Hi, Regarding phonics, I had an extremely wise professor (28 years ago!!) that said, "Phonics has a place, but not in reading." Donna
________________________________ From: mosaic-bounces+storidon=ssd.k12.pa...@literacyworkshop.org on behalf of Stewart, L Sent: Fri 7/31/2009 12:42 PM To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] phonics instruction--long Deirdre, To make you feel better, I am one of those teachers who does not like to teach phonics. I try my best, but for me it is difficult to make that time in my classroom "fun" and I find myself continually letting the direct instruction go in favor of editing writing in a one-on-one conference. I think it does go back to the fact that I never received any training (even though I have an English BS and an Elementary Ms in education). Perhaps administrators assume it is an easy thing to teach and figure we can all teach it well. I have been in the field for 15 years and have had very little professional development other than our district buys knew programs (Fountas and Pinnell Word Study/Buddy Study) and assumes we will intrinsically be proficient at teaching it. Many of us were never taught to read through explicit phonics instruction and we have not been sufficiently educated ourselves. Sometimes just reading a text on our own isn't enough. Leslie R.Stewart Grade 3 Teacher lstew...@branford.k12.ct.us 203-481-5386, 203-483-0749 FAX To feel most beautifully alive means to be reading something beautiful, ready always to apprehend in the flow of language the sudden flash of poetry. ~ Gaston Bachelard ~ ________________________________________ From: mosaic-bounces+lstewart=branford.k12.ct...@literacyworkshop.org [mosaic-bounces+lstewart=branford.k12.ct...@literacyworkshop.org] On Behalf Of djchan [djc...@charter.net] Sent: Thursday, July 30, 2009 8:27 AM To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] phonics instruction--long Elisa, I guess that sentence did imply that, but it was meant as a more generic response to teachers who don't like teaching phonics because it's boring or they don't comprehend the importance of it. So many teachers on other mailrings complain about teaching phonics because all they have is an adopted reading series from which to gain information. I suppose that would cause anyone to hate teaching phonics. More and better teacher training is one answer but that's also another story.:) Deidra Chandler ----- Original Message ----- From: "Waingort Jimenez, Elisa" <elwaingor...@cbe.ab.ca> To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group" <mosaic@literacyworkshop.org> Sent: Thursday, July 30, 2009 2:25 AM Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] phonics instruction--long Hi Deirdre, It was this line in your first post that initiated my response: "Don't abandon what the students need just because you don't like to teach it!" Thanks for clarifying your thinking. Elisa Elisa Waingort Grade 2 Spanish Bilingual Dalhousie Elementary Calgary, Canada The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt within the heart. -Helen Keller Visit my blog, A Teacher's Ruminations, and post a message. http://waingortgrade2spanishbilingual.blogspot.com/ Elisa, I'm sorry you inferred from my ramblings that I think teachers on this list don't want to teach phonics. As someone posted earlier, I believe we all agree that it needs to be taught, the vehicle for it's delivery is different. I am a huge advocate for direct instruction for those who are lagging behind. I also enjoy using guided discovery for those who are able to identify patterns within words presented. I am a long time user of Words Their Way and have witnessed the increase in spelling and vocabulary from this program. I am also trained in Multisensory Structured Language Instruction which gives me a different perspective on phonics, spelling, and language. In my work with students in K-3 I have always provided a balanced literacy program. I am glad we can agree on the importance of phonics in our schools. Perhaps our definition of phonics should include spelling patterns and language patterns as a natural extension of our phonics instruction. I have no plans to be contentious about this. I, like many others, am very passionate about this subject and hoped to interject some clarity into the postings. Perhaps I overdid it with the passion thing. My apologizes. Deidra Chandler MA Early Childhood Ed MA Reading MultiSensory Structured Language Intervention Tutor ----- Original Message ----- From: "Waingort Jimenez, Elisa" <elwaingor...@cbe.ab.ca> To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group" <mosaic@literacyworkshop.org> Sent: Wednesday, July 29, 2009 6:10 PM Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] phonics instruction--long Deirdre, Where did you get the idea that teachers, especially on this list, don't want to teach phonics?? If anything can be said about teachers on this list, and other lists I belong to, is that we will do whatever we need to do in order to help our students not only improve as readers and writers but also create an environment that allows them to develop the intrinsic motivation to read and write. What I don't do is teach phonics to all my students regardless of need or teach phonics out of context. Otherwise, whatever I think my students need and want I will teach. Elisa Elisa Waingort Grade 2 Spanish Bilingual Dalhousie Elementary Calgary, Canada The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt within the heart. -Helen Keller Visit my blog, A Teacher's Ruminations, and post a message. http://waingortgrade2spanishbilingual.blogspot.com/ Don't abandon what the students need just because you don't like to teach it! Or worse, don't think that because the phonics is imbedded in the lesson all children will internalize the information and transfer it to working knowledge. We do need to recognize all children's learning needs are different and accommodate accordingly. All children in your classroom may not need the same intensity of phonics instruction, but some children will. Isn't it our job as teachers to teach to and for our students? Deidra Chandler MA Early Childhood Ed MA Reading MultiSensory Structured Language Intervention Tutor -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org > 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. > > _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org 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. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org > 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. > > _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org 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. _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org 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. _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org 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.
