| There is little doubt that reading, 'riting | | | | least of all write - unless one knows the |
| and 'rithmetic are crucial elements in the | | | | particular language.If a child's knowledge of |
| education of any child. A child's ability to | | | | English is poor, then his reading will also |
| later cope in the adult world, to have a | | | | be poor. Evidence that links reading problems |
| career, to take charge of his financial | | | | and language problems has been extensively |
| affairs and to live independently depends to | | | | presented in the literature. Research has, |
| a large extent on his mastery of these | | | | for example, shown that about 60% of |
| skills.Unfortunately many children are | | | | dyslexics were late talkers. In order to |
| deprived of the privilege of an abundant | | | | prevent later reading problems, parents must |
| adult life. The $14 million National Literacy | | | | therefore ensure that a child is exposed to |
| Survey of 1993 found that even though most | | | | sufficient opportunities to learn |
| adults in this survey had finished high | | | | language.THE SECOND RUNG IS NON-VERBAL |
| school, 96% of them could not read, write and | | | | SKILLSWhile verbal skills comprise the first |
| figure well enough to go to college. Even | | | | rung of the learning ladder, non-verbal |
| more to the point, 25% "were plainly unable | | | | skills comprise the second. There is a whole |
| to read," period.Surely this is unacceptable. | | | | conglomeration of non-verbal skills that are |
| Imagine doing a survey on the building | | | | foundational to learning. Skills of |
| industry and finding that the walls of 96% of | | | | importance include concentration, visual |
| all homes are severely cracked, and that in | | | | discrimination, accurate observation and |
| 25% of the houses the walls are so weak that | | | | memorizing, skills of association and |
| they collapse. Wouldn't we immediately start | | | | auditory memory. These are functions that |
| an investigation into the building practices | | | | should be taught at preschool level to form |
| of the builders? Wouldn't we check whether | | | | the foundation of good reading, writing and |
| they were careful to provide proper | | | | arithmetic.One visual discriminatory skill |
| foundations for these homes? We all know that | | | | that plays a very important role in reading |
| before building a house, one needs to lay a | | | | is the ability to distinguish between left |
| foundation. Unless there is a strong and | | | | and right. Like all the other non-verbal |
| solid foundation, cracks will soon appear in | | | | skills, this ability is not innate. It must |
| the walls, and if there are no foundations, | | | | be taught. In fact, knowledge of left and |
| the walls will collapse.In the same way one | | | | right must be drilled in to such an extent |
| needs to lay a proper foundation before it | | | | that it becomes automatic.The human body |
| becomes possible for a child to benefit from | | | | consists of two halves, a left side and a |
| a course in reading, writing and arithmetic. | | | | right side. The human brain also has two |
| If this foundation is shaky, learning | | | | halves, which are connected by the corpus |
| "cracks" will soon appear. The right time to | | | | callosum. A person will therefore interpret |
| start laying this foundation is the day a | | | | everything he encounters in terms of his own |
| child is born.Readiness for the three R's is | | | | sidedness. A child, however, who has not |
| a highly specialized task that few parents - | | | | adequately internalized his own sidedness, |
| also those who realize the importance of | | | | will be prone to incorrect interpretations in |
| preschool education - are prepared for. A | | | | terms of sidedness. One such a situation, |
| tragic defect of our society is the fact that | | | | where sidedness plays a particularly |
| we are not allowed to take upon ourselves the | | | | important role, is when a person is expected |
| responsibility of doing the work of a | | | | to distinguish between a "b" and a "d." It is |
| policeman, or of a teacher, or of an | | | | clear that the only difference between the |
| attorney, or of any other work without having | | | | two letters is the position of the straight |
| undergone prior training. No training, | | | | line - it is either left or right.It is |
| however, is provided on how to raise | | | | important to note that a person who is |
| children. We become parents without realizing | | | | confused about left and right cannot use |
| that, for the sake of our children, we should | | | | mnemonics or memory aids while reading, as is |
| make an in-depth study of the issues that | | | | often advised by experts. One recommendation |
| concern their intellectual | | | | is that children should remember that "left" |
| development.CLIMBING THE LEARNING LADDERIt is | | | | is the side on which they wear their watch. |
| important to note that learning is a | | | | Another is that one should put nail polish on |
| stratified process, in which one skill has to | | | | the little finger of the student's left hand |
| be acquired FIRST, BEFORE it becomes possible | | | | in order to teach him that reading and |
| to acquire subsequent skills. It is like | | | | writing start on the left-hand side of the |
| climbing a ladder, if you miss one of the | | | | paper. These tricks never work to improve |
| rungs you will fall off.Di dunia kini kita, | | | | reading ability. This is just like going to |
| tiap orang harus dapat membaca.... Unless one | | | | China with a Chinese dictionary and then |
| has FIRST learned to speak Bahasa Indonesia, | | | | hoping to be able to speak Chinese. One has |
| there is no way that one would be able to | | | | to LEARN to speak Chinese. In the same way |
| read the above Indonesian sentence.This shows | | | | one has to LEARN to correctly interpret |
| that language is at the very bottom of the | | | | sidedness.Only when a child has climbed the |
| learning ladder. Its role in the acquisition | | | | first and second rung, will he be prepared |
| of the three R's can be compared to the role | | | | for the third rung, i.e. the three R's. |
| of running in the game of soccer or | | | | Remember that every journey starts with a |
| ice-skating in the game of ice hockey. One | | | | first step. Unless you help your child to |
| cannot play soccer if one cannot run, and one | | | | make the first step, he will not successfully |
| cannot play ice hockey if one cannot skate. | | | | complete the learning journey. |
| One cannot read a book in a language - and | | | | |