Dick and Jane Learn Rocket Science

1. Dick and Jane Learn Rocket Science Trudy Stegelman, MS Learning Disabilities Specialist Center for Learning Disorders Topeka, Kansas Fellow, Orton-Gillingham Academy of Educators and Practitioners

2. American Reading Instruction Nila Banton Smith Silver, Burdett and Company 1934, 1962, 1965

3. “At any given time, and particularly during a period of transition in teaching practices as we are now passing through, it is not uncommon to find within a single school different teachers whose procedures exemplify the outstanding characteristics of several of the more recent movements. Furthermore, one teacher may be using some of the techniques and materials associated with three of four different movements. In either case it is advantageous that the teacher know about these movements and that she understand the one toward which she is primarily tending.” Nila Banton Smith, 1965

4. Emphasis of Reading Instructionin America • Before 1776 Religion • 1776-1820 Nationalism • 1820-1880 Intelligent citizenship • 1880-1910 Reading as a cultural asset • 1910-1925 Science and quantification • 1925-1935 Research and application • 1935-1965 International competition • 1965 – Present Reading Competency Aaron, P. and Joshi, R. (1992) The History of Reading Instruction and Reading Disability Research in America. Reading Problems: Consultation and Remediation. New York: Guilford Press, 28-54.

5. Before 1776 Religion • Purpose: To learn to read the Bible • Method: Alphabetic method • Reciting letter names and syllables • Learn by spelling words aloud • Materials: Hornbook Primers, Spelling books Scripture, Catechism The New England Primer, 1690

6. 1776-1820: Nationalism • Purpose: To stir patriotic fervor, promote nationalism • Method: Essentially the same as earlier; spelling and memorization of letter names • Materials: Noah Webster 1783-1807 American Spelling Book, a treatise on grammar, history and geography of the US First books on pronunciation and enunciation

7. 1820-1880: Intelligent Citizenship • Purpose: Gaining general knowledge becoming a good citizen • Methods: Beginning of “Reading Wars” • Horace Mann – Look and Say • Francis Parker – Meaning Approach • Materials: McGuffey readers • Published from 1836-1907 • Graded readers, drill and limited vocabulary in earlier readers, later readers emphasized literature • Forerunner of modern-day basal readers

8. The Sentence Method of Teaching Reading 1881 George Farnham, Superintendant of Schools, New York “never pay attention to letters” The teacher repeats the story until the children are familiar with it. Written story is presented, each sentence is analyzed into words. “The pupils should develop the ability to look directly through the written expression to the meaning.”

9. 1880-1910 : Reading as a Cultural Asset • Purpose: Culture, literature • Methods: Emphasis on meaning; whole-word and sentence methods Professional books on reading first produced • Materials: McGuffey readers Literature-based reading Adapted alphabets The Shearer System, 1894 Initial Teaching Alphabet (ita) Scientific Alphabet, 1902

10. 1910-1935:Assessment and Research • Purpose: To provide more scientific information To determine why so many individuals were not learning to read well • Methods:“Remedial reading” First used by Uhl in 1916 • Materials: Test development

11. In spite of the popularity of the meaning-based methods of teaching beginning reading during the 1920’s and 1930’s, authors of basal readers made provisions in the textbooks for the teaching of phonics. For about 3 decades, starting with the late 1920’s, the whole word method and controlled vocabulary predominated. Aaron & Joshi (1991)

12. 1935-1965: International Competition • Purpose: Need for a educated populace WWII and Sputnik Soldiers and college students deficient • Methods: Mostly whole word, some analytic (workbook) phonics • Materials: Basal readers Used by 90% of the schools 8 or 9 Publishing companies

13. “It would seem, at our present state of knowledge, that a code emphasis—one that combines control of words in spelling regularly, some direct teaching of letter-sound correspondences, as well as the use of writing, tracing or typing– produces better results with unselected groups of beginners than a meaning emphasis.” Jean Chall (1967) Learning to Read: The Great Debate. (p. 178-179)

14. 1965 – Present: Reading Competency • Purpose: Intense concern over reading competency • Methods: 1960’s and 1970’s – phonics • Materials: Basal readers, supplemental materials • Methods: 1980’s and 1990’s - “whole language” • Materials: Literature-based curriculum

15. Reading Research • Between 1884-1910 34 studies (Smith) • Before 1966 15,000 studies (National Reading Panel report) • After 1966-present Approximately 100,000 studies (National Reading Panel report)

16. Current Teacher Training “Most teachers of the primary grades take one course in the teaching of reading. Some take two, so that the average is about 1.3 courses per teacher.” Goodlad, 1997 From: Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children, National Research Council, 1998

17. Teaching reading is rocket science!What do teachers need to know? • The Psychology of Reading and Reading Development • Knowledge of Language Structure and Its Applications • Practical Skills of Instruction in a Comprehensive Reading Program • Assessment of Classroom Reading and Writing Skills Moats, L. (1999) Teaching Reading IS Rocket Science: What Expert Teachers of Reading Should Know and Be Able to Do, American Federation of Teachers.

18. "I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that don’t work." Thomas Alva Edison