In the reading program for high ability-learners at Lake Harriet Community School (first grade, 1997-1998 school year), higher order reading skills were taught, and the expected outcome was that the kids would learn higher-order reading skills. The phonics instruction in that program was effective, i.e., the students acquired knowledge of phonetic rules and developed the ability to use that knowledge to sound out words with a fairly high degree of accuracy.
In the reading programs for low- and medium-ability learners, lower order reading skills were taught and lower order reading skills are what the students were expected to learn. They did not receive effective phonics instruction. I think that just about all children in the Minneapolis Public Schools can learn higher order reading and math skills, including many of the kids who are diagnosed as developmentally delayed. It's done in some of the suburban and out-state school districts in this state. It's done in some high-poverty, high-minority public schools in the US. A lot of progress was made toward that goal in the 1970s and 1980s across the US. -Doug Mann, King Field http://educationright.tripod.com _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
