wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

Comments

• [1] Marco from Manhattan December 02, 2008 - 11:52AM

  How is possible that this student's illiteracy was not detected until the 9th grade? No wonder the school system needs repair. What about the parent(s)?

  
  
• [2] george from manhattan December 02, 2008 - 11:55AM

  my son has problem reading, but he uses his memory to be able to keap up with his class.

  
  
• [3] Peter Katona from Brooklyn, NY December 02, 2008 - 11:56AM

  As a one-time literacy teacher, I must dissent. In meetings and at training sessions, yes, teachers digest these new ideas and do their best with the processes and strategies presented by Teacher's College. And I fully agree that interest is vital to cultivating curiosity and a love of reading. However, many of the theories of TC are often mis-implemented by districts, schools and coaches. Furthermore, without a focus on basic grammar and sentence structure - concepts that as lessons are often dismissed by whole-language instruction - these strategies may be a way to play catch-up, but do not address the larger problem of illiteracy. As an 8th grade teacher I was not allowed to teach nouns and verbs; subjects and predicates - and was asked to give the most freedom to students who require the most structure. This is hard work, and I want students to feel successful, but I would rather they actually be successful.

  
  
• [4] george from manhattan December 02, 2008 - 11:57AM

  i my self forced myself to learn how to read fluently at age 19.

  
  
• [5] O from Forest Hills December 02, 2008 - 11:57AM

  Overworked teachers, underfunded schools and this is the process they are picky about letting kids in high school in NYC about?

  
  
• [6] hjs from 11211 December 02, 2008 - 11:57AM

  reading is as old fashion as newspapers

  as soon as we have talking computers no one will read again, except as a quaint pastime.

  mark my words!

  
  
• [7] Benjamin from Brooklyn, NY December 02, 2008 - 11:58AM

  I am an architect with a Masters degree and I have never read a book from start to finish. I have discovered i have Irelen syndrome. this relates to the brain's ability to process visual information. They use color overlays to help reading and comprehension. bluring lines, headaches, and so on. For me it was not only reading, but test taking, papers, research, even drawing. I think that it is a social fear compounded with

  
  
• [8] Maggie from Brooklyn December 02, 2008 - 12:01PM

  I did adult literacy tutoring for three years. Of the many challenges, the biggest one was getting people to get into the habit of reading outside of class, which is the only way to systemically improve reading. Changing habits is always hard and when you add a lifelong block against reading to a busy schedule, things get very tricky.

  
  
• [9] Adam Abel from Brooklyn December 02, 2008 - 12:03PM

  I teach a multi-media college course for juniors and seniors in high school. I would recommend giving attention to the change in literacy due to new technology. When my students enter my course they often write carelessly in "text" language. It takes me about a month into the semester before I can get them back to writing completely in English.

  
  
• [10] Kerrie from Bronx NY December 02, 2008 - 12:44PM

  I have dyslexia, reading comprehension has always been a challenge. I was lucky because I was diagnosed in first grade, but I often hide my disability because of the negative persona, especially during high school. I am an engineer that has just finished my MBA. Reading out loud, standardized tests, and pop quizzes are a nightmare because I need time to prepare, but trying to get some professors to understand that their teaching method is not effective is even harder. I thrive when asked to do projects, but tests never show my true ability or knowledge. I believe all teachers need to have mandatory training in reading and learning disabilities. Strong education is the key, and working closely with students who struggle makes amazing differences. I am someone who has benefited from wonderful, caring teachers.

  
  
• [11] jennifer frazier from utica ny December 02, 2008 - 05:48PM

  This actually seems to be a huge problem in all school districts across NY. I am located in upstate NY and have a 12 year old who struggles with reading. Instead of the school district helping my son or correcting the problem they continue to pass him. I have been fighting this issue for years.

  
  
• [12] Wilma Tamayo from Manhattan, NY December 09, 2008 - 02:18PM

  I think that teachers play a key role in this process. Teacher needs to motivate student to read and chanllenge them. My daughter is in the 5th grade and she was only reading baby's book and the teacher was allowing her to do that. but since i knew that my daughter was capable to reading more advance books I went to Barnes and Noble and I bought her books for her grade and she is an amizing reader and writing.