Unit+2+Discussion

=Unit 2 Reflection Carlotta Chambers-Ramseur=
 * How Reading Rewires the Brain**

Although this particular article was short, it was very informative. One fact that the author thought was particularly interesting was that illiterate people have better knowledge of face perceptions than those who are literate. I find that this is not interesting, but a way of life for illiterate people. Those who are illiterate rely on facial perceptions and actions to perform daily tasks. They constantly look at how things are done to complete the exact task without reading. Therefore, those who are illiterate would be better at remembering faces because they have to remember everything anyway to meet the daily demands of society. It is an even more important skill for those who try to mask the fact that they are illiterate.

One fact that the author casually spoke about that I felt was very poignant was that testing students for EC services in reading should not focus on the point spread, but on processing skills. Another fact that I felt was particularly important was the “new” dyslexia definition should be known by all teachers in order for them to identify basic reading problems and language processing skills in their classroom. Many teachers, because they do not know the new definition regarding dyslexia, often categorize their students as being struggling readers and not dyslexic. This prohibits many students from receiving the necessary and extra support that they need in the classroom to be successful.

=Causes of Severe Reading Difficulty and the Impact on Reading=
 * Unit 2 Reflection Carlotta Chambers-Ramseur**

The major causes of severe reading difficulty for one begins at home. Students should be exposed to rich language in the home before entering school. Students should see their teachers and parents read newspapers, magazines, and books on a daily basis. Parents should also read with their children throughout their child’s school career. This would combat half the problem of severe reading issues. Another cause of severe reading problems in students contribute to the make up of their genes. There is no solution to this, just an intervention of exposing these students to rich literature at home and in the classroom. I feel that the biggest cause of severe reading difficulties in students is the whole language approach. This particular approach does not focus on short or schwa sounds. In regards to naming, parents need to constantly reinforce terms at home, something as easy as creating flashcards using 3x5 index cards to help their child retain information instead of casually saying that their child can not remember items. In order for struggling students to practice reading, there should be books and magazines in the classroom and at home that appeal to their interests. This would unconsciously cause the students to read and hopefully improve their fluency and comprehension. In order for struggling students to improve their reading, there must be a concerted effort from the student, parent, and teacher.