This is my reply:
When I saw this post, I was trying to figure out how Reading could be a Controversial topic. Of course, then I thought of the ongoing battles between "Whole Language", "Phonics", "Sight Words", "Balanced Literacy"...
I never thought about Reading being dismissed completely as an unnecessary skill. I believe that Reading is an integral life skill, and I can't imagine being without it. Yes, I can see where it can elicit frustration if children are pushed beyond their readiness, or forced into a "learning box", but I think everyone needs at least some functional knowledge of reading skills and strategies. Even if you don't read for enjoyment, there are just some times when you might really need to know what's going on! What about reading a map? Or reading signs ...traffic signs, directions signs, street signs...signs in airports, restaurants, shopping malls, banks...How do you pay your bills if you can't read a billing statement? How do you know how much money you have in the bank or balance your checkbook, write checks or money orders, etc?
When I was a little girl, my dad traveled all over the state for work. I went everywhere with him, especially in the summertime, but there were a lot of times that my mom went too, and we enjoyed the time together as a family. I remember one trip in particular. I don't remember where we were, but we were staying in a little motel in a little town somewhere in Wyoming. Mom and I stayed in the room, or in the play area at the hotel, or walked down the street to the library every day, then spent the evenings with Dad when he was finished in the field.
There was a Country Kitchen or similar restaurant right next to our hotel, and we would walk over there for supper each night. One night, there was a man in the restaurant, who ordered a country fried steak. But the restaurant didn't serve country fried steak. He was really embarassed, but we got to visiting, and it turned out that he ordered country fried steak in every restaurant, because he couldn't read the menu, and it was something that most of them had. My folks helped him figure out what was on the menu, and he asked my mom if she would teach him to read while we were there that week, because he hated not knowing how and having things like that happen, or having to ask for help all the time. I remember sitting at a table outside our room looking at the newspaper with him, playing reading games, and helping him learn some of the basics. I don't remember the man's name, I have no idea what he looked like, but that story has stuck with me for over 30 years, because it was such an important lesson to me about the importance of Reading.
Oh, that makes me so sad. Of course reading is an important and intergral part of society. How else can we share ideas, lessons, and needs effectivly?
ReplyDeleteWhat's sad to me is that this poster obviously struggled to learn to read. Why not advocate for earlier and more meaningful intervention for low level readers instead?
I agree completely! Very well said!
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