wake of a television programme, “The Puzzle Children,” she discusses the case history of a boy who had difficulty learning to read.

David, a healthy boy who seems to be as intelligent as most children, is finding it hard to learn to read. What •is the matter? Can his parents and teachers help him?

“Getting through life without reading is a tough proposition,” said Julie Andrews in the television film, “The Puzzle Children” recently. Because you and I — parent and teacher — know this only too well, we are trying to make sure that David will be able to cope with living. Perhaps you watched “The Puzzle Children.” wondering if your son could be a “disabled learner” — a child who lacks “magical” learning power? Even if he cannot learn like “magic,” we should surely hesitate to think of him as disabled. To be disabled means to be crippled or incapacitated, and David is neither of these.

Even if he confuses similar letters or sounds and is unable to concentrate for more than a very short time, he is not disabled. He is among the 10 to 15 per cent of children of normal intelligence who have special difficulty learning to read. Anything that is difficult requires hard work. It is not easy. It cannot be easily understood. David needs extra help from parents and teachers, and he must work hard himself, First of all, we have to be

certain that this boy can become a reader in spite of his difficulties. If he senses that we doubt this, he has little chance of success. We must inspire David with our own confidence. We should take notice of the achievements of youngsters who have done well after slow beginnings. One pupil at a Christchurch school who has recently been accredited University Entrance, could not read above the primer level when he was 11 years old. Although he confused words, (“put” for “but,” “that” for “then”) he could get the meaning. However, he had no chance of understanding stories at a seven year level because he lacked the means of working out such words as “pushing,” ‘friendly,” following,” or “hungry.” His eyes kept wandering to the wrong line, and words that he did know were repeated over and over again. Although this boy had not developed at the same rate as most children, he was not disabled. It was not easy for him to understand. It was not easy to teach him, but he had the power to learn, given the right conditions. We hear much about the failures. Everyone should be working harder to avoid them.

David is just a little boy who wants to keep up with his friends at school. He is too young to realise that

reading is not only socially valuable, but an essential tool for living. You, as parents in the home, give the best help of all whenever you talk with him. We all know that we get in touch with other people by using language, but do we always remember that talking, listening, writing and reading are so closely related that it is impossible for David to read unless he first learns to take part in a conversation.

stage where he asks question after question? Are you able to answer reasonably? Trying it may be, as he learns for himself how to handle language. He is, in fact, taking important steps towards reading. To ignore him now will create worry about lack of interest later on.

Time spent with David by his parents is the once in a life-time chance to help in this way. The school builds on the parents’ foundation. Here again, theirs is the major role. Attitudes are formed in these early years. Insecurity or unhappiness could cause David to tune out from listening or begin to avoid speaking. This might go unnoticed until deeper problems arise because he cannot listen properly, is not interested in reading, and does not want to do either. Answering all those questions will certainly prove worthwhile. It is clear that the part parents play is a significant one.

If we talk pleasantly, asking for his opinion, he will follow suit. If we listen carefully to what he has to say, he will learn to listen too. Thoughtful listening, in particular, influences learning so much that every discussion helps to build the cornerstone of his education. Both home and school play a part in this building, but the home has the greater influence.

You may sometimes wonder if this is worth such a vast amount of your time and patience. Is David at the

Both parents and teachers should read to, and with David. Our roles, as parent and teacher are very much the same here. When we take time to read aloud, we open the door of the enjoyment of books.

Why should a boy, who has to make a great effort, keep on trying if he has no idea of the pleasure reading will bring? How can he learn to manage book language if he has not heard it? Because listening to stories draws a boy into reading happily for himself, “selling” books' is the reading teacher’s key task.

—rather than reading itself. Lack of knowledge about how letters are used to represent sounds is often thought to be the “horseshoe nail” in reading failure. We should keep in mind that the battle cannot be won without horse and rider too. Essential though phonics may be. in isolation they are useless.

As well as finding out how words and sentences are used, David gets a bonus of joy, a boost to his self esteem, because someone cares enough to read to him. Emotional stability thrives in situations like this.

What if David, reaching a higher class, continues to have difficulty learning to read? You may feel that your efforts were so much wasted time. You may even be convinced that phonic skills alone are the quick answer to his problem. Of course he must be taught, and taught again, the sounds that letters usually stand for. Of course he needs extra practice with these as well as with the order of letters and sounds within words, but this is word study — one of the aids to reading and spelling

David needs help in a variety of ways, plus a great deal of encouragement, to get over the reading hurdle he cannot manage alone. This is the role Of the teacher who has to work with energy as well as patience, motivating 'nd guiding. There is no magic wand to wave. Parents’ conversation and stories, far from being a waste of time, become lifelines in the rescue operation. They make it possible for him to forge ahead once some of the confusion is cleared. He can make good progress, just a little later than most of the others. At home you build confidence by showing pleasure in every small success. You give valuable help by proa viding time, and a peaceful place for reading. When he is comfortable, with kindly help available, enough time and an interesting book, David reads himself into being a better reader. David is the one who has to spend time with books to become a reader but we — parents and teacher — have to set the stage.