An Overdue Update from Dumond

This blog has been very neglected in recent months.  That’s not to say my interest in writing or in all things education has waned, but my attention has been focused on another project that is close to fruition.  I’m in the midst of proofreading this tome – a HUGE phonics workbook to support early reading, writing, and spelling, and am excited to share it soon on here.  

I was delighted to have part 2 of my series of articles on language development / building vocabulary published here in International Teacher Magazine. As the magazine goes from strength-to-strength, sharing best practice from all corners of the globe, I feel privileged to share my thoughts with a wider audience and to learn from fellow colleagues.  

International Teacher Magazine – October 2019

The link between oral language and educational success cannot be stressed enough.  It is a known predictor for reading comprehension (Foorman et al., 2015), and when we think about it, this is very obvious.  Without language comprehension, how can we begin to contemplate reading comprehension?  Limited exposure to discourse, resulting in pupils with narrow vocabulary, limited syntax, lack of understanding of pragmatics, and weaknesses in phonology and morphology, produces comprehension gaps, be they oral language, reading, or written comprehension ones.  We must do all we can to re-mediate the effects of language deprivation.  See the ITM article for strategies to build vocabulary, and please share your own ideas in the comments below.

Image Source: Pixabay

Don’t forget our CardEd Apps are available for free download from the Play Store, and these offer easy ways to boost communication and chat.

Yesterday, I was saddened to read of the destruction of Scoil Chaitríona in Dublin due to fire.  One of my earliest teaching posts was in Scoil Chaitríona, so lots of memories came flooding back as the news reports rolled in.  Chatting to my good friend who works there, and to past pupils in my network, I know a huge sense of loss abounds and hope the DES will provide the staff, pupils, and wider community with lots of support and that a new school is quickly built.  So many tangible pieces of history were lost yesterday – each now-obsolete leabhar rolla (roll book or paper register), photograph, and desk would surely have many stories to tell – but the memories live on, and I know a new school will rise from the ashes and flourish once again. 

Foorman, B.R., Herrara, S., Petscher, Y., Mitchell, A., & Truckenmiller, A. (2015) The structure of oral language and reading and their relation to comprehension in Kindergarten through Grade 2. Reading and Writing, (28) pp.655-681.