Below is an excerpt from a group of unschoolers I belong to. I have yet to post on the forum, but it is interesting reading the many daily posts of others. This dialog discusses something that I have a very definite opinion on and though I won’t likely add my thoughts to the forum (as they are in opposition to the group’s philosophy), I will include them here.
I think I’ll notate my perspective in red:
-=-What I have been doing is just explaining each word as he encounters it, by saying something like “E and A together usually make the eeee sound” or that sometimes vowels can make different sounds so if the short sound doesn’t work try the long sound (he doesn’t actually know the terms long and short vowel sounds, I just say the sounds).-=-
Is he really interested in those things? Or is he enduring the explanations because he thinks they will help?
While language is most easily and naturally obtained through absorption and immersion, understanding the stupid aspects of English (and other languages) that are illogical isn’t something that just comes with exposure (especially if ridiculous redundancy is something one wishes to avoid). That is not to say that the logistics cannot be imparted to the child with great creativity, but just the same, at some level, they must be discussed. I believe that leaving the child to his/her own discovery of these illogical aspects of our language is a recipe for frustration.
Heh… maybe I will post this.
I would just say the word, and maybe name another word that’s like it that he already knows. If he doesn’t know another word like that, I would just say the word.
This omits the concept of phonics (and the exceptions thereof). If one understands the way the mind works, related to language development, one understands the value of not omitting this part of the overall acquisition. I think stating the word is helpful in that it acts as a reward or solution to a certain degree – it’s encouraging. However, to simply omit the teaching of strategy that the mind readily accepts and naturally chooses to employ regarding the written words of a language is to give the child a disadvantage on a neural level.
-=-My question is, should I be doing more to explain letter and sound patterns? Or should I just keep repeating these things until they stick the way the letter sounds stuck by playing the starfall games? Would it be helpful for him to know that there are these letter patterns and some general rules? Or will he figure that out just from seeing them repeatedly? Or does it depend on the person?-=-
The principle of natural learning covers that, I think. Don’t “just keep repeating” anything. It’s not about sticking, it’s about his learning.
-=-Would it be helpful for him to know that there are these letter patterns and some general rules? Or will he figure that out just from seeing them repeatedly?-=-
He will figure it out in his own way, if you let him. Answering his questions is nice. Having a program of explaining more and more sounds more like teaching than helping.
Instruction is something that is useful if the mind is receptive and willing to take in information; our minds seek out instruction naturally. To me, the idea of avoiding “teaching” as is stated in this context, is a concept that is generated out of either a fear response to control or a painful experience that the commenter doesn’t want to see another person endure. It is quite possible to impart instruction between willing participants.
Answering questions is not “nice”, it’s crucial. “Explaining more and more” is discovery. Yes, it can look like inundating or bombarding if it’s being “delivered” to an unwilling participant instead of being sought out by a natural curiosity; we must be able to distinguish here.
What i would do (what I have done) is not to focus on anything that’s causing frustration. He will learn to read, and it will be a better memory if it’s a happy one. If he’s focussed on something that makes him feel less-than or frustrated, he’ll have a harder time learning anything. And generally, kids are learning lots of things at the same time. Maybe watch more movies for a while, do more physical things away from printed words. He will see words, but surrounding him with them seems counter-productive if he’s not quite ready.
This I agree with, for a number of reasons, half of which are entirely unrelated to the context of this commenter’s dialog.
This probably sounds wrong to new unschoolers, but the same way it helps “to sleep on it” when someone’s stuck in processing thoughts, it can help to get away from something frustrating, to do something that uses totally different parts of the brain and body.
Yep.
Do it casually, without saying why. Don’t talk about it, just find some really fun things he can do and be learning from for a few weeks or months.
Here are some ideas:
http://sandradodd.com/checklists