EducationNews.org

Jacquie McTaggart

I rarely read anything written by Joe Turtel because his irrational, negative comments about public education infuriate me. I taught in public schools for forty-two years, have written a book and countless articles on education, and am a frequent featured speaker at International Reading Association conferences. I know what is happening in our public schools because on most days I'm either in classroom or am working with teachers who are. Life is too short to be sent over the edge by an ill-informed, radical naysayer who writes (and tries to sell) books about education, but knows next to nothing about that which he writes.

So why did I go against my better judgement and read Turtel's "Deadly Danger to Your Child - Public School Illiteracy" as published Dec. 16 on NewsWithViews.com and reprinted by EdNews.com? I'm not sure. It may have been the Christmas spirit, but more than likely it was my curiosity. I was eager to see how what feeble attempt Turtel would use to back up his latest ludicrous charge against public education. Midway through the first paragraph I had my answer. Turtel's "evidence" was once again a lot of hot air and a healthy dose of misinformation. Apparently skunks don't lose their smell.

In case you were lucky (or wise) enough to have missed reading his diatribe, I'll give you a thumbnail sketch. The first 700 words explain why reading competence is important - not exactly earthshattering information for most of us. Throughout the remainder of his article he derides Balanced Literacy (which he incorrectly calls Whole Language), the method most public and private schools currently use to teach reading and writing. Turtle says...

"In most public schools today, the schools still use variations of a reading-instruction method called "whole-language." The schools often disguise this fact by calling their teaching methods "balanced-literacy" instruction or some other name they dream up to throw smoke into parent's eyes. Whole-language, or any variation of it, is reading-instruction poison.
It can and does literally cripple your child's ability to read. It is an anti-phonics program that forces children to "read" by memorizing what words "look" like, as if the words were pictures, rather than by sounding out the letters of words with phonics."

For those of you who don't already know (including Mr. Turtel), Balanced Literacy is a framework designed to help all children read and write effectively. It has seven components: Reading Aloud, Shared Reading, Guided Reading, Independent Reading, Modeled/Shared Writing, Interactive Writing, and Independent Writing. And yes, phonics instruction IS an integral part of every Balanced Literacy program.

A paper by the National Association for the Education of Young Children
(1996) says:
"Children cannot learn to read without an understanding of phonics. All children must know their ABCs and the sounds that letters make in order to communicate verbally. The question in early childhood programs is not whether to teach "phonics" or "whole language learning," but how to teach phonics in context - rather than in isolation - so that children can make connections between letters, sounds, and meaning."

"Phonics should not be taught as a separate "subject" with emphasis on drills and rote memorization. The key is a balanced approach and attention to each child's individual needs. Many children's understanding of phonics will arise from their interest, knowledge, and ideas. Others will benefit from more formal instruction. There are many opportunities to teach the sound a letter makes when children have reason to know."

Later on the writer says, "Research demonstrates that in classrooms where phonics is taught in the context of rereading favorite stories, songs, and poems, children develop and use phonics knowledge better than in classrooms where skills are taught in isolation. Similarly, phonics knowledge is developed by encouraging and helping emergent writers to spell by writing appropriate letters for the sounds they hear in words." (Weaver, 1994b)

Good teachers (in all school settings) teach phonetic skills as an integral part of the reading process, but not as a separate, stand-alone subject.
Research has shown us that children do need explicit, systematic instruction in phonics, and they also need exposure to rich literature. A Balanced Literacy program provides both.

Mr. Turtel needs to visit any public or private school primary classroom in the country. He'll find that phonics is being taught, and that kids are learning how to read. He may not like the taste of crow, but I bet he'd sleep better.

Published December 17, 2007