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 Making
Whole Language Work
by
Carol Castellano
Reprinted from Future Reflections
Whole
language is an approach to teaching reading and writing
which differs in many ways from the traditional system
in which most of us learned to read and write. In the
traditional approach children are grouped by reading
ability and reading is taught during a certain period
each day. Students read from basal readers, the grade-by-grade
reading books which contain words chosen for their readability
at a certain grade level. Phonics, spelling, and grammar
are each taught as separate skills at separate times.
The traditional approach might be characterized as skill-based.
In
whole language classrooms a great deal of time during
the school day is given over to reading and writing.
In place of basal readers, "trade books" are used, authentic
works of fiction and nonfiction that can be purchased
at a bookstore. Instead of being grouped according to
reading ability, all students read the various trade
books. Students are exposed to a wide variety of materials,
structures, and styles and also to the rich, poetic,
and often complex language of real literature. Skills
such as phonics and spelling are worked on in the context
of what the children are reading and writing and are
integrated into other curriculum areas. The whole language
approach might be called meaning- or content-based.
Other
hallmarks of the whole language approach include student
choice of reading material and shared, cooperative reading
and writing activities designed to develop appreciation,
reflection, thinking, language, and speaking skills.
Reading and writing are integrated into all curriculum
areas. Teachers encourage intellectual risk-taking instead
of rote memorization and answers. They subscribe to
the idea that the learning is in the doing, thereby
placing emphasis on the process of writing, not just
on the finished product.
The
whole language approach has provoked much discussion
and controversy. Proponents of the approach say that
it works—children not only learn to read and write
with more pleasure and ease, but they become eager,
independent, confident, lifelong readers and learners.
Those
who object to the trend toward whole language fear that
the approach is too loose and leaves too much to chance.
The flexibility of whole language is in direct contrast
to the controlled nature of traditional programs. Traditional
teachers know and rely on the controlled vocabulary
and skills checklists of basal readers and workbooks
to gauge the progress of their students. Some feel it
would be chaotic to try to keep track of what the children
know and don't know if children read books of their
own choosing and if reading is dispersed throughout
the day. They fear the loss of formal phonics instruction.
Some opponents of whole language are afraid children
will not learn how to read. Some simply do not want
to change. Despite the controversy, the whole language
approach has been adopted in many school districts across
the country.
What
happens when a Braille student enters a whole language
classroom? When my daughter entered first grade, the
staff—committed, experienced whole language teachers
who had never taught a blind student before—expressed
great reservations. They believed she would not be able
to participate successfully in the program. One even
suggested that she change schools! The teachers expressed
many reasons for fearing that whole language would not
work with a Braille reader. Due to the need to introduce
Braille contractions in advance, they felt Serena would
not be able to cope with the random vocabulary found
in trade books. A controlled vocabulary as found in
basal readers, the teachers reasoned, would make for
easier reading for Serena. In addition, they would have
no lists of new vocabulary prepared to give to the Braille
teacher as they would with basal readers.
Since
trade books would also be used for subjects such as
social studies and science, the teachers thought the
reading for those subjects, also, would be too complicated.
They wondered if it would be possible to get all the
necessary books Brailled, since whole language requires
many more books than just one textbook for each subject.
And lastly, the teachers did not want to give up their
freedom to use a wonderful poem or activity they found
the night before because they would not have it in Braille
the next day for Serena. They also felt that this would
limit what would be available to the rest of the children
in the class.
When
I analyzed what was being said, I realized that the
concerns of these experienced whole language teachers
about whole language for a Braille student were identical
to the concerns expressed by traditional teachers about
whole language for any student! The concerns boiled
down to one fundamental idea: we really don't know how
to do this and make it work!
Serena
has been in our school district's whole language program
for two-and-a-half years now and as I write this (mid-third
grade), she sits contentedly reading a Bobbsey Twins
book. I think all her teachers would agree that Serena
has fully and successfully participated in the whole
language program and that she has certainly learned
how to read! The inclusion of this Braille student in
the program was accomplished without increased burden
on the Braille teacher and without restricting the materials
the teachers—and other students—could use.
Several strategies were employed to make for a successful
whole language experience (many of which would apply
to any reading program). Here are some of our ideas:
Much
advance planning and preparation was done so that books
and materials were ready on time. Books were chosen
well in advance (approximately seven months). Teachers
were aware of books which were already available in
Braille and books on computer disk which could be quickly
obtained in Braille. The teachers took care to let the
Braille transcribers know which books and materials
would be needed in September and for each subsequent
month.
We
acted as a team—classroom teacher, teacher's aide,
Braille teacher, and I—to discuss, plan, adapt,
troubleshoot, and solve problems.
The
Braille teacher previewed books for new contractions
and taught them in advance until all contractions had
been taught. When Serena did not recognize a contraction
in class, the teachers looked it up on a "cheat sheet"
(Braille contraction chart) and told her what it was.
(Incidentally, with trade books, sighted children, too,
are challenged with interesting new vocabulary! A blind
student can simply participate with the others in whatever
vocabulary activities the class is doing.)
Instead
of taking Serena out of class for every lesson, the
Braille teacher spent a great deal of time in the classroom,
integrating the Braille lesson with the classroom reading
activities.
Reading
speed was an issue for the longer passages in chapter
books. At home we practiced speedier reading exercises
and games (see end of article). We were also advised
to have Serena read EVERY NIGHT!
We
taught Serena how to skim so that she could follow along
efficiently when others were reading aloud.
The
teacher occasionally sent home the book the class would
be reading next for Serena to preview. Sometimes she
sent a book home for Serena to finish reading chapters.
A
print copy or photocopy of the book was sent home for
all books that Serena was reading, including student-choice
and library books. In this way, when Serena got to single-spaced,
double-sided Braille books (second grade level and up),
anyone, even those not familiar with Braille, could
follow along as Serena read and provide ordinary help
when needed.
An
M-Print, a modified computer printer which translates
Braille into print, was attached to the Braille writer
so that Serena's writing—daily journals, comprehension
questions, reports, paragraphs, etc.—was immediately
accessible to her non-Braille-reading teachers.
The
school purchased a Braille embosser. Attached to a regular
computer, the embosser enabled the teachers to type
in material and produce Braille immediately, thus preserving
the teachers' freedom to use newly found materials without
excluding their blind student and resulting in access
to more Braille for Serena.
I
am happy that my daughter was given the opportunity
to take part in the school's whole language program
and that she is progressing well in it. In addition
to reaping what seem to be the benefits of the whole
language approach, she has been allowed to experience
what everyone else is experiencing. Our conclusion is
that with proper planning, teamwork, flexibility, and
careful outlay of funds, blind children can successfully
participate in a whole language reading program.
Some
Activities for Speedier Reading
Have the child follow along as you read aloud and then
stop reading; child must pick up reading aloud where
you dropped off.
You
read aloud at a normal pace; the child skims along and
follows your reading by paying attention to the beginnings
and endings of sentences and end punctuation.
Child
reads easy or familiar material and practices going
fast (encourage "lots of fingers on the Braille").
Demonstrate
an appropriate reading speed by gently moving the child's
hands across the lines of Braille; have an adult blind
friend demonstrate good reading technique to your child.
Practice
fast page-turning exercises and activities which can
help develop good reading habits and faster reading.
Resources for Games and Exercises:
Mangold
Developmental Program of Tactile
Perception and Braille Letter Recognition
by Sally Mangold
Exceptional
Teaching Aids
20102 Woodbine Avenue
Castro Valley, California 94546
1-800-549-6999
www.exceptionalteaching.com
Guidelines
and Games for Teaching Efficient Braille Reading
by Myrna R. Olson, Ed.D., in collaboration with Sally
S. Mangold, Ph.D.
American
Foundation for the Blind
11 Penn Plaza, Suite 300
New York, NY 10001
1-800-232-3044
www.afb.org
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