This author warns educators not to accept a politically motivated approach to literacy based on scientific data which ignores "poverty, race, class, and cultural identity. " He illustrates how making the acquisition of proper English a primary educational goal devalues linguistic minority students.
I chose this article because I was interested in ways to teach linguistic
minority students to read and write without eliminating their personal
voice.
Questions I have:
1. How are members for the National Research Council on
reading chosen?
2. Why would the National Research Council ignore factors
such as poverty, race, class, and cultural identity when they assess experimental
curriculum results?
3. How can we, as educators, fight the trend toward scientifically
designed curriculum?
4. Have any of my fellow students had experience with reading
curriculum that emphasizes "decoding" as the only real reading?
5. What are some concrete ways in which a "colonial mentality"
can be eliminated from reading/writing curriculum?
Submitted by Carol Chard