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In a message dated 05/01/2001 12:03:49 PM Eastern Daylight Time, kumbach@UNLIMITED.NET writes: > I recall using the Dick and Jane readers when I was in > elementary school (what, first grade? 1953 or thereabouts), but we > definitely also learned at least basic phonics -- the two worked together > hand-in-glove. Although Dick and Jane and their dog what's-his-name may > not have been cutting edge literature, I have never felt that they deprived > me of a sound foundation in reading. In the early 60's, I was also instructed through the Dick & Jane books, and was given a solid phonics foundation. I dropped out of high school to care for my mother and MR brother in 1973. I saw no need to delay my own life, so I married, and my son was born in 74. My husband & I were so poor (his minimum wage job paid $1.65 an hour) we could not afford luxuries like televisions, movies, and a car. We walked our son to the library and took books to the park to read while we ate wish sandwiches (2 slices of bread, butter, mustard, wish we had some meat). I also taught my son to sound words out. By age 3, I could give him an encyclopedia and he could read it (even if he had no idea what the words meant). When he started school, I was told by his teacher that he "sounded out his words" and that I should never have taught him that. I was told to stop allowing him to read at home and that she was going to have a hard time "breaking him of his bad reading habits." Being a high school drop out, I deferred to her opinion. He became uninterested in school very quickly. By 2nd grade, he was failing, acting out, and could not pay attention. They tested him and said he had ADHD and advised me to get him on Ritalin. Instead, I took him down the street to the nearest Catholic school, begged the tuition money from my parents, and sent him there (No, we're not Catholic, but my son did convert at age 13). They had a strong phonics program. Within a month the behaviors were gone and he was excited about school and learning and reading again. I don't know why I'm even telling you all this, except to say that no single program "works" for every kid. I have seen kids thrive on whole language and end up frustrated with phonics too. Whole language does not mean (and never has meant) that basic skills such as phonetics are ignored. Kids do not learn by osmosis. Dawn Sardes YA Librarian Euclid Public Library Euclid, OH dmsardes@aol.com =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-= All postings to LM_NET are protected under copyright law. To quit LM_NET (or set-reset NOMAIL or DIGEST), send email to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL or 3) SET LM_NET DIGEST 4) SET LM_NET MAIL * Please allow for confirmation from Listserv. For LM_NET Help see: http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/ Archives: http://askeric.org/Virtual/Listserv_Archives/LM_NET.html See also EL-Announce for announcements from library media vendors: http://www.mindspring.com/~el-announce/ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=