Strange Learning

1. What is the strange fact about not learning to read? 

Illiteracy is more prevalent among poor students and minorities. 

2. Why is this fact so strange?

This is strange because this disparity is not seen in other types of learning, such as learning to play Pokemon.

3. What is it about school that manages to transform children who at good at learning things like Pokeman into children who are not good a learning?

4. What is the differences between a traditionalists approach to learning to read and more progressive educators?

Traditionalists advocate a bottom up approach where students first learn phonics then create meaning from the text. This approach is very similar to an assembly line. Progressive educators push for a top down form of learning. They feel that students are better able to learn to read when the focus is one meaning. This tactic is similar to the suggested way of helping student learn to read in a second language.

5. Is learning to read a natural process like learning to speak a language? 

No, learning to read ins't a natural process. 

6. What is the differences between natural, instructed and cultural processes and which process should reading be classified under?

Natural processes are biologically supported. They need no catalyst or instruction other than the right input. Instructed processes are traditional school learning. Cultural processes involve the group ensure that all know the subject well enough to survive. This is done by "masters" teaching "students" often in hand-on contexts. Reading is not a natural processes. It can be considered a instructed processes, but students will learn best if it is taught as a cultural process.

7. How do humans learn best? Through instructional processes or through cultural processes? How is reading taught in school?

Humans learn best through cultural processes. Reading is taught as an instructional process. 

8. According to the author, what is the reason for the "fourth grad slump."

9. What is a better predictor of reading success than phonemic awareness?

10. What is the difference between "vernacular" and "specialist" varieties of language? Give an example of two sentences, one written in the vernacular and one written in a "a specialized variety",  about a topic in your content area.

11. What is "early language ability" and how is it developed?

12. According to the author why and how does the traditionalist approach to teaching children to read fail?

13. Are parents of poor children to blame for their children's inexperience with specialized varieties of language before coming to school?

14. Did you struggle with reading this text? Why? Are you a poor reader or are you unfamiliar with this variety of specialized language?