Dee Tadlock, Ph.D.

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LEARNING FROM CHILDREN
Who Teach Themselves to Read

• Dee Tadlock, Ph.D.
• Developer, Read Right

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Early Readers

• What Causes Success in Reading?

• The quality of the neural circuitry the child
  builds to guide the process

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Early Readers

• Insights from Early Readers

• Never produce ugly reading

• Learn unobtrusivelywithout effort

How?
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Early Readers

• Durkin Studies

• Exposure to books of all kinds

• Alphabet books

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Early Readers

• Alphabet Books

• Many objects per page

• Essential letters

• b, d, f, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, v

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Reading Theory
Aoccdrnig to rseerach, it deosn't mttaer in
waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are prseetend.
The olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht frist and lsat
ltteres are at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a
toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a
porbelm.
From the website
languagehat.com
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Early Readers

• Alphabet Books

• Many objects per page

• Essential letters

• b, d, f, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, v

Notice no vowels
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Reading Theory

• What Does that Say?

Th littl grl wnt to th str
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Early Readers

• Durkin Studies

• Exposure to books of all kinds

• Alphabet books

• Picture books

• More complex works of literature

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Early Readers

• Durkin Studies

• Exposure to books of all kinds

• Curiosity Desire

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Early Readers
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Early Readers

• Durkin Studies

• Exposure to books of all kinds

• Curiosity Desire

• Consistent source of information

• Read it again, Dad

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Early Readers

• Consistent Source of Information

• Books and how they work

• Language

• Information about the world

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FIGURING OUT READING
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Learning a Process

• To Learn a Process, the Brain Must Have

• A concept of the end result

• Intent

• Opportunity to gather information about how the
  process is done

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Learning to Read

• To Learn to Read, the Brain Must Have

• A concept of excellent reading

• Intent to learn to read

• Opportunity to gather information about how
  reading is done

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A CONCEPT OF EXCELLENT READING
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Concept of Excellent Reading

• To Figure Out Reading

• Children must hold themselves accountable to
  produce excellent reading

How can he do this. . .
If he doesnt know what excellent reading is?
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Concept of Excellent Reading

• Excellent Reading

• Feels comfortable

• Sounds natural

Most importantly. . .
Results in understanding the authors message
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Concept of Excellent Reading

• Key Features for Developing a Standard of
  Excellence

• Demonstrate excellent performance

• Encourage excellence

• Make sure students know when they are achieving
  excellence and when they are not

Most importantly. . .
Never tell a child the performance was excellent
when it was not
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INTENT TO FIGURE OUT READING
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Intent

• Intent to Figure Out Reading

• Children must have sufficient internally-
  generated intent to be willing to do the
  strenuous cognitive work of figuring it out

• Demonstrate that you value reading

• Communicate the usefulness of reading

• Build excitement and enthusiasm for reading

• Set an expectation that your child will become
  an excellent reader

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Intent

• Intent to Figure Out Reading

• Children must have sufficient internally-
  generated intent to be willing to do the
  strenuous cognitive work of figuring it out

• Demonstrate that you value reading

read for your own purposes in your childs
presence and comment
read to your child wherever and whenever
provide opportunity to choose reading
make affirming statements
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Intent

• Intent to Figure Out Reading

• Children must have sufficient internally-
  generated intent to be willing to do the
  strenuous cognitive work of figuring it out

• Communicate the usefulness of reading

share what you learn from reading
share what streets and building signs say
write and read love notes to your child
follow recipes
help your child write letters and mail them
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Intent

• Intent to Figure Out Reading

• Children must have sufficient internally-
  generated intent to be willing to do the
  strenuous cognitive work of figuring it out

• Build excitement and enthusiasm for reading

variety of books
visit bookstores and libraries
for trips, read books to enhance the
experience
talk to your child about what you are
reading and let him hear you talk with others
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Intent

• Intent to Figure Out Reading

• Children must have sufficient internally-
  generated intent to be willing to do the
  strenuous cognitive work of figuring it out

• Subtly set an expectation that your child will
  become an excellent reader

Wont it be great when. . .
When youre an excellent reader, will you
still let me read books to you?
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OPPORTUNITY TO FIGURE IT ALL OUT
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Learning to Read

• What Has to Be Figured Out?

• How to make excellent reading happen

Reading is a process of anticipating the
authors message
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• Message 1

• Reading isnt about figuring out what the words
  are.

• Reading is about anticipating the meaning.

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Freddy the Frog
Freddy the frog sat by a pond. Along came a
dog. Bark! said the dog. Freddie tried to bark.
Frogs cant bark, said the dog. Only dogs can
bark.
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QUESTIONS
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Learn More
Look for this book by Dr. Dee Tadlockwith Rhonda
Stone
Read Right! Coaching Your Child to Excellence in
Reading
Published by McGraw Hill July, 2005
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• Thank You!