Jennifer, I feel your frustration! I have had similar instances myself. If possible, I would ask to meet with the parent and tutor. I always tell the parent how important it is that the tutor reinforce my instruction. I also might want to say to the tutor (politely!) that it seems the graphophonic approach is not working for this little guy and could you not try another? It might be helpful to have a running record available as proof. Some habits are very hard to break. I also have a great book that I use with parents to explain the comprehension strategies. It is called 7 Keys to Comprehension How to Help Your Kids Read IT and Get IT! by Susan Zimmermann ( coauthor of Mosaic of Thought) The reason I like this book is that it very easily explains the strategies in a way parents can understand. Maybe if you can make the parent see that reading is understanding and not word calling you may be able to get her to change tutors! Mary Jo
"Special Chat List for \"To Understand: New Horizons in Reading Comprehension\"" <[email protected]> writes: >Good evening everyone. >In rereading chapter five, I have been paying attention to Ellin's >description of deep and surface structure systems. I have been reflecting upon > the >importance of balance... > >A couple of thoughts came to mind: >One: I have a second grader at my school who had a tutor that over-taught >the graphophonic system. This kid feels the need to sound out every single >blessed word. So far, the modeling and prompting that our intervention >teacher >and I have been using haven't really worked. This kid's tutor continues to >give >him prizes for sounding out words...the more he sounds out, the more junk he >earns and he actually told me he'd rather read for her because he 'gets >stuff.' >Anyone have any ideas for how I might help this little fellow? He is >sounding out stuff like "black" and "sun" because he thinks that is what real >reading is. I have never had a kid so stubborn about sticking to the >graphophonemic cueing system! > >Two: Ellin is citing research by Rumelhart to prove that the cueing systems >all need to be taught simultaneously. I need to get my hands on this >research...I still have colleagues who think that first you decode, then you >learn to >comprehend. Anyone read this research? Ellin...is it the 1976 or the 1981 >citation in your bibliography? >Jennifer _______________________________________________ Understand mailing list [email protected] http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/listinfo/understand_literacyworkshop.org
