Reading between the lines

Updated on: Monday, January 09, 2012

Reading , over the ages, has equipped generations with lifeexperience that they otherwise would have been unaware of. Come to think of it, the Ugly Duckling, Thumbelina or Robin Hood are not just powerful stories, but what make them special are the subtle lessons that they pack in course of the storytelling . In the later years, how widely students read impacts their general knowledge and academic achievement.

However, scientifically validated reading instruction is yet to find its way within the Indian classrooms, points out, Kate Currawalla, president , Maharashtra Dyslexia Association . Primary school teachers, she adds, receive little training in the 'teaching of reading' and there are few, if any, courses at the university level to train reading specialists or reading instructors.

Many children learn to read by first grade regardless of the type of instruction they receive. Those who don't , tend not to catch up unless they receive specialised instruction. Indian classrooms tend to overlook the requirements of 'poor readers,' only a few of whom may be dyslexic and benefit if they were specifically taught the skills of reading.

With this in mind, Maharashtra Dyslexia Association is all set to present 'Read 2012,' an international three-day training workshop (February 16-18 ) on teaching 'all' children how to read.

A not-for-profit organisation committed to securing the rights of students with dyslexia and related reading disorders, MDA aims to provide a better understanding of this common but often misunderstood condition and promote best practice in the field through a range of initiatives.

Reading skills

Difficulties in decoding and wordrecognition are at the core of most reading difficulties. Poor readers have difficulty understanding that 'sounds' in words are linked to certain letters and letter patterns. This is because, Currawalla says, many poor readers haven't developed phonemic awareness . "Unless and until word-recognition is automatic, one can't read fluently or comprehend with automaticity ," she adds.

While declining reading skills are often blamed on computers and new media, Currawalla points out that few primary classrooms are equipped to teach the above five components, which are crucial to reading, through a systematic, structured and stimulating methodology that instils at least fluency in this basic skill. As a result, almost half of all children in middle school read without comprehension.

Research has shown that for the majority of poor readers, prevention and early intervention programmes can improve reading skills to age-appropriate levels. Children who receive instruction specifically targeting phonemic awareness, phonics, spelling, reading fluency, and reading-comprehension strategies in the normal course, read with greater ease and enjoyment as they grow up and tackle more complex texts than those who do not receive such instruction.

The workshop, conducted by R Malatesha Joshi, and Suzanne Carreker , teacher-trainers from Houston, Texas, will cover the basics of reading instruction, providing successful strategies as well as hands-on experiences for systematic teaching of reading , comprehension and spelling through the primary years.

Times of India

Reading between the lines

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