A skills based approach to reading simply requires a developing reader to decode words using phonics skills. I can see how using to help develop language skills that will in the long run help develop a better reader. I can see how giving children books that consists of the basic words and use repetition abundantly can help a child get into the routine of reading basic sentences. After reading the different dialogues of students being asked how they read texts, I can however see how some sounds out words and others skip them. I believe that having a strong phonemic background can be an advantage for children as they build their knowledge of reading. On the other hand, I still feel as though the comprehensive approach to reading has a stronger advantage to building a proficient reader.
The comprehensive approach is geared more towards reading for meaning and using all of your knowledge to accomplish reading. I strongly agree that reading something of interest and something that you can relate to helps. I enjoyed reading how writing can be related to a better reader in this approach. Reading a variety of texts through this approach such as poems, magazines, songs, recipes, etc., can help a reader see that reading does not only take place in a school setting from a textbook with informational text.
Overall I am astonished at the different approaches to teaching reading. I never understood how a teachers belief and approach to reading is many times the major influence of how students view reading. I as an educator want to make sure that I approach my class in a way that views reading as not only a major building block for life, but also as an enjoyable escape into a way of expressing oneself.
I completely agree with you that the comprehensive approach is more beneficial to students. I also agree that the skills approach is beneifical, but it is just not enough. I am a prek teacher and it is very easy to get caught up and just teach for fluency and accuracy, I was enlightened by the comprehensive approach and will make an extra effort to make sure I am not just teaching the basics, but teaching reading as a whole approach. It's amazing how what we teach can influence a child for the rest of their lives. What a responsiblity we as teachers have!
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ReplyDeleteBefore reading these posts/ pages in the text I was unaware of how drastically different these two approaches are until I compared them side-by-side. I think that the most important job a teacher can do it teach children to understand. If we are only focused n fluency or decoding then what do we teach? Kids will only be able to recall specifics but not put the pieces back together. I think you gave a perfect example when you commented on my blog saying that your fifth graders had never traveled outside of the city so how could you teach the context of the text if the students had no prior knowledge. What did you do with the students when you were teaching that lesson?
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you on the comprehensive approach. The students need to enjoy what they read in order truly comprehend it. I am astonished as well, because I had no idea the true impact the phonic skills, running records, and fry words were making. They only hinder the students to comprehend what they are reading because they are focused on the phonic sounds within in the actual word. I like how you compared both of them and pointed out the positive aspects in each approach to learning!
ReplyDeleteI, like the others, agree with you in that the comprehensive approach to teaching reading is the more beneficial way to teach reading. I hadn't ever thought about how a teacher's theory of reading affected how the students viewed reading- but after reading these chapters I see how great of an impact that would have. I think that the skills approach has its place within the comprehensive approach but the skills shouldn't be the only focus.
ReplyDeleteYes, what you said about a teacher's belief and approach is so true! With so many approaches out there, and these just being two of them, every teacher is bound to have their preferences. Although these two approaches differ drastically, I would hope that either approach would make student a successful reader. However, like you mentioned a student who learns using the comprehensive approach might be more apt to be a lifetime reader who enjoys it for pleasure. While a student who learns using the skills approach might have more knowledge of actual words and how to use them in reading.
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