Responding to a message by Sheila, to Charles on ...
SK>Arrgh! Accuracy is not an essential goal of reading?
I do believe that whole language theorists believe that an accurate 
reading of each single word is less important than gathering 
understanding from the text.  I suppose, in some instances, that trying 
to guess at a word from the context of the passage is going to lead to 
some misinterpretation, but the theory is that such mis-readings will be 
minimal for the accomplished reader.
SK>I would think that discussion in this conference alone would 
SK>demonstrate how incorrect that statement is. We nitpick over words 
SK>here. And when reading medical works or law, isn't accuracy important?
I recently spent a couple of years working on a district plan to reform 
our schools (that's another story) as part of a community committee.  I 
drove most of the other committee members crazy because I kept a 
dictionary by my side and insisted that we verify the meaning of any 
words that seemed to be the point of dissension.  
SK>Anyone who thinks that the accuracy of a single word is not important in
SK>teaching reading is IMO simply wrong!
I think you're getting a sense of why traditionalists are frustrated 
with the whole language process.
Chuck Beams
Fidonet - 1:2608/70
cbeams@future.dreamscape.com
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* UniQWK #5290* Other opinions will be welcomed and ignored.
--- Maximus 2.01wb
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