-=> Quoting Dan Triplett to Charles Beams <=-
 DT> Yes we do...that is if we understand the importance of such patterns.
 DT> Consider what has been taught in the past.  According to IBM's Writing
 DT> to Read program there are 42 phonemes while there are only 26 letters.
 DT> If teaching phonics was simply teaching a sound association to every
 DT> letter that would be one thing.  But we have diphthongs and diagraphs
 DT> to help make up additional sounds.  And after one learns all the sound
 DT> combinations you have to remember "r" controlled words put up with
 DT> "exceptions to the rule."
 DT> Remembering that it is young children we are trying to teach these
 DT> skills to is important.  Some of our language structure, especially
 DT> the  irregular spelling of some words, is very confusing.
But 26 letters and 42 phonemes should be a snap compared with what most
Chinese kids have to learn! Even all the exceptions to the rules in
English could be easily memorized, and _were_ when I was a kid. The whole
system has gone wimpy.
coffeerp@adan.kingston.net  Û] COFFEE MUG SOFTWARE Û]
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