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Re: Why..

Join the long list of educators who recognize that reading skills are going
'South' very rapidly. Why can't students read? [They need to be able to
read FOR COMPREHENSION before they can actually do what it says.]

Some possibilities:

a) They don't read--not nearly enough in today's curriculum.
b) When taught to read they have not been properly trained to read for
comprehension. To do that, they need to read often and then be quizzed on
what they've read WITHOUT the text sitting in front of them. Far too many
exercises are simply 'search and seek' assignments where the reading passage
can be skipped entirely (I once got high grade on a Latin exam by simply
answering the questions (which were in English) in a logical manner--didn't
(couldn't) read the passage itself.)

It is also quite possible that the instructions given are not clear.
Remember, anything that _could_ be misunderstood WILL be misunderstood.
There is an old exercise where you must write out the instructions for
making a peanut-butter and jelly sandwich. The leader will pick out a set
of instructions and with props in hand, literally follow the instruction.
For example 'put the peanut-butter on the bread' will cause the jar of
peanut butter to be placed on top of the loaf of bread--you get the idea!
;-)

Rick

**********************************************
Richard W. Tarara
Professor of Physics
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN 46556
rtarara@saintmarys.edu

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www.saintmarys.edu/~rtarara/
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Tina Fanetti" <FanettT@QUEST.WITCC.CC.IA.US>
To: <PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu>
Sent: Monday, October 08, 2001 12:37 PM
Subject: Why..


can't students read and follow directions? Why?

Tina


Tina Fanetti
Physics Instructor
Western Iowa Technical Community College
4647 Stone Ave
Sioux City IA 51102
712-274-8733 ext 1429