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THINKING |
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THINKING |
In his book, Teaching with the Brain in Mind, Eric Jensen states that "the 'mind' is not a thing; it's a process." He goes on to describe that process as a layering of experiences in which neurons are stimulated in each of the sensory areas, thus building neurological networks that are the foundation for all future learning.
Evidence of the "layering of experiences" can often be simplified by observing what we term "habits." When I have a cup of coffee first thing every morning, I create a pattern that is difficult to change without considerable discomfort. In the same way, repeating any behavior over and over again will create a habit. In a healthy situation, a child develops the "habit" of recognizing letters or words and the concepts they represent. When this takes place quickly and easily, we say that the child is a fluent reader. The child also automatically builds on his previous reading experience, broadening his understanding and knowledge. In doing so, there's the potential of adding other layers of experience. When all is working well, a child develops the understanding that he is reading to "get meaning." During this process, there are actually physical changes that take place in the brain as neurons are connected into ever more complex webs in the areas of cognition, vision and hearing.
Here it is important to recognize a flaw in our understanding of how children become successful readers. Education has traditionally functioned as if a child were born with a prewired brain that contains everything needed to be a successful learner. When this does not happen, dysfunction of areas of the brain has been the identified cause. To some degree, this may be true. However, knowing that all the sensory areas are developed, expanded and molded by external stimuli, we need to pose the following question. Are all learning difficulties caused by internal brain dysfunction, or might some of them be the result of a brain that has been insufficiently stimulated so it has not had the opportunity to establish healthy learning patterns and abilities? We would not expect a child to perform even a simple piano piece if she had a muscle condition that limited the use of her fingers. Even after surgery was done to cure the condition, we wouldn't expect her to immediately play the piano. She would need time to strengthen her muscles and practice. If she had heard a piano piece many times, it would be easier for her to reproduce it with her newfound finger strength and dexterity. But if the piece was unfamiliar and she hadnŐt seen others actually playing a piano, it would take a long time for her to perform the piece correctly.
In the same way, we should not expect a student to read fluently if he has had limited auditory or visual stimulation in the areas necessary to build reading ability. If a student's hearing has been hampered by ear infections, or if he has lived in a home with limited exposure to language, we need to realize that it may be impossible for him to hear sounds, words and language patterns. Simply drilling students on the sounds of our language may cause only frustration. Moreover, the child's perception of reading becomes "getting the words right" rather than "acquiring meaning."
Similarly, a student who cannot visually process information because of problems with eye muscle coordination will not be able to move smoothly across a page of print. He may fixate on individual words or even letters because anything more is beyond the ability of his eyes. If the visual processing problem is resolved, he will now have the physical ability to read smoothly, but he probably will not do so because his brain has developed the habit of reading word-by-word.
The best chance for him to become a fluent reader will be through a reading fluency program that encourages speed, expression and comprehension. The child who will progress the fastest toward fluency is one who has had the opportunity to listen to fluent readers and who has a strong oral vocabulary, since he already knows both the meaning of words and how good readers sound. The child who has a limited vocabulary and who hasn't been exposed to fluent reading is at a disadvantage. He will need to learn the meaning of many more words, along with learning to visually recognize them. It will take a greater amount of time to create and build the missed sense of how fluent reading feels and sounds.
It is important to recognize that a child's perception of fluent reading is not genetically programmed. It is acquired externally through environmental experience. If any physiological and/or environmental factors hinder the development of fluent language and reading, the child's brain will not develop the structure that is needed to be successful. Efforts to teach the child through traditional means may cause more harm than good because they tend to reinforce the child's inaccurate perceptions about reading - perceptions that need to be undone. Interventions that address auditory and visual processing problems are essential in order to rewire and retrain a child's brain so she can truly experience fluent reading. Once that is done, extensive practice and related guided instruction will rebuild the child's perceptions of and skills in reading.