My name is Junette Wiltshire and I have taught the Senior Classes of the primary school for approximately twenty years. My major teaching task is preparing students for the Secondary Entrance Examination. Over the years I have had a few struggling readers who were faced with the challenge of having to read materials that were levels higher than they were at. These pupils were at a serious disadvantage on two grounds. Firstly the packed curriculum of the examination class did not allow me to work individually with very weak readers. Secondly, I have never worked at the Infant or Junior levels where the major skill taught is word identification strategies, as such, I was truly at a loss at how to help these senior students with beginning reading.
I looked at my situation with a sense of hopelessness, knowing that these students will fall through the cracks because there was no intervention designed to assist them. I figured that I needed to get some form of training in reading. Of course, I was overjoyed when this Masters in Reading Programme was advertised. Here I saw the opportunity to receive specialized training in the area of reading that could help me to help myself and other teachers faced with this dilemma. Honestly,I have not found the time to implement this vast repertoire of skills and strategies that I have been exposed to thus far, but I know that at the end of it all many persons apart from me would benefit
Hi Junette,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment on my blog. Just like you, I was overjoyed when I saw the Master in Reading program advertised. I am also a senior teacher but luckily for me I have taught in the Infant Department(an area which I love)for a couple of years so I was able to help some of my students but some I couldn't since I was not trained to help students with reading problems. Hope you will find time to practice the skills and strategies when school reopens. I enjoy teaching the one or two I tried.
After reading your posting I feel the need to share some of my experiences in the secondary school. I am also a senior teacher and on a daily basis, I’m faced with the daunting task of teaching students who are deficient in reading and writing. This situation becomes even more critical because these students have already been in the secondary school system for almost five years; yet, they are still struggling with their literacy skills. Moreover, some of them have become demotivated to the extent where they openly display a dislike for reading. This has been a reality for the older students who are currently enrolled in the sixth form classes. The majority of them perceives reading as only a means to and end and only engage in reading when it is absolutely necessary to so do.
ReplyDeleteAt one point I also experienced a foreboding sense of hopelessness because of the situation. However, exposure to this M.Ed Reading programme has taught me that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and that I should ensure that all my students are able to reach this light. I must admit that time is my enemy, nevertheless, it is my duty to render assistance as much as is humanly possible. At times the road seems never ending, but I know that I must persevere because these young adult are depending on me to make their future better. I honestly believe that these students have the ability to overcome this stumbling block in their literacy development. The onus is on all teachers to continue to fight the good fight.