Dr. Andy Johnson discusses two of his books and some of the many practical teaching ideas found in them in an Interview conducted by Dr. Sam Bommarito.
In this interview, Dr. Andy Johnson talks about two of his books, including his newest book about writing. He also gives examples of some of the reading strategies found in those books. Both books provide a treasure trove of information and practical ideas for teachers working with struggling readers. Dr. Johnson also talks about the ILEC, a new organization of educators trying to bring common sense back into the reading field. The ILEC now provides free PD for teachers. All ILEC webinars are free. CEUs from Minnesota State University are available upon completion. See details about times and dates later in this blog entry.
Here is a link to Dr. Johnson’s biography LINK:
YOUTUBE VIDEO OF THE INTERVIEW:
FREE ILEC PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT EVENTS- Summer 2024
On May 13th at 7:00 PM EST, How to Teach Writing, K-8 and Beyond, Dr. Andy Johnson will conduct a free, interactive Webinar focusing on developing students’ writing ability. Participants will leave this session with an understanding of how to teach the writing process and a variety of new strategies and activities that can be used to teach each step of the five-step writing process. CEU certificates from Minnesota State University will be provided.
https://minnstate.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_2NvIWLFoTx26-jpcfSHIJg
Zoom: https://minnstate.zoom.us/j/95528562036
Coming June 25th, Webinar on eye movement and miscue analysis (EMMA) research. You don’t want to miss this one. Peter Duckett, Alan Flurkey, Rick Meyer, Koomi Kim, and Perpie Liwang will describe and discuss EMMA research. We are limited to 500 participants. Please click the link below to register for this free webinar: https://minnstate.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_YboIz54mTD2fVDj7ZSINgQ
July – Research Club – You’ve heard of a book club? Our two July conversations will be Research Clubs. Here, we will select a research study to analyze and evaluate. One of our ILEC members will be leading the conversation. Look for dates and specific research studies to be posted.
All ILEC webinars are free. CEUs from Minnesota State University are available upon completion.
ILEC SUMMER MEETING
June 3rd at 7:00 PM EST, 6:00 PM CST ( 9:00 AM, May 14th in Newcastle, Australia) – A reflective ILEC Zoom Conversation: How are you Handling SoR Mandates? All ILEC members are invited to join this guided conversation. We’re interested in hearing how things have gone this year. Have you come up with any strategies for dealing with SoR mandates? What SoR mandates have you found helpful? Bring your good ideas, your questions, and your concerns to this June 3rd conversation.
JOIN ILEC. More voices make us stronger. Use this link to sign up and become a part of ILEC. Add your name to the Google doc below.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-X5EklYv3EL-jaRHsW1vDDXpG_jpKZYo/edit
Link to Being and Becoming Teachers of Writing LINK.
Link to Designing Meaning-based Interventions LINK
IN CONCLUSION- I’ve often written about the need to take a centrist position, drawing on ideas from all sides. In last week’s blog, I made it a point to list the websites of folks with many different viewpoints. LINK. I believe that one-size-fits-all solutions and going to extremes have historically resulted in pendulum swings. I hope that voices like Andy’s and organizations like ILEC will help bring common sense back into the reading discussions. We need to look at ALL the research. We need to follow the Sciences of reading (Sciences with an S!). I think folks like Andy will help us to do that.
STARTING NEXT WEEK, I’M CHANGING THE PUBLISHING ROUTINE FOR THIS BLOG. From now on, I will be publishing the blog every other week. Accordingly, my next entry will be May 25th. I’m getting some great interviews lined up for the summer. So, until then:
Happy Reading and Writing!
Dr. Sam Bommarito (aka, the guy in the middle taking flak from all sides)
Copyright 2024 by Dr. Sam Bommarito. Views/interpretations expressed here are solely this author’s and do not necessarily reflect the views of any other person or organization.
Using Jean Baudrillard’s ideas, we can deconstruct the principles behind “balanced literacy,” which combines phonics and whole language approaches to teaching reading, highlighting the potential pitfalls and contradictions inherent in this educational strategy:
Simulacra and Simulation: Balanced literacy often emphasizes a wide array of teaching methods and materials, simulating a rich learning environment. However, Baudrillard would argue that this approach might create a hyperreal situation where the appearance of a comprehensive literacy education masks the reality that students might not be achieving deep, meaningful literacy skills. The focus on diverse activities and methods can sometimes overshadow the actual substance of learning to read and write effectively.
Hyperreality: In the context of balanced literacy, the plethora of strategies and materials can create a hyperreal educational environment where the distinction between effective teaching and the mere appearance of teaching becomes blurred. Educators might be more concerned with maintaining the appearance of a balanced approach rather than ensuring that all students are genuinely benefiting from the methods employed.
Implosion of Meaning: Baudrillard’s concept of the implosion of meaning can be applied to balanced literacy by examining how the integration of various literacy approaches might lead to confusion rather than clarity. The constant switching between phonics and whole language techniques can overwhelm students, causing the intended learning outcomes to lose their meaning and coherence as they are bombarded with multiple, sometimes conflicting, methods.
The Desert of the Real: In a balanced literacy classroom, the real, fundamental skills of reading and writing might be lost in the “desert” of activities, games, and diverse strategies. Baudrillard would suggest that this approach risks creating an educational landscape where the true, essential elements of literacy are obscured by the sheer volume of pedagogical techniques and materials.
Simulation of Learning: Balanced literacy can simulate the process of learning by providing a variety of engaging, surface-level activities that give the illusion of comprehensive literacy education. However, Baudrillard would critique this as a form of simulation where students may appear to be learning without truly internalizing the core skills necessary for literacy.
Spectacle and Distraction: The balanced literacy approach, with its emphasis on a variety of engaging and diverse activities, can be seen as a form of spectacle that distracts both students and teachers from the core goal of literacy education. Baudrillard would argue that the spectacle of balanced literacy serves to entertain and engage but may ultimately detract from the deep, focused instruction needed to develop strong reading and writing skills.
Consumption of Signs: Balanced literacy often involves a heavy reliance on visual aids, word walls, and other symbolic materials. Baudrillard would critique this as an overemphasis on the consumption of signs rather than the development of genuine literacy skills. The focus on symbols and visual stimuli can detract from the actual cognitive processes involved in learning to read and write.
Fragmentation: The balanced literacy approach’s integration of multiple methods can lead to a fragmented learning experience. Baudrillard’s ideas suggest that this fragmentation prevents students from forming a cohesive understanding of literacy, as they are constantly shifting between different techniques and strategies without a unified, coherent approach.
In summary, using Baudrillard’s theories, we can critique balanced literacy as a hyperreal educational strategy that risks obscuring the fundamental skills of literacy with an overwhelming array of methods and materials. This approach might create an illusion of comprehensive education while fragmenting and diluting the actual learning process.
I agree to disagree. You are describing a strawman version of Balanced Literacy. See the works of the two Pressley’s for what BL really is and it most certainly is not what you just described. Also see this article from Forbes and the book that it is based on. https://www.forbes.com/sites/nickmorrison/2024/05/19/science-of-reading-has-sucked-the-joy-out-of-learning-to-read-experts-say/?sh=b1071041f583&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0CZTlx_a6h2hYhsVRrORmfWfsdFYvmnL3_c6T0zVqg3ONe82IdmJ1rWzA_aem_AZaJeay37iNFZYSl7srwAQpHKWzxvonf8vE_B8Rr0vF2wCX5kubt8bVUDtoTdfueb55qAP5i1hkI2l6KwGU1CKPq