Hi Charles,
And here you thought that this topic was played out but...
I found that I had a whole pile of messages in my mailbox that I had
neglected to answer - yours is one of them....
CB>RL>In a good kindergarten program, such as Dan's and all the friends' that
  >RL>I have that teach kindergarten, the children are being exposed to
  >RL>reading, writing and spelling from the first week.
CB>I have been "exposed" to automobiles since my early childhood, but I
  >can neither build one nor fix one.  Exposure does not seem to be an
  >effective instructional style.  Children must be taught and held
  >accountable for those things we want them to learn.  This means
  >direct instruction and frequent evaluation.  I must admit, however,
  >that kindergarten is a different beast altogether - I think my focus
  >is on 1st grade and up.
Sorry, I shouldn't have used the word "exposed" here quite in that
manner. Though I guess in the case of kindergarten the word is probably
exactly what I do mean in the first week. But when I say exposed to I
mean a little more than you do I think. Exposed to for me means that the
children are being taught - that is, in the case of kindergarten and
early grade one, you are constantly modelling how to do these things. As
the children are "exposed" to these strategies, sounds, etc. you then
are asking more and more questions to get them to come up with the
correct sounds, spellings, words, etc. You are modelling the "how" and
working with them on the "what". for example, a combined spelling
reading lesson might be having a pile of objects beginning with the same
initial sound. To go with this you have a matching pile of word cards
and a word list/chart. You introduce your letter and sound and have the
children come up with words/things they know that start with that sound
(You may do the chart first and then write up the cards and collect the
objects later). You can then have the children match the objects to the
cards or the cards to the words on the chart, etc. etc.
A more abstract version of this is to brainstorm the words on the chart
and use pictures. The children then make up their own booklets about
that letter - or you can make up a class book.
CB>RL>I still don't think you understand what transitional spelling is all
  >RL>about.
CB>Don't sell me short - the fact that I disagree with you does not
  >mean I don't understand it.  Because my view is more global and less
  >specific to a single classroom and/or grade level, I may have a
  >better grasp of the issue than you do.
CB>RL>What would you rather do. Have the children try to spell a word
  >RL>based on what they know or not write at all? Remember, again, here I am
  >RL>talking about young children. By the time children reach grade four 
hey
  >RL>should be relying more and more on dictionaries, etc.
CB>And herein lies our difference of opinion.  By the time children
  >reach grade four, it is too late to begin formal spelling lessons -
I think you have misunderstood me here. I didn't say to start formal
spelling lessons here. I just said that more reliance should be made on
such things as the child gets older. Even in grade one children are
taught to use a dictionary, have their own spelling lists/personal
dictionaries. In the good whole language classrooms that I teach in the
children do use "invented spelling" but they are expected to correct the
words in their good copies.
  >they have formed bad habits which are very difficult to break.  The
  >mind-set that spelling a word badly is better than not using it at
  >all has become learned and getting the students to write things
  >correctly requires more inspiration than most teachers have to give.
CB>RL>But if a child has been asked to write a first draft in creative
  >RL>writing, I would rather they get their ideas down first than
  >RL>worry about all the spelling mistakes they are likely to make.
CB>That seems to be the theory behind the use of word processors and
  >spell checkers, too.  And the philosophy works pretty well for
  >educated adults who know how to spell and how to write well.  In our
  >middle school computer labs, our students often hit the "ignore"
  >button when the spell checker points to incorrectly spelled words
  >because the children don't know how to spell correctly and don't
  >want to take the time to look up the word - they think that using
  >the badly spelled word is better than not using the word at all.  I
  >disagree.
We are comparing apples and oranges here. At the grade level you teach
at good spelling/work habits must be in use. I find that many students
have lousy work habits. Sometimes this is the fault of the teacher and
other times it is the fault of the home. In my last LTO, I had a hard
time instilling good work habits in my students. Their teacher
complained about it, too, yet the room was constantly in a mess and the
garbage that I had to clean out from her desk, shelves, cupboards, etc.
was unbelievable. How could she expect them to do what she did not
model!
Even in kindergarten, my students are expected to keep the room tidy and
know where things belong. It is not my job to clean up after them, that
is their responsibility.
(Continued to next message)
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