[Reading-hall-of-fame] RE: Reading-hall-of-fame Digest, Vol 42, Issue 1

[Jay Samuels]

Gay,

Your question strikes at the heart of some important controversies in
reading today. For example, what is a scientifically valid definition of
fluency? Is speed of processing sufficient?   How we answer this question
leads us to the kinds of tests we use to measure fluency. 

Is processing speed of importance? Cognitive psychologists would answer that
it is indeed important because as the student decodes a text the information
is put into working memory. If the amount of time it takes to process a text
takes too long what is in memory gets lost, and we have all witnessed the
student who slowly and laboriously works his or her way through a sentence,
then stops, and starts the sentence over again. Why? It took too long and
what was in memory got lost. But, while speed is important, what we do in
the name of testing, in tests such as the DIBELS tests, can lead to some
unforeseen and undesirable side effects in learners. 

When students are tested with tests such as DIBELS, where oral reading speed
is emphasized, do some students get the idea the in reading the name of the
game is speed and comprehension is not important? The key word here is
"engagement".  When I drive a stick shift car, the engine can be going a
mile a minute, but if I do not engage the gears, the car will not move.
Efficient reading is like driving the car. We need to engage comprehension
with the word recognition process. The trouble with the tests that only look
at speed of processing without requiring engagement with comprehension is
that many students get into a bad habit of not engaging comprehension along
with the word recognition process. 

I know I am not the first person to have raised this red flag of warning.
Others have also [For ex. Ken Goodman, Mike Pressley, Dave Pearson, to name
a few.]. What I am suggesting is that among the many tasks associated with
skilled reading is the need for students to learn to engage and direct
attention to comprehension along with word recognition. The speeded tests
that do not require comprehension are encouraging in many students a
dangerous mindset that is difficult to overcome.  I would be interested in
hearing what others who read this  think about my concerns. Jay  Samuels 

-----Original Message-----
From: reading-hall-of-fame-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk
[mailto:reading-hall-of-fame-bounces at lists.nottingham.ac.uk] On Behalf Of
reading-hall-of-fame-request at lists.nottingham.ac.uk
Sent: Tuesday, November 03, 2009 6:01 AM
To: reading-hall-of-fame at lists.nottingham.ac.uk
Subject: Reading-hall-of-fame Digest, Vol 42, Issue 1

Send Reading-hall-of-fame mailing list submissions to
	reading-hall-of-fame at lists.nottingham.ac.uk

To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
	http://lists.nottingham.ac.uk/mailman/listinfo/reading-hall-of-fame
or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
	reading-hall-of-fame-request at lists.nottingham.ac.uk

You can reach the person managing the list at
	reading-hall-of-fame-owner at lists.nottingham.ac.uk

When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
than "Re: Contents of Reading-hall-of-fame digest..."


Today's Topics:

   1. Fast Processing (gaysu at pinnelleducation.com)


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 11:39:18 -0500
From: <gaysu at pinnelleducation.com>
Subject: [Reading-hall-of-fame] Fast Processing
To: <reading-hall-of-fame at nottingham.ac.uk>
Message-ID:
	<868E3EC0798AAB408A64478D6278F69A029E73 at PESRV01.pinnelled.local>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Dear Colleagues,

 

I am interested in finding any recent work on the value of fast
processing. I have been reading Richard Allington's 2009 What really
matters in fluency:  From research to practice.  Are there some good
articles that I could access and share with my colleagues here?

 

Thanks,

Gay Su Pinnell

 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL:
http://lists.nottingham.ac.uk/mailman/private/reading-hall-of-fame/attachmen
ts/20091102/bc56b113/attachment-0001.html

------------------------------

_______________________________________________
Reading-hall-of-fame mailing list
Reading-hall-of-fame at lists.nottingham.ac.uk
http://lists.nottingham.ac.uk/mailman/listinfo/reading-hall-of-fame


End of Reading-hall-of-fame Digest, Vol 42, Issue 1
***************************************************

This message has been checked for viruses but the contents of an attachment
may still contain software viruses, which could damage your computer system:
you are advised to perform your own checks. Email communications with the
University of Nottingham may be monitored as permitted by UK legislation.