| A key discussion point regarding reading instruction | | | | ideas on their own. Additionally, the content side raises |
| today involves those favoring skills-based instruction | | | | thorny issues, such as what should be the content |
| and those favoring content-based instruction. This is | | | | poured into students and who decides what content is |
| not the old ph0nics-whole language debate. Other than | | | | and is not important? Some cultural literacy is certainly |
| a few hold-outs, such as Stephen Krashen, most in the | | | | fine, but I feel more comfortable in playing the equipping |
| reading field would agree that this debate has been | | | | role, rather than the inculcating role in reading instruction. |
| largely settled. The current debate involves whether | | | | Furthermore, many in the content-only camp are under |
| teachers at all levels should be teaching the what of | | | | the false assumption that reading is a basic skill, such |
| reading. | | | | as simple addition. Once multiple digit addition with |
| There are, indeed, some who would restrict reading to | | | | carrying over is mastered, the skill can be applied to |
| a measurable skill-set. These would pigeon-hole | | | | more complex operations such as multiplication, division, |
| reading instruction into a continuum of increasingly | | | | and algebra. Although learning the phonetic code and |
| complex rules, while ignoring the thinking process | | | | the syllabication rules certainly serve as the basic skills |
| necessary to advanced reading. Teachers of this ilk | | | | to enable pronunciation of multi-syllabic words, |
| love their phonics, context clues, and inference | | | | pronunciation is not reading. Reading is ultimately about |
| worksheets when they are not leading their students in | | | | meaning-making. And meaning-making is a complex |
| fluency exercises, ad nauseum, whether the students | | | | process. Indeed, reading is a skill in the same manner |
| need fluency practice or not. | | | | as writing and thinking are each skills. |
| On the other side of the debate are those who would | | | | Although I lean toward the skill side of reading skills |
| claim that content is the real reading instruction. These | | | | instruction, I do believe that at some point the |
| would limit reading skill instruction in favor of pouring | | | | spoon-feeding of skills-based reading instruction needs |
| shared cultural knowledge into learners. They favor | | | | to morph into providing the recipes for critical-thinking |
| teacher read-alouds, Cornell note-taking, and direct | | | | readers to create on his or her own. Having taught |
| instruction. They argue that subject area disciplines | | | | reading and trained teachers of reading at elementary |
| such as English literature, science, and history often | | | | school, middle school, high school, and college levels, I |
| provide the best reading instruction by the content that | | | | am of the opinion that teaching more advanced |
| they teach. | | | | reading skills are necessary to get students to this |
| Both are extremes. Students need some of each to | | | | level of independence and that these skills are better |
| become skilled and complex readers. One need not be | | | | "taught" than "caught." Students of all ages need both |
| at the expense of the other. However, if I had to side | | | | "learning to read" and "reading to learn." |
| with one group, I would lean toward the skill teachers | | | | Check out the writer's comprehensive curricula: |
| because at least those of their persuasions are trying | | | | Teaching Grammar and Mechanics and Teaching |
| to impact the students' abilities to increase their own | | | | Spelling and Vocabulary that help teachers |
| reading competencies. We need to teach developing | | | | differentiate instruction with little additional teacher prep |
| readers of all levels how to access information and | | | | and/or training. |