Reading Principles and Teaching Chapter 3

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Questions and Answers

What is the relationship between English pronunciation and its orthography?

They are unrelated.

They are related in a complex and indirect way. (correct)

Orthography dictates pronunciation directly.

They are directly correlated.

Which people adapted the original Semitic alphabet for their needs?

Chinese

Romans

Greeks

Phoenicians (correct)

How did the letter A evolve from its original name to English?

From alpha to alpha to ah to a

From aleph to angle to ah to a

From ah to alpha to aleph to a

From aleph to alpha to ah to a (correct)

What facilitated the spread of the Roman writing system across Europe?

The Roman Empire and the Church Signup and view all the answers

Which modern countries have adapted the Romanized writing system?

Vietnam and Indonesia Signup and view all the answers

What does the Chinese writing system primarily represent?

Morphemes and single syllables Signup and view all the answers

Along with characters, what system does Japanese use in its writing?

Syllabaries Signup and view all the answers

What do the morphemes in the Chinese word 'kowtow' represent?

Head knock Signup and view all the answers

Which written items were learned faster when called by speech words rather than letter names?

Individual letters Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus when determining the meaning of written items?

Meaning of written items Signup and view all the answers

What aspect primarily influences learning according to the findings?

Meaningful spoken words Signup and view all the answers

In the research involving children learning written items, what were the written letters identified by?

Phonic letter names Signup and view all the answers

Which researcher found that children could learn letter-sound correspondences without direct instruction?

Gates Signup and view all the answers

How did Japanese pre-school children perform in learning kanji compared to kana?

They learned kanji faster Signup and view all the answers

According to the research, how do children typically learn letter-sound correspondences?

By exposure to whole words Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of a word that was learned faster than its corresponding kana syllable?

Kusuri (medicine) Signup and view all the answers

What did Söderbergh's studies indicate about reading instruction?

Induction can lead to learning without instruction. Signup and view all the answers

What was the comparison made in the Steinberg and Koono (1981) research?

Words to individual letters Signup and view all the answers

How much faster were meaningful words learned compared to meaningless items like letters?

Twice as fast Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes the learning speed of children when presented with meaningful versus meaningless items?

Children learn meaningful items faster Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about English orthography is true?

Correspondence rules are derived through induction. Signup and view all the answers

According to the findings, what role does the spoken form play in learning written items?

It significantly aids in the learning process Signup and view all the answers

What was a significant finding from the study conducted by Steinberg et al. in 1979?

Written words are learned faster than letters. Signup and view all the answers

What approach does the research generally support for teaching letter-sound values?

Induction through word learning Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant observation about first-graders using the whole-language method compared to the phonics method?

They tend to acquire orthographic-phonological connections at both whole-word and subword levels. Signup and view all the answers

What is indicated about phonological awareness in relation to early reading skills?

Phonological awareness is a script-related skill rather than a prerequisite. Signup and view all the answers

What major issue does the phonics/decoding approach have concerning its focus?

It wrongly emphasizes sound rather than meaning. Signup and view all the answers

According to the research mentioned, what percentage of children struggle with phonemic awareness?

About 40% Signup and view all the answers

What does the content suggest about the nature of teaching reading through the phonics approach?

It is seen as a boring and confusing task. Signup and view all the answers

Which characteristic about phonological awareness is specifically mentioned about learning in German?

It only starts to develop in a later reading stage. Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of English orthography is highlighted as a reason against focusing exclusively on phonics?

Its irregularities justify focusing on meaningful reading instead. Signup and view all the answers

For which languages was phonological awareness found to have little importance in reading acquisition?

Greek, Portuguese, Spanish, Indian, and Japanese Signup and view all the answers

What was found to have a greater impact on learning the spoken word 'kusuri' compared to the syllable 'ku'?

The meaningfulness of the spoken word Signup and view all the answers

Which statement is true regarding the effectiveness of simple versus complex written forms in learning?

The visual complexity had no observable effect on learning. Signup and view all the answers

What did Steinberg's study demonstrate about Japanese pre-school children?

They learned syllable sound values through exposure to whole words. Signup and view all the answers

What did earlier studies by Jeffrey and Samuels and Silberman find regarding induction?

Little or no spontaneous induction was found. Signup and view all the answers

What factor was noted as potentially important but inadequately addressed in various studies?

Adequate exposure to the material Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'letter-sound correspondences' refer to in the context of language learning?

The association between letters and sounds they represent. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following led to the conclusion about the relative importance of visual complexity in learning?

Observations during short-term experimental support for induction. Signup and view all the answers

What overarching concept is highlighted as crucial for effective learning in spoken language?

The meaningfulness of spoken words Signup and view all the answers

Why is it emphasized to teach children whole words rather than isolated letters?

Whole words prevent children from experiencing visual traps. Signup and view all the answers

What method can assist a child in understanding the directionality of writing?

Drawing a line under the letters and placing a dot under the first letter. Signup and view all the answers

Which group of children may struggle more with identifying letters out of context?

Left-handers and ambidextrous children. Signup and view all the answers

What advantage does segmenting whole words provide to children learning to read?

It encourages them to think about different letter shapes within a word. Signup and view all the answers

What is the recommendation for selecting words, phrases, or sentences to teach children?

Only meaningful words a child understands in speech. Signup and view all the answers

Why might some children perceive mirror or reversed images of letters?

They may be left-handed or ambidextrous. Signup and view all the answers

What activity can be used to help children learn to differentiate between similar words?

Mixing up cards with duplicate and different words for comparison. Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of writing can drawing a line under letters help with for children?

It aids in the proper orientation of letters. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Chapter 3: Reading Principles and Teaching

This chapter discusses reading principles and teaching methods, including Whole-Word vs. Phonics/Decoding.
Reading readiness and early reading are also examined.
Understanding writing systems and their relation to speech is crucial for understanding reading.

3.1 Writing Systems and Speech

Writing systems represent spoken language via individual words, phrases, and sentences.
Systems are primarily based on sound or meaning.
Visual symbols of writing systems are based on these principles.

3.1.1 Writing Systems Based on Speech Sounds: Phonemes or Syllables

Sound-based writing systems use symbols to represent speech sounds (phonemes) or syllables.
Examples include Devanagari (India), Arabic (Egypt), Hangul (South Korea), Kana (Japan), Cyrillic (Russia/Bulgaria), and the Roman alphabet (English-speaking countries).
Some orthographies closely reflect spoken language, e.g., Finnish and Spanish using the Roman alphabet.
Korean and Japanese use native scripts (Hangul and Kana) for syllables.

3.1.2 The Unpredictability of English Orthography

English spelling is inconsistent, a frequent source of difficulty for learners.
A poem highlights the irregularities in English spelling.
English letters are intended to represent phonemes, but the correspondence is often inconsistent.

3.1.3 Writing Systems Based on Meaning: the Morpheme

Chinese writing primarily represents morphemes, although symbols also reflect pronunciation.
Japanese also uses a morpheme-based system, supplemented by syllabaries.
These systems differ significantly from those based on speech sounds.
The Chinese system has a long history of using symbols to represent morphemes and syllables.

3.2 The Whole-Word vs. Phonics/Decoding Controversy

A debate exists on the best approach for teaching reading.
Whole-Word proponents emphasize meaning and whole words as the basic unit.
Phonics/Decoding proponents prioritize speech (phonemes).
Both aim to help children read fluently, but differ on the means.

3.2.1 The Phonics/Decoding Approach

Reading is viewed as converting written forms to speech to meaning.
Mastery of letter-sound correspondences is a crucial prerequisite.
Early and systematic phonics instruction is advocated.
Phonological awareness is essential for reading.

3.2.2 The Whole-Word Approach

Reading is mainly for comprehending meaning.
Whole words are the fundamental units, with attention to context.
Meaning is central to reading, not just letter-sound correspondence.
Children learn by connecting written forms to prior knowledge of spoken language.

3.2.2.1 Teaching reading should focus on meaning and communication

It is important to use language that children understand.
Reading should be connected to real-life experiences.
Teaching new vocabulary or grammar is not essential for early reading instruction.

3.2.2.3 Reading should be enjoyable

Interesting games and activities can enhance children's interest in reading.
Teachers should avoid boring or tedious activities.

3.2.2.5 Learning to discriminate individual letter shapes: best in a word

Learning letter shapes is best integrated within words (not in isolation).
Meaningful words facilitate understanding and discrimination of letter nuances.
Using contexts makes learning easier.

3.2.2.6 Reading should involve meaningful words, phrases, and sentences

Reading should be connected with meaning that the child can understand.
The focus should be on meaningful content, not isolated words or phrases.

3.2.2.7 Reading should not depend on teaching new language or new concepts

Focus on familiar words and concepts.
Teach words and sentences relevant to the child's life.
Vocabulary and grammar are important for reading comprehension but should not be taught before reading.

3.3 A Universal Four-Phase Reading Programme

Four phases (Word Familiarization, Word Identification, Phrase and Sentence ID, Paragraphs/Stories) are presented.
Prior phases serve as building blocks for subsequent phases.
Learning is through activities, games, and real-world examples.

3.3.1 Four phases of the teaching programme

This four-phase program emphasizes meaning in language.
The program is based on gradually introducing larger units of language.

3.3.2 Results of the reading program

The program has been tested and used successfully in various countries (United States, Japan, and China).
The results are largely positive and show good results in children's reading capacity.

3.3.3 Research with Chinese reading

Studies have explored how children in China learn to read Chinese.
Consistent and positive results were reported.

3.3.3.1 Research with English reading

Studies explored early reading instruction with a child in the US, finding success and quick vocabulary acquisition.

3.3.3.2 Research with Japanese reading

Studies explored with Japanese children.
Finding positive outcomes in their reading development.

3.3.3.3 Implications of results

The results are largely positive and broadly applicable.

3.3.4 When a child is ready to read

Reading readiness is primarily based on understanding spoken words.
Learning words and sentences that the child is already familiar with is essential for the beginning phase.

3.4 The advantages of early reading

Early reading boosts language and literacy development.
Early childhood is an exceptional period for learning and is effective at early stages.

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Description

Explore the fundamentals of reading principles and various teaching methods highlighted in Chapter 3. This chapter contrasts Whole-Word and Phonics/Decoding approaches, while delving into the connection between writing systems and speech. Enhance your understanding of reading readiness and early reading strategies, essential for effective literacy education.