So long as teachers fail to distinguish (differ) between teaching and learning, they will continue to undertake to do for children that which only children can do for themselves. Teaching children to read is not passing reading on to them. It is certainly not endless hours spent in activities about reading. Douglas insists that “reading cannot be taught directly and schools should stop trying to do the impossible”.
Teaching and learning are two entirely different processes. They differ in kind and function. The function of teaching is to create the conditions and the climate that will make it possible for children to plan cleverly the most efficient(有效的) system for teaching themselves to read. Teaching is also a public activity: It can be seen and observed.
Learning to read involves all that each individual does to understand the world of printed language. Almost all of it is private, for learning is an occupation of the mind, and that process is not open to public scrutiny.
If teacher and learner roles are not interchangeable, what then can be done through teaching that will aid the child in the long search for knowledge? Smith has one principle rule for all teaching instructions. “Make learning to read easy, which means making reading a meaningful, enjoyable and frequent experience for children.”
When the roles of teacher and learner are seen for what they are, and when both teacher and learner fulfill them properly, then much of the pressure and feeling of failure for both is got rid of. Learning to read is made easier when teachers create an environment where children are given the chance to solve the problem of learning to read by learning.
小题1:The problem with the reading course as mentioned in the first paragraph is that_______.
A．too much time is spent in teaching about reading
B．reading tasks are given with little guidance
C．it is one of the most difficult school courses
D．students spend limited hours in reading小题2: The teaching of reading will be successful if _______.
A．teachers can make their teaching activities observable
B．teachers can teach their students how to read
C．teachers can improve conditions at school for the students
D．teachers can enable students to develop their own way of reading小题3:The word “scrutiny” (Paragraph 3) most probably means “_______”.
A．unbelief
B．control
C．inquiry
D．observation小题4:The main idea of the passage is that_______.
A．reading is more complicated than believable
B．reading ability is something gained rather than taught
C．teachers should encourage students to read as widely as possible
D．teachers should do as little as possible in helping students learn to read
