Finding ways around the learning-to-read system

Press, 7 December 1988, Page 19

Finding ways around the learning-to-read system

Everybody remembers those small books about “Janet and John” or “Sally and Bill” that are most children’s introduction to the world of literature.

The books may have changed slightly over the years, but the practice of five and six-year-old children bringing them home from school to read to their parents still continues — at least in theory. Arnold, a fourth-form student at Aranui High School, admits he found a way round the system early on. “When I used to get books at primary school I would take them home and hide them or not take them out of my bag,” says Arnold. The scheme worked well until his parents were called for an interview with his teacher who explained he was having reading difficulties. “They told me they knew I was lying,” Arnold says. Arnold speaks well and people who do not know him would be unlikely to guess he had a reading problem. It is the same way with most people with the same difficulties. They develop exceptional verbal skills and finely tuned memories to compensate for their lack of literacy skills, but ultimately realise this is not enough. “I think it is very important that you learn to read now for when you go to get a job,” says Arnold. “I am working on a milk round now and I can’t read the notes that people leave — it is more difficult to read the fancy writing.”

His boss received a number of calls from annoyed customers who had received-the wrong order during Arnold’s first week on the job, but the problem has since been solved by having someone else check the notes he has difficulty with. Arnold and three of his fellow fourth formers,

Joseph, Joanne and Robyn, all admit they sometimes suffer embarrassment because of their reading difficulties. They avoid letting people they have never met before find out they have a problem.

“I was at my boyfriend’s place recently and he asked me to read something. I just put it down and pretended I had to go to the toilet,” says Joanne. “I have told him about it since and he doesn’t care.”

Joanne used to go to the library and get books out even though she could not read them. She sometimes sat on the sofa at home and pretended to read, but really only looked at the pictures. “I think I was really just trying to fool myself,” Joanne says. Some people Arnold was with recently began laughing at a cartoon they had read in the paper. He joined in the fun, even though he had no idea what the joke said.

One time when all students suffer, even those who can read well, is when they are asked to read aloud in class. Words which may have seemed simple during private tuition suddenly blur under the eyes of their fellow students.

“You get put off when you have to read in front of the whole class — you go red and say things wrong,” says Arnold. Joanne’s reading difficulties are largely caused by a hearing defect which was not diagnosed when she was younger. She could not hear the endings of words and would often make them up. She thought everybody could hear only as much as she could.

The students say tests and exams prove a stumbling block because they are often unable to read the questions. Arnold admits that for him, multichoice tests are usually a matter of guesswork. “You could probably pass them if you had

them read out to you. It’s very frustrating,” Arnold says. Like most New Zealand high schools, Aranui offers students help through a reading programme. Kate Langley, its coordinator, visits thirdform classes and asks students if they are interested in extra tutoring. “If a kid doesn’t want to come, they do not have to — it has to be voluntary. Normally they want help,” Kate says. She works with students in a group and assistance is sometimes given by seventh formers. Often, the students sit silently reading a book of their choice and then come and tell her about it. Joanne and Robyn read to each other as practice. Kate mades no secret of the fact that she opposes students being forced to read aloud in class and says she does not see it as an accurate measure of a young person’s reading ability.

“We have to get away from the idea that reading is performing,” Kate says.

She sometimes reads aloud to the students, because many of them have never been read to during their pre-school years. Kate says it can take some time for those taking part in the reading programme to discover the type of books they are interested in, however, when they do it can kindle a lifetime love of books.

Robyn recently found a book about a puppy that she liked and read it three times.

Arnold has just read his first book.

“It was 112 pages. The only reason I read it was because it was about Vietnam,” Arnold says. Asked what he would change if he could relive his early school days, Arnold does not even hesitate.

“I would get my reading book out of my bag,” Arnold says.