I agree with Renee who essentially is agreeing with you Cara. The huge overwhelming approach to reading I see in schools (and I am out there in all kinds of classrooms) is an overwhelming overemphasis on phonics. And it's not phonics in meaningfulcontexts. It's not phonics that's differentiated. It usually comes from the reading series (e.g. Open Court, tReasures etc.) and/or phonics programs that are mostly one-size-fits-all.
There is almost no healthy time spent on the kind of work with comprehension that Mosaics and Ellen and all the educators connected to their work have helped us with. The research says that overwhelmingly, excellent comprehension pedagogy (supported by research) - is not happening in schools - by and large. That is not to say that the teachers on this list aren't working with comprehension. The problem is balance. And I think the list was created to create that balance that is missing in schools. For me personally, the list seldom involves meaty talk about comprehension anymore. That's why I joined in the concern. I have other places I can go and will. But I am hoping that we can get back to the purpose of the list - at least a bit - to counter that counterproductive balance in schools. No insults are intended. We should be able to have healthy rigorous discussions without getting personally offended - in my view. Otherwise we get nowhere. We'll just all be too nice!! So what happens to the kids then??? Sally On 2/17/12 4:17 PM, "Renee" <[email protected]> wrote: > No one has suggested that phonics has no place in skill instruction. > The question was about **scripted** phonics programs, which I .... > and others.... do not feel are congruent with the Mosaic of Thought > strategies for reading instruction. Of course phonics instruction is > part of reading instruction. Part of it. And being able to decode is > an important strategy in the comprehension process. But a scripted > phonics program will not, by definition, look at individual needs of > children, nor will it guide the teacher toward effective, > individualized, kid-watching strategies. > > Renee > > > > > On Feb 17, 2012, at 3:19 PM, Cara Acosta wrote: > >> Look, I don't want to start a debate, but there is a place for phonics >> skill instruction. It can be weaved into a Reader's workshop >> format as >> mini lessons, and then applied in context. There are some kids, >> particularly LD kids, dyslexic kids, or struggling readers, who do >> benefit >> from explicit phonics instruction. Does that mean that the purpose of >> reading isn't still making meaning? Of course not! You can't make >> meaning >> if you can't read the words! >> >> On Fri, Feb 17, 2012 at 10:50 AM, Lynette DeGraffenried < >> [email protected]> wrote: >> _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive
