In Volume 7 Number 1 of the MATRIX (Choosing a Reading
Program), I presented my bias for kindergarten and promised
to follow with a discussion of considerations for first
grade. The three prerequisite requirements for reading
which were stated in the previous issue were: 1) the
knowledge of the sounds of the alphabet; 2) phonemic
awareness and; 3) the ability to imagerize, visualize or
revisualize. A proper kindergarten experience will help a
child to develop all three skills. The first grade teacher
needs to immediately determine the child's knowledge of the
sound/symbol relationship and the child's level of
competence with phonemic awareness. Both results will help
the teacher in making a determination not only of the
readiness of the individual child, but should assist in the
selection of a proper reading approach. The ability to
imagerize does not lend itself to an easy assessment and is
in a stage of development. Therefore, the teacher should
continue to provide experiences which enable the child to
enhance this important skill.
What should we look for in each basal series or Trade book?
What makes your choice appropriate or difficult?
1. What is the readability level of the materials chosen?
Does it increase gradually or is the 12 book at a second or
third grade level? Are some of the stories above third
grade level?
2. How many vowel combinations must the children learn for
each new story? How often are they repeated for
reinforcement in stories which follow?
3. How many new words per story?
4. Are there opportunities for success for all children
built into the program? They must have the experience of
reading, not just being read to!
5. Are there supplemental materials for reading
reinforcement, not just worksheets?
6. Is there a coordination between writing and reading
built into the program?
There will be many other characteristics which I've
neglected. One I'm certain to hear is how to build
comprehension. I am concerned only with the characteristics
which I feel are critical in the selection process.
Comprehension is built into any program by the proper
introduction of the lesson and through the development of
an adequate language base. I'll attempt to briefly examine
each of these six characteristics below.
READABILITY LEVEL
The book companies selling basal series have completed a
readability on their materials before they are made
available to the market. However, the experience of most
reading coordinators and teachers when they look through a
series, is that the readability charts are not readily
available. Dr. Ann Fox researched each series making
available a readability score for each story in each
series. Dr. Fox reported an average for each text, the
range of the text, as well as the individual story. She is
no longer undertaking this task because there are computer
programs available for all conventional computers which
will easily provide the same information. All you have to
do is type the story into the computer, check the proper
tool, and the readability level is displayed.
The company selling the series also has the data. If you
tell them that you will not consider their program until
that information is made available, it usually appears
rather quickly. Why would they not share their readability
data? Refer to #3 below.
If you choose to use Trade Books and not a series, great! I
taught American History to high school Seniors through
novels. I was still responsible for preparing them for a
Regents, and if I had not been successful with my class, I
would have immediately been called upon the carpet. I had
to be certain to thoroughly cover the essential content
material. My choices for novels had to be appropriate for
each period of American History. Since I was assuming I
could teach the students better in my own way rather than
follow the text which had been written by experts, I was
assuming a far more responsible position. I was much more
vulnerable to criticism if the students did not succeed.
All teachers who decide to use Trade Books and not a basal
series are responsible to each child in their classroom.
Use a computer program and justify the use of your
selections. Show that they are appropriate. Too often,
primary teachers are choosing Trade Books which are
visually attractive to them and because they like the
story. It may be a great choice to read aloud to the
children, but a very poor choice to ask the children to
read. If the teacher has not checked the readability of the
Trade Book, then he/she has neglected a fundamental
responsibility to his/her children. The primary teachers
are responsible for teaching all children to actually read.
It is not enough to simply read to them. All children are
learners, but they must be taught!
NUMBER OF VOWEL COMBINATIONS
When referring to vowel combinations, I mean the number of
phonograms (Keys) and the blending patterns required to
successfully read the passage. From long experience with
language processing, phonemic awareness screening and
training, and the three blending patterns, we know that the
hard-to-teach (H-T-T) children will have great difficulty
with materials which require flexible and facile
manipulation of the phonograms. The greater the number of
Keys, the more difficult are the reading materials.
Therefore, a hard-to-teach child will have greater success
with a pre-primer which requires him/her to learn 17 Keys
and 2 short vowels (SRA Linguistic Series) than in a series
which requires him/her to learn 60 Keys and 16 vowel
combinations (Focus). Which series has the best stories? No
contest: Focus. The SRA Linguistic series is repetitive,
but the H-T-T child is able to read it and experience
success. The child who is only able to interchange the
beginning consonant (Level G,LPA) needs a linguistic
program. Educators do not allow children to sit in a room
and experience failure every day, they make choices in
order to help all children. Unfortunately, presenters do
allow failure.
When reviewing a series or Trade Book, take a few minutes
to check the number of Keys, the order in which they
appear, and how many new Keys must be learned in order to
read this new story. The necessary form for completing this
assessment is a part of the materials handed out to all who
have or will attend the summer sessions.
NUMBER OF WORDS PER STORY
Patricia Cunningham, a Wake Forest University Education
Professor, has completed excellent reading research which
reports dramatic changes in the expectations for a first
grade child. Summarizing briefly, she found prior to 1978
that basal series required children to learn to read 11-20
new words per week. Since 1978, with the emphasis on
literature-based reading programs, children are required to
learn 30-40 new words per week. First grade readers
required pre-1978 children to learn 400-700 words per year
and post-1978 children are required to learn 1100-1500 new
words per year. Dr. Cunningham, like many others, is
concerned about the increasing demands placed upon the
children of first grade at a time when skills are being
de-emphasized. I would strongly urge that schools ask their
librarian to complete a search of Dr. Cunningham's writings
and obtain copies of all.
SUCCESS FOR ALL BUILT INTO THE PROGRAM
Unfortunately, the best advice some sales representatives
can provide is, "If he can't read it the first time,
recycle the kid." There is not a single reading program
appropriate for all children. The above mentioned SRA
Linguistic program is not appropriate for the 75-85% of the
children who are able to process language successfully and
who would find it too repetitive. At the same time, Trade
Books, Silver Burdett Ginn, or Houghton Mifflin are too
difficult for the H-T-T children. My experience has been
that two programs are needed in the primary grades.
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS
The best supplemental materials are more little books to
read, not more worksheets. Many of the basal programs have
controlled vocabulary materials available. Some schools
with which I consult buy supplemental readers from any or
all reading programs and continue adding to the collection
each year. This allows for an in-class library of suitable
books for all children--books to take home and read, books
for the reading corner, books they can read to each other,
and variety enough to hopefully motivate all.
READING--WRITING CONNECTION
Does the material selected provide for a direct writing
reinforcement of the vocabulary introduced in the reading
material? We do write to read and the two processes must be
completed as one. Some basal series do not provide
appropriate coordination and I would reject them.
-Dr. Phil McInnis
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ARL
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