Learning to read

Acquisition of written language is a term in psychology and educational sciences for the development process of literacy and written language competence. It integrates the dimensions of the aesthetic, social and technical in a comprehensive model of " reading acquisition as cognitive development ."

• 3.2.1 Synthetic Method
• 3.2.2 Analytical Method
• 3.2.3 Analytic - synthetic methods

Term

Acquisition of written language was first used in 1976 by ​​the psychologist Egon Weigl for the synthesis of the learning aspects of reading and writing and as an extension of their condensed to date understanding as cultural techniques. Now considered to have acquired these techniques beyond just " content, meaning and function of the writing [ ... ] as constitutive elements for the acquisition of written language. "

Language acquisition takes place qua acquisition usually incidental; in teaching-learning situations is also implicitly and distinguish them from models of intentional learning of reading and writing. At the same time, there is proof that the basic psychological processes involved in language acquisition and from concrete methods of early reading and writing instruction are dependent.

The term has been included in the primary school curricula of many states.

Theoretical models of reading acquisition

Developmental psychologist Uta Frith, in 1985 for a three step acquisition model, which was received widely in research. They identified three stages of reading acquisition: the

• Logographemische ( insight into the symbolism of Scripture )
• Alphabetic ( letters insight into the binding and the volume terms of writing) and
• Orthographic level ( access to orthographic regularities of writing)

Frith's model was based on more differentiated models, among others by Erika Brinkmann and Hans Brügelmann (1994 ), Klaus B. Günther (1995) and Renate Valtin (1997).

Language acquisition is considered a primary language acquisition ( learning to speak ) analog development process; typical of both errors and overgeneralizations in pronunciation or spelling. The majority of authors consider these errors both developmentally necessary as well as for diagnostic fruitful, since they indicate the level of development of the learners.

As a central cognitive prerequisites for the acquisition of written language are valid according to the current state of research developed a phonological awareness, memory and attention.

Teaching of reading acquisition

Historical reading learning methods

Spelling method

Ever since the invention of printing reading was taught by the example of the movable type: as a juxtaposition of letters names. The course was usually three stages. First, the names of letters of the alphabet were learned by heart, and then to go through a primer course on syllable reading. Finally, the spelling of words was combined with the syllable and whole-word reading. Learners would pronounce the word father learning about wiefolgt: " Fau - aa: Faa. Tea -ee- he: ter. Faater " In 1872 the spelling method was officially banned in Prussia.

Lautiermethode

Already in the first half of the 16th century designed the German linguist Valentin Ickelsamer a reading method that is not based on the letter names, but the sounds of the spoken word. He put the number of distinguishable sounds in direct relation to the number of letters in a word. This parody of the font, the language spoken by Ickelsamer still applies today didactic approaches as highly significant. Larger dissemination found the Lautiermethode but only almost three hundred years later, after 1802, by the Bavarian school reformer Heinrich Stephani.

Anlautmethode

A contemporary Ickelsamers, the Mainz printers Peter Jordan developed in his work Leyenschul of 1533 Lautiermethode further by heranzog the initial sounds of a word for volume production. He thereby created the first initial sound which learners three things led before his eyes: the letter, phonetically anlautendes, written word and a picture (eg I - Hedgehog - as well as a picture of a hedgehog ). Jordan Anlautmethode is today applied in different ways and continuously developed to the modern variants include computer keyboards initial sound or commercial offers, such as the letters figures The Alphas.

Natural sound method

Related to the Anlautverfahren is often referred to as a natural sound process method of the pedagogue Johann Amos Comenius, which "natural" sounds such as animal noises heranzog supposedly for volume production. In his work Orbis pictus sensualium 1658 Comenius suggested that learners should imitate natural sounds, so as to bring volume and corresponding letters. For example, he showed a picture of a crow stood by " Cornix cornicatur. The Crow krechzet. á á | Aa ". Despite the criticism that human and animal sounds can be compared only to a very limited, the natural sound method is still present in fibulae.

Classical methods

For reading and writing skills, the number of teaching methods is growing steadily. Characteristic of the 20th century was the so-called methods of dispute between two fundamental positions: synthetic ( einzelheitlich ) versus analytic ( holistic ). The synthetic method ( which also includes the Anlautmethode counts ) took the letters or the individual speaker as a starting point, the analytical contrast, larger ( sense ) units such as words or short phrases. Numerous empirical studies have among learners hardly differences in performance, but rather to demonstrate qualitative differences in the incidence of errors, so that the written language didactics Hans Brügelmann 1997 found both methods were "not as good, but equally bad to open up access to the font children. "

Synthetic method

This method follows a combination ( = an assembly ) of sounds and letters to syllables and words. Your process is usually described in a triple succession: the stages of sound production, sound merger and the level of the summary reading. According to extraction include, inter alia, the above-mentioned Anlautmethode and the natural sound method. The latter, together with the interjection method (eg [ m: ] for "delicious" ) also called sense sound method because they are trying to attach individual sounds to make sense. The sounds thus obtained learners should then quickly say behind each other, resulting in a fusion sound in theory - possibly assisted by phonomimische gestures. At the third level of reading, students are then able to grasp the whole of the word and its meaning before they say it.

Analytical method

• Whole-word method: After reading learners are selected, appropriate whole words presented (eg OMA), so that the word can memorize a word picture. In a further step, words are compared ( for example, Grandma and Grandpa ), whereby letters - as it were parts of words - to be learned.
• Whole set method
• Standard rate method

Analytic - synthetic methods

As a consequence of the dispute methods are now called analytic- synthetic methods spread that integrate aspects of the analytical and the synthetic method to a new method. Together in the course them is that learners first recognize the sequence of individual sounds of a spoken word ( analyze ), then the analyzed sounds letters assign ( a phoneme - grapheme correspondence established), and finally the word in writing via letter reassemble ( synthesize).

Open Learning Opportunities

• The language experience approach by Brügelmann one of the methods integrating method. It can include various open learning opportunities, the focus is the common communicative action or informing. Writing Prompts are inserted into meaningful situations so that it can be tied to the interests and linguistic experiences of the children (as opposed to the traditional primer course in which all children at the same time the same thing, for example, Fu like Uta, spell ). This could include children writing their own texts ( such as an invitation ) and thereby allow their own interests come into play; it may already mastered words are used and new words using the letters on table to be written down.
• Children make their own, individual brooches
• When reading through writing (see Jürgen rich ) write the words learning to write with the help of a initial sound; by the repeated viable use the grapheme -phoneme correspondence is incidental learned, so that after some time (on average a few weeks) can be dispensed with the letters table. Without that reading was expressly subject of instruction that first-graders can read all of a sudden after a few months. The method shows significant deficiencies in scientific studies. In particular, weaker students are severely restricted in their development.

Organizations to promote reading and writing

There are several organizations ( Associations ), which seek to literacy learning, literacy and reading skills and face as illiteracy and illiteracy.

• Federal Association for Literacy and Basic Education
• Federal Association for Promoting Reading
• Federal Association of dyslexia and dyscalculia
• German Society for reading and writing
• Academy of Reading Promotion
• Working Group Youth Literature and Media
• Reading Foundation
• Time reading