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From:
Lorraine Crespin Date: Fri Apr 21, 2000 7:12 pm Subject: Re: Writing skills develop after reading skills | ||||||||||||||||
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Stefan and interested others: Let me first introduce myself to the list. My name is Lorraine Crespin and I am one of the three (no , now four!) teachers in New Mexico who have been using SW in the classroom. I currently use it with my 4th and 5th graders. Now in regards to what you are observing with your students in Germany. It is exciting to read of their progress, all of which is typical of individuals learning to read and write. All learners will progress at their speed which I notice has alot to do with their own language levels, abilities, and motivation. As to what is happening with students here in Albuquerque. Let me first say that they all are better readers of SW than writers. some of the students are better than others at writing SW and others are quite adept in using the SW program on the computers. I seek them out when I , myself get "stuck". It seems to me that learning to read and write SW go hand in hand, one supports the other. But as is typical in literacy development, children will read in a language first with the writing (grammar, spelling, syntax, etc..)following as they are able to grasp and comprehend the language. For example, I can read Spanish, but writing it is another matter. I have learned the skills necessary to decode what I read, much the same way that our students have learned the SW basics to read it. Since it is their language, they also understand it. Their writing of SW varies among students. Some are using it when they get stuck in English- they know the sign they want but do not know the english equivalent, so they draw in the SW in their text. Others have been motivated to write stories and information in SW by the page fulls. It is all very exciting, because now they can write messages to each other and be understood without getting hung up with English. Carry on the good work! Lorraine | ||||||||||||||||
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