Two comprehensive articles that I wished I would have read years ago. I have read numerous articles, texts, etc. regarding reading topics such as decoding, comprehension, fluency, rate and various diagnoses related to reading difficulty. This particular article however connects all variables associated with reading and the difficulties students experience when attempting to learn what the author of refers to as a complex task. Generally phonological and phonemic awareness for granted and it is assumed that these foundational skills are developed at a young age; however as the article states, there are several variables that determine childhood development of essential reading skills.
Information pertaining to visual and auditory perception and memory and its connection to reading disorders was also interesting to examine. Specifically evidence connected to the amount of grey matter identified during MRI scans and it the connection to cognitive processing makes a lot of sense. In addition to the brain-based research, it is also interesting to note the prevalence of dyslexia among students with average to above average intelligence as demonstrated in Shaywitz & Morris' research. Additional information revealed by MRI studies also demonstrate that those individuals with dyslexia have brains that are structurally different compared to typical brains; this reality alone speaks to the complexity of this reading disorder and the challenges students face when attempting to navigate curriculum.
Sousa also questions why students learn school so early in North America, while in several European countries students start school as late as seven or eight. The late start combined with a shorter school day provides more time for play, investigation of their environment, socialization and above all physical and cognitive growth. Sousa's argument is an interesting one, in Nova Scotia students are permitted to start school at four years old so long as they are five by December. If there is value in Sousa's argument, then it is worth asking in Nova Scotia has made a questionable decision?
While it has always been recognized that struggling readers have tremendous difficulty navigating text, this article further demonstrates the complex challenges students face when attempting to learn new material. Early symptoms such as delay of speech, difficulty pronouncing words, trouble learning letters of the alphabet and not correctly recalling phonemes making conversation hard to follow all serve as indicators. Clearly word recognition and making connections with the alphabet are key elements of developing the skills of young readers. As Sousa suggests, reading does not come naturally to the human brain and requires significant commitment and effort to ensure adequate reading skills are developed. It is also clear from the article that phonemic awareness is very important and should be explicitly taught. It is interesting to see that Sousa's research demonstrates that using phonemic awareness to re-work the human brain combined with reading recovery programing results in improved reading comprehension.
Overall, both articles are very comprehensive and demonstrate the science behind reading and the origin of disorders that impact the learning and confidence of students. Great article.
Tuesday: We completed the App Smash Up Assignment this morning. It was an engaging introductory activity that was valuable as it demonstrated the function of various apps that serve as a assistive technology tools for students. Despite having the morning to complete the assignment, I felt like the sky was the limit and more time could have been used to further enhance the final product. There was a tremendous amount of information/apps to explore; overall I think we created a satisfactory smash up that conveys meaning of the key terms listed for this assignment.
Nice critique of Sousa's article Greg. Thanks. So glad you enjoyed the App Smash activity...yes there is more:)
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