Cliff Weitzman
After the latest technology surge that rippled through our school I thought that many more students who struggled with reading would listen to printed words more. The technology was accessible on nearly any device, virtually all books and PDFs could be read, and the cost was not prohibitive.
But, my students were not rushing to use audio assisted reading devices. Sure, they listened some, but I thought there would be a glacial shift and it was not happening. Apparently, students need to be taught how to “listen” and also need to practice these skills in order to do it efficiently. “Reading”, while not hugely efficient for dyslexics, is still familiar and what they know. Many students were subtlety resistant to learning these new listening skills. As with all skills, these listening skills needed to be practiced so that students become proficient.
Last week, Cliff Weitzman, a scholar in residence, at Brown University, visited Hamilton and spoke to Middle and High School students about listening to printed material at faster speeds, as much as 400 words per minute. He believes that if students practice listening to “reading material” their ability to listen and comprehend at faster speeds improves, sometimes dramatically. As listening becomes more efficient students “buy in” increases.
Students need to be exposed to audio assisted reading in elementary school while they are still improving their reading skills. They need to understand why teachers are teaching these skills and how it will help them as they progress in school. And, students need to practice listening regularly.
LDadvisor 