SHEILA KING spoke of Re: Whole Language to ERICA LONG on 08-10-96
SK>EL> I always send my children home on the first day of school
SK>thinking they  can
SK>EL> read and therein lies half the battle. Their interested
SK>relatives,  afterall
SK>EL> have been telling them all sumer holidays that when they go to
SK>EL> school they will learn to read.
SK> 
SK>Perhaps this is just semantics, and I'm being picky, but...
SK>Don't you mean that you send the kids home thinking the can _learn_
SK>to read, rather than that they _can_ read?
Butting in Dan Triplett said:
I send my kindergartners home on the first day of school with the 
knowledge that they ARE readers.  I reinforce this idea throughout the 
year.  Consider this:  A friend has a baby and you are very excited for 
her.  She calls you often.  One day she calls and says "Shelia, he's 
talking, he's talking!!!"  "He said his first word today!"  As the weeks 
pass the child begins to pick up more and more words.  His words become 
"mini" sentences.  This child is a talker.  I would not say to this 
mother "He's not *really* talking.  After all he only knows a few 
words."
This is how I view reading.....it's not adult-like reading. But it is 
child-like reading.
Dan                           
CMPQwk 1.42 445p
... According to my best recollection, I don't remember
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