xt7cz892c429 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7cz892c429/data/mets.xml Kentucky. Department of Education. Kentucky Kentucky. Department of Education. 1946-06 bulletins English Frankford, Ky. : Dept. of Education This digital resource may be freely searched and displayed in accordance with U. S. copyright laws. Educational Bulletin (Frankfort, Ky.) Education -- Kentucky Educational Bulletin (Frankfort, Ky.), "Getting the Primary Reading Program Under Way", vol. XIV, no. 4, June 1946 text
volumes: illustrations 23-28 cm. call numbers 17-ED83 2 and L152 .B35. Educational Bulletin (Frankfort, Ky.), "Getting the Primary Reading Program Under Way", vol. XIV, no. 4, June 1946 1946 1946-06 2022 true xt7cz892c429 section xt7cz892c429

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EDUCATIONAL, BULLETIN

“GETTING THE PRIMARY READING
, ' PROGRAM UNDER WAY

' (Reprint of XIII, No. 4, June, 1945
Educational Bulletin)

.’ _ _ , Published by
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

JOHN FRED WILLIAMS
Superintendent of Public Instruction

‘ ISSUED MONTHLY

Entered as second-class matter March 21, 1933, at the post office at "
Frankfort, Kentucky, under the Act of August 24, 191,2.

_’voI.xIv JUNE, 1946: A No.4

FOREWORD

\
I

This Bulletin deals with the teaching of reading in the primary ‘

grades, 1 to 3. The Bulletin is limited to the primary grades because

it is believed that the major problems in reading are first met in the 1

primary grades and that we should start there. Later, it is hoped, a

bulletin embracing the entire reading program may be developed by

the teachers of the state for all grades. This Bulletin is not compre _‘
hensive but it is believed that the suggestions contained in it may be ‘

helpful to teachers in laying the foundation for reading.

This Bulletin was prepared by a committee consisting of the §
staff of the Bureau of Instruction and a group of persons from the
colleges and public schools who have special interests and abilities ‘
in the field of reading. To this group appreciation is expressed. The ,

committee consisted of the following persons:

Dr. Mary I. Cole, Western State Teachers College
Miss Louise Combs, State Department of Education
Mrs. Mary K. Duncan, University of Kentucky >
Mrs. O. A. Durham, Lindsey Wilson Junior College

. Mark Godman, State Department of Education
Miss May Hansen, Eastern State Teachers College
Miss Kathleen Moore, Union College

' Miss Edna Neal, Morehead State Teachers College
Dr. Annie Ray, Murray State Teachers College
Sam Taylor, State Department of Education _—
Supt. Mayme West Scott, Estill County Schools g .
Ishmael Triplett, State Department of Education
,Mrs Naomi Wilhoit, State Department of Education
R. E. J aggers, State Department of Education, Chairman

It is my hope that every teacher in the primary grades may read
this Bulletin and that it may offer some help in developing a better
reading program in the schools of the Commonwealth. "

There has been such, a demand for this Bulletin by teach
ers, principals, supervisors, superintendents and college staffs
that we have printed it this (the third) time. L

J une, 1946 _ / ‘ J. F. Williams

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RELATING READING TO THE TOTAL LEARNING PROGRAM

Teaching children to read is the first essential if your school
is going to be successful. It will be a part of every learning ex—
perience you will provide in the school. For the child who enters
the school. the first time, reading is the thing he will be constantly
attempting to do. Keep this fact in mind at all times everywhere
and never let an occasion which will develop his ability to read be
overlooked.

Teaching a child to read will not be confined to the period set
aside for reading. You will help the child to read to get answers
to his questions, to solve his problems, to share his experiences.
You will relate his reading to writing, to language, and later to
spelling, and to everything he does. As a matter of fact every—
thing he does will necessarily bring him a reading situation. The
important thing is for you to be aware of these learning situations
and make the most of them.

You will relate the reading program to everything the child
does. You will, of course, use the basal reader to teach the skills
in reading but in doing this, you will. tie this period up with the
life the child lives in his home, in his communty, and in the school.
You will relate reading to his name, to the names of the objects in
the room, to the kinds of things he wants to do, such as: moving
about the room, getting a drink of water, engaging in play, exam—
ining pictures, looking at books. After he has taken the first steps,
you will relate his reading to the experiences he has had, to the
things he does at home, at Sunday School, and in playing with his
friends. Later, reading will be related to the things which hap-

pen in the world-at-large, to trips he has taken, to things he has
seen.

The teachers’ guides to the basal readers will show you ways
of relating reading to living. The publishers of the basic texts
have brought together many devices for teaching reading which
are based upon a knowledge of child growth and development.
You should keep these guides constantly on your desk and refer
to them every time a new type of material is to be used.

Reading is a basic instrument for all subjects and for having
all. types of new experiences. Through reading you will help the
child to get new information, to get pleasure, to give information
to others, and to give pleasure to others. It will be an agency of

$377

developing his group interest, and of establishing wholesome at.
titudes toward life.

If the children in the entire school are to make normal pro.
gress, most of the time in the primary grades must be focused upon
developing the ability to read. Almost 35 per cent of the children in
Kentucky drop out before they get into the second grade. It may
be that much ol.’ this is due to the fact that children have not
learned to read well. lt is well to keep in mind, when you think
of a new experience which you want to provide for the children,
to remind yourself: Can he read; can he understand it? lt is im-
portant to study at all times why children do not read, and when
you have found out why. to know where to get the answers for
your questions.

You will take the children into your confidence immediately
after school begins. You will want to work with them in develop-
ing an nmlerstaiuling of why they should learn to read and will
try to develop every motive basic to learning to read. You will
use every device possible to develop in the children an understand-
ing of the environment in which they live, to participate in making
the environment better. and very early, you will help them to de-
velop an understanding of why they cannot go very far until they
have mastered the ability to read. You will not overlook the fact
that reading is imbeded deeply in the language of arts—spelling,
writing, expression, art, music and the like. Always, everywhere,
morning, noon and night, it will be necessary to remind yourself:
"I must teach them to read.”

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CREATING THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Success in learning to read depends to a great degree upon the
kind of place the pupils have in which to live while they learn.
Your first obligation will be to make the school such a place that
pupils may enjoy living there. The school must be attractive inside
and out, and provide a healthful environment in every respect. A
visit to the school room in which you are to teach will help you
know what to do. Take your notebook along and list the things
needed to make the place livable and a good place to learn and to
live.

If you teach in a small rural school your first visit will likely
reveal many things to be done before the best learning environ-
ment can be provided. As you approach the building you will,
no doubt, find that the path to the door will be covered with grass
or weeds, and you will likely see no playground equipment. You
may find a bare spot used last year for a ball diamond. On the
back side of the playground you will likely see toilets, unattractive,
insanitary and in dire need of attention. You will observe needs
that may dishearten you, but you will note the needs and resolve
to do something about them.

When you enter the classroom and take your seat at the rear
of the room, you will bring your notebook into use. It will likely
he a room with one or two walls covered with blackboards, another
side covered with nails where children hung their coats, another
Wall with windows. The dusty floor will need treatment. The
desks will likely be fastened to the floor.

Your courage will help you to picture this room as a happy,
livable, learning home. You will make notes of the things you can
do. the things the pupils can do, and the things you will ask the
parents of: the children to do to convert this dreary room into a
Work room for children learning. You will do what you can to
z‘l't‘l' the room ready for the pupils.

When the first day comes your first task will be to share with
the children and let them share with you in making the school
then learning home for the year. As soon as the process of en-
l‘ollment is completed, you and they will go immediately into de-
termining what should be done7 and how to do it. Problems of
making the outside environment attractive and sanitary will be
discussed; weeds must be cut and grounds put in condition for use;
R'llllies will be properly dealt with. The things the children can

379

do will be assigned according to interest and the things which will
need assistance of adults in the community will be listed, such as
toilet sanitation.

The children and you will share your ideas in planning the
learning environment inside the room. What to do with seat ar-
rangement, what to do with the dust problem, how to make the
walls attractive, how to deal with windows and the lighting prob-
lem, how to handle the problem of fuel will be some of the proh-
len’ls. You will find that pupils will want to help plan and to carry
out the plans. Their ideas will be usable.

It is important to share the problems of learning environment
with the parents of the children. They should be brought to the
school on the first or second afternoon. after school opens to ob-
serve the environment in which the children have to learn. Such
a visit by a group of parents should result in suggestions from
them as to what should be done and how they can help.

The school grounds should be attractive, sanitary and useful.
Get parents to accept: responsibility with you in working with the
county health authorities in maintaining health standards. The
toilets must be sanitary and should have neat appearance from the
outside. Replace beaten and often muddy paths with nice walk-
ways from the school building to the toilets. Flagstone walks may
be provided with flat rocks; or they may be made of gravel from a
creekbed; or they may be made of cinders, brick, or concrete. Inl-
provement of school ground should never stop. Flowers, plants,
trees may be added. In all plans remember that citizens in the
community can help.

The classroom is the living room where you and the children
must live and receive friends. It should provide the kind of. at-
mosphere where these things can take place happily. Clean win-
dows, inside and out, with suitable shades are essential to the at-
mosphere of the learning environment. If shades are not adlllSt'
able, they should be hung so they will not shut out the light from
the upper half of the windows. If you do not know how to 31"
range the shades so they will distribute the light ask some one W110
does know. Bright draperies made of oilcloth or washable 1113'
terial will add much to the learning room appearance. They must
so be. hung that they will not obstruct the light. This can be (10119
if you will hang them at each end of a series of windows instead
of at each window. Window ventilators made of glass should be
provided for fresh air without draft.

380

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You should cover any unused blackboard with beaver board
if possible and use the Space as a bulletin board. If beaver board
is not available you may paint theboard with light color. You
might hang tan shades all along the unused blackboard. These
shades can be pulled down over check—up tests. The point to these
devices is to convert unused space into usable space, and to convert
dark spaces to light so that the room may be brightened.

You should arrange the seats in groups for combined classes
or ability groups to work together. After you have enrolled the
children, remove from the school room the extra seats as you will
need all the room space you can get. When it is possible to buy
new furniture, select tables and chairs which are more convenient
and comfortable, for younger children especially. Be sure the
light comes in over the left shoulder.

Your back wall can be improved if you will let the children
build a rack for their coats and sweaters, closed in for neatness.
Also 011 the back wall or in some convenient place you can build
screened lunch shelves.

As a teacher, you have an opportunity to train the children in
health habits in every day life. Handwashing equipment does
much to develop cleanliness on'the part of children. Some of the
necessary equipment for handwashing in schools not equipped with
running water is: liquid soap (made from soap chips and water) in
an oil can, paper towels or individual towels, a can for waste water
and a bucket of clear water and a dipper. Children may be re-
sponsible for the various tasks by the week. As the children pass
by one child ’puts a little soap into each pair of hands; another
washes the soap off into the waste can with a dipper of clear water,
the third child hands out the towels. Before going to their seats
with their lunches another child may put on each desk a section of
a newspaper so that they may put their lunches out on the papers.
You may be able to secure paper napkins for “table linens.” When
they have finished eating all of the food, scraps will be on this
“table cloth” and can be folded up and burned. The older girls
may cut enough papers for a week and hang them across a coat
hanger to be: put with the lunch equipment. In your school will be
seen “a place for everything and everything in its place.”

In one section of the room you will want a. library corner. A
substantial bookcase is best, but book shelves may be made by the
boys at little expense. Your reading table may be covered with
beaver board or building board. An unusued card table or kitchen

381

{iv-"2r,“ ’-.

SELECTING THE DESIRABLE OUTCOMES IN
PRIMARY READING

You, as a teacher, are a leader of learners and you are teach-
ing boys and girls and not textbooks. You are guiding boys and
girls in growth. In building a program of activities and exper-
iences through which boys and girls grow in reading ability, you
will need to know all it is desirable to know about each child and
the total life that he lives. You will need to know how to observe
and interpret evidences of‘his total growth—mental, emotional,
physical, and social—since it is the maximum growth of the total
child in which you are interested.

Growth in reading as in other activities is a continuous process
which does not lend itself to rigid classification in stages or
periods; however, the periods of growth in the child’s reading pro-
gress in the primary reading program may be outlined as follows:

1. The pre-reading or reading readinessi‘ 0r preparatory
period

The period of initial instruction in reading or the first
book reading or the beginning reading period (Pre-primer,
primer, and the first reader level)

3. The period of rapid progress in the acquisition of funda-
mental reading attitudes, habits, and skills or later be—
ginning reading period. (Second reader and third reader
levels)

The time required for a child to progress from one level to the
next depends upon many factors such as the level of mental growth
Which he has reached, his rate of mental maturation, health, social
and emotional adjustment, home conditions, and school exper-
iences. It is important that the child not be forced or expected
to work at a level for which he is not ready. A wise teacher who
builds a well-rounded reading program will provide for each child
to reach the standards for any given level before going on to the
next without retardation in grade placement sufficient to cause
him to become a social misfit in the group in which he is placed-
The child may remain with his grade group and participate ill
many activities with the group, but you will provide reading eX-

‘fThe period of reading readiness refers here to that period of “Before DOOl"
reading”; however, reading readiness is a continuing process at every Stage 0
development of reading ability.

384

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periences for him at his own level of reading ability and interest
and lead him to progress at his own rate.

To meet the needs of the individual child in reading as well as
in other areas of growth, you will avoid making uniform demands
of all—the average, the below average, and the superior. More
and more teachers are realizing that pupil progress does not per-
mit of absolute measurement. More and more they are realizing
that uniform goals or standards in the reading program at the
various levels cannot be set up; however goals or guides to learn-
ing will no doubt guide you in building a primary reading program
based on needs, interests, and abilities of your group of boys and
girls. If desirable outcomes are set and re-set by you ,the pupils,
and perhaps the parents, you will be more acutely aware that you
are teaching children instead of textbooks, and you are likely to
be more conscious that you ultimate goal is total growth of the
children including growth in reading ability.

The suggested desirable outcomes selected are not set up as
a basis for promotion,* but to serve as a guide to you in building
a learning program in reading. You should bear in mind that the
failure to show evidences of these abilities at any level does not
necessarily mean that a child is retained in a specific grade. These
outcomes may guide you in providing worthwhile experiences for
each child that he may continuously go in the desired direction
and progress from one level to the next without too much diffi-
culty. Experiences should be based on the child’s reading and in-
terest level. Each child should go continuously and as rapidly as
possible from one level to the next. If each child is guided in read—
ing experiences at his own level of reading ability and interest,
and if he is required to develop the abilities necessary at each level
01' stage of growth in reading ability before being permitted to go
on to the next, then his growth will be natural and continuous.
Efficient reading instruction in the primary grades is of Vital im-
portance. The need for emphasis on corrective or remedial read-
lug in later grades decreases as efficiency in developmental reading
instruction increases in primary grades.

A well-rounded reading program includes for each level of
reading development (1) goals or abilities, (2) a variety of reading
material, and (3) methods and techniques which will use the ma-
terlals in such a way as to develop in each child an efficiency in

\—

Jun; For Suggestions on a promotional policy see “Getting the School Under \Vay”,
, 1944, Educational Bulletin, State Department of Education, pp. 108-109,

385

the use of basic reading- skills, wholesome attitudes, and a wide
variety of reading interests, and (+1) evaluation techniques.
Some desirable outcomes of reading instruction at each read- l
ing development level are as follows:
1. Reading Readiness or preparatory period (Prev-reading)
Some desirable outcomes or evidences of growth of the read-
ing readiness period are:
1. Ability to use good English sentences
2. Ability to use a relatively wide speaking vocabulary
3. Ability to listen to stories told or read to children
4:. Ability to reproduce stories
5. Ability to listen to rhymes, poems, etc.
6. Ability to enjoy and describe pictures
7. Ability to follow directions
8. Ability to manipulate scissors, paste, paint, clay, tools,
lumber, blocks, toys, paper
9. Ability to compose simple stories based on experiences,
pictures, and objects brought to school
10. Ability to compose group experience charts
11. Ability to make plans under the guidance of the teacher
for school activities
12. Ability to realize that ideas are expressed by words and
sentences
13. Ability to read from left. to right
14. Ability to discriminate between sounds
15. An attitude of curiosity and interest in, things about the
environment
16. Ability to dramatize
17. A genuine desire on. the part of the pupil to learn to read

II. Period of Initial Instruction in Reading, or the first book read-
ing or the early beginning reading period (Pre—primer, Primer,
and First Reader Level)

Desirable outcomes for the period of Initial Instruction are:

1. Continuation of the outcomes for the readiness period

2. Ability to read orally with expression as evidenced by: l
(a) Posture l
(b) Holding the book so the audience may see the eyes 0f l

the reader %

(0) Knowing all the words
(d) Reading distinctly and loud enough for all to hear
(e) Reading like the characters talk

8. Ability to attack new words

(a) Phonetically
(b) Meaning clues
(c) The way the word looks

386

Ill.

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10.

11.

12.

16.
17.

Ability to read without finger pointing, lip movement, and
head movement

To get thought from the: printed page
Ability to tell what is read

Ability to handle a book with care, turning pages properly
Ability to find the pages in books quickly through use of
table of content;

Ability to lOcate passages for specific purposes-humor,
information, or to answer a specific question

Ability to read pre-primers and primers fluently and with
comprehension (Each child should have an opportunity
to progress at his own rate of speed in reading. All chil-
dren will not read the same number of books.)

Ability to read pre-primers independently

Ability to read at sight material of standard primer dif-
ficulty—to read a primer the child has never seen

Ability to comprehend first reader material (All beginners
will not reach this level the first year.) L
Presence of desirable social attitudes toward the group

A pride in and a. desire to own books and a desire to read
both in and out of school

The ability to dramatize

Increased joy in. reading

Ill. The Period of Rapid Progress in the acquisition of funda—
mental reading attitudes, habits, and skills, or period of Later
Beginning Reading (Second reader level and third reader level)

A. Desirable outcomes by the end of the second reader level:

1. Continuation of outcomes for preceding year

2. The ability to read orally with naturalness and with
some fluency for the enjoyment of others

3. Ability to read easy library books independently

4. Ability to use phonetic principles in working out pro-
nunciation of new words: (See Manuals)
(a) Consonants
(b) Short and long vowel sounds
(c) Phonograms derived from reading vocabulary

0. Ability to read first readers and easy second readers
fluently and with comprehension without help

6. Ability to read a first reader which the child has never
seen .

7. The ability to comprehend material of second reader
difficulty

8. Ability to read different types of materials for various
purposes such as finding answers to questions, follow—
ing directions, and remembering what is read

9. Ability to evaluate reading lessons

10. Ability to tell stories read

11. Ability to dramatize

387

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B. Desirable outcomes by the end of the third reader level:

~1 .0191

10.
11.

1‘2.

13.
14.

These

Ability to convey thought to an audience through oral
reading

Ability to and interest in leading independently books
011 an increasing vaiiety of themes and topics

Ability to re ead intelligently fo1 an increasing number
of purposes such as

(a) Understanding the selection as a whole

(b) Answe1 i110 factual and judgment questions

(e) Finding i11te1esti11g incidents in a story

(d) Applying aequil ed int'o1mation to new situations
(e) Seem 1110 the details of a picture or characterization

Increased skill in attacking and recognizing new words
by use of context clues, phonics in recognizing sylables
and simila1ity to known words

Abilit3 to use the alphabet in sequence

Ability to use table of contents; piactice in use of index
Ability to 1ecognize wo1ds made by adding ful, ness
less, ed, 01 prefixing 1111, dis, for, con, or re to known
33101 ds

Ability to use dietiona1y in back of book if there is one
Ability to lead fluently and with expression a second
reader the child has never seen

Ability to e0mp1ehend mate1ial of third leader difficulty
Ability to find reading mate1ial that relates to activi-
ties in which the child is inte1ested

Increased ability in the definite reading skills:

(a) To comprehend quickly and accurately the mate-
rial read at this level

(b) To attack and recognize new words by use of clues,
phonics, and likeness of words

(0) To ]ocate info1mation

(d ) To select and evaluate mateiial

(e) lo organize mate1ial 1ead acco1ding to level of
ability

(f) To decide what to remember and how to remem-
ber it

Increased ability to dramatize
Evidences of expanding reading interests

me only some of the objectives toward which the Pl'i‘

ma1y program may be directed. The individual needs, interests,
and abilities of the boys and girls will guide you in determining
the direction of your reading program and Will therefore, deter
mine the learning activities and expeiiences you p1ovide. The
goals may be set and reset by you and the children many “mes

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during the year as some goals are reached and as other needs are
recognized, or as other goals need emphasis.

The next step in your reading program, after selecting the
goals or outcomes to be expected, will be relating the learning ex-
periences to these goals by selecting those activities through which
the children will be given experiences in developing the desired
abilities.

If your goal is to create a desire to read, you, with the boys
and girls, will create a stimulating room atmosphere and environ-
ment which will arouse curiosity and a keen interest in knowing
answers to questions. You will guide them in many activities
which will stimulate the achievement of this goal. The section of
the bulletin related to procedures and techniques will guide you
in the selection of activities. Your reading manual will suggest
many other experiences and activities related to development of
a desire to read.

If your objective is to develop meaningful concepts and under-
standings, you will provide activities and experiences which give
a rich and varied background of understandings. Your manuals
will offer many worth while activities for this purpose.

If your objective is to develop expanding reading interests,
you may develop a center of interest in the room which may stimu-
late keenly an interest in reading on a variety of subjects as travel,
airplanes, sports, animals, flowers. You will be alert to all inter-
ests indicated by the boys and girls, and then guide them into
reading activities in those areas of interests. Your manuals will
suggest many related experiences and activities which may be
used in the development of this and other reading skills, habits,
and attitudes.

The goals or desirable outcomes which are set up will be of
no value in themselves unless there is a purposeful relation be-
tween them and the activities which you lead the boys and girls
to experience. You, as a teacher, a leader of learners, will feel
that Your reading program is important if you are constantly
aware of the relation between the abilities you hope to develop in
each child at each level of development of his reading ability and
the learning activities you provide in your program of reading in-
Struction. If under your guidance the boys and girls find a re-
lat1011 between their school. experiences and their everyday life,
they will find meaning in these experiences and will be stimulated

to grow naturally and reading will be one of the natural. outcomes
of this growth.

,.' 1,, ,7.,.:,.,,-,-_»:_ . . .5.

GETTING CHILDREN READY TO READ

When you make a careful survey of the reading needs and
abilities of your pupils, you will probably find some children who
are not ready to read. Even if you teach older pupils there will
perhaps be some who have never become interested in reading. To
these children reading has been largely a process of memorizing
words and not a pleasant means of getting thought. Not only im-
mature beginners, but such children as these are not yet ready to
read.

If you teach younger children, particularly beginners, you
may easily find evidences of reading readiness or the lack of it.
The child who is strong and healthy and who learns easily will
soon outstrip his less fortunate neighbor. You will soon discover
that the child who has associated with many other people, who has
had books and toys, and Who has traveled some has the advantage
over the child with no such experience. The child who is not ready
to read is often timid and afraid of others, especially grown people.
He seems immature and sometimes cannot speak distinctly or in
sentences. He is not able to give attention to chart work and cer-
tainly not to reading in a book.

You can easily make a serious mistake if you try to force chil-
dren to move too fast in reading. Nowhere does the adage “haste

makes waste” apply more fully than it does in teaching beginners ‘
to read. You should recognize the fact that book reading intro- E

duced too early and not supplemented by board and chart work
will. likely lead to all the reading weaknesses there are. You Will
need to be constantly on the a