The PSS Approach to Reading: Solution to the Reading Wars

The National Curriculum Framework 2005 includes the section Learning to Read and Write under the head Language and thus it is important to analyze briefly how early literacy as a part of language education in schools has been dealt with in the NCF. It says that speech, listening, reading and writing are the four communicative skills (NCF, 2005, p.40) essential for children to succeed in school. Instead of making the students sit quietly in classrooms, their speech should be looked upon as a way of expression and group-discussions among them should be encouraged. Listening ability teaches them to be attentive, respect each other’s opinions and interpret what is being said in different ways. Folklores and music can be used to make the compositions interesting for the students to listen.

With regards to reading, the use of memorization of information-stuffed books has been criticized and the up gradation of libraries with supplementary material useful and attractive for the students is recommended. The paper also brings to our notice the reasons for which students find it difficult to learn reading in schools. Some of the problems are-inadequate pre-service and in-service teacher training for reading pedagogy, inability of teachers to decide the approach (phonic or whole language) for teaching to read, decontextualized textbooks which make it boring for students especially the first-generation learners (NCF, 2005, p.41). Suggestions regarding measures that can be implemented to help students in learning to read include: providing print-rich environment, teaching letter-sound correspondence, encouraging children to write down their experiences and then asking them to read the same, for first generation learners, reading supplementary...

... middle of paper ...

...d phonics method for teaching how to read. The phonics method prepares the children to spell and pronounce limitless words correctly thus allowing them to read texts of varying levels. The whole language approach enables them to make meaning of texts without having to memorize a limited vocabulary. Students who undergo such a process of learning to read are able to read fluently and comprehend texts. This methodology is eclectic also in the sense that it focuses on children’s efforts to make meaning and not on their errors. The child is helped at every stage to improve giving every one the chance to work towards their problems and finally gain mastery over the reading-writing skills. The PSS approach also effectively implements the recommendations made in the NCF 2005 for improving reading-writing competence of school going children irrespective of their background.