LANGUAGE EXPERIENCE APPROACH FOR CHILDREN WITH NON-STANDARD DIALECTS

THE LANGUAGE EXPERIENCE APPROACH TO READING FOR CHILDREN WITH DIALECTAL PROBLEMS IS PRESENTED AS A TOTAL APPORACH TO READING RATHER THAN AS A METHOD. THE CHILD IS ENCOURAGED TO EXPRESS HIS THOUGHTS ABOUT HIS ENVIRONMENT. THESE THOUGHTS AND EXPRESSIONS ARE RECORDED AND PERHAPS ILLUSTRATED AND THEN READ BY THE CHILD. AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, THE CHILD'S OWN WORDS ARE RECORDED FOR HIM, AND ONLY GROSSEST ERRORS ARE CHANGED TO COMPLY WITH GRAMMATICAL STRUCTURING. PHONEME-GRAPHEME CORRESPONDENCE ACROSS DIALECTAL LINES SHOULD BE TAUGHT CAUTIOUSLY. SPELLING ACROSS DIALECTS SHOULD BE UNIFORM. TEACHERS SHOULD ALLOW THE CHILD TO READ IN HIS DIALECT AND SHOULD REMEMBER THAT SPELLING MAY NOT DETERMINE PRONUNCIATION. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT (1) THE LANGUAGE EXPERIENCE APPROACH BE USED WITH CHILDREN AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE, (2) SPEECH, VOCABULARY, AND CONCEPTS BE DEVELOPED CONTINUOUSLY, (3) SKILLS BE TAUGHT SYSTEMATICALLY, (4) AUDIOVISUAL INSTRUCTION BE USED WITH THE APPROACH, (5) QUESTIONS PROMOTE THINKING AND THE USE OF LANGUAGE, AND (6) THE BEST TEACHERS BE EMPLOYED. THIS PAPER WAS PRESENTED AT THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF TEACHERS OF ENGLISH CONFERENCE (HONOLULU, NOVEMBER 23-25, 1967). (JM)