Dear WinkWorld Readers,
New learning can sometimes be a real pain in the neck. For example, if this is new for you, you might struggle a bit with the information or with me. Actually, this research has been on-going for years, but old assumptions die slowly.
The following is a Letter to the Editor, which Dr. Stephen Krashen submitted. Steve, who is highly published (books and journals) in the academic world, is now encouraging all of us to write letters to the editors–because people read these.
In his following letter, Steve is responding to “Susan.”
To the editor:
Susan has done her homework, and tells us “Why Some Parents & Teachers Are Taking a Stand Against Homework,” based on her interviews with parents and her study of the work of scholar Alfie Kohn, who has carefully studied and summarized research showing that homework has little or no effect on learning (The Homework Myth).
What does have a positive effect on learning is self-selected pleasure reading, which includes fiction. Those who read more write better, spell better, read better, and have larger vocabularies. They also know more about a wide variety of subjects, including history and science, and have a better understanding of others and how they are thinking. As radio journalist Terry Gross puts it, “ …. when you’re learning to read fiction … You’re learning to be somebody else, learning to see the world through their eyes.”
The implications are obvious: Provide more time for pleasure reading (reduce or eliminate homework), and more investment in libraries and school librarians.
Sincerely,
Stephen Krashen
I think the following two images capture what Kohn’s research demonstrates.
Thanks, Steve. Thanks also to Katie Knox, who created the images for use in my book, The Power of Story.
Of course, we have to end with this little girl reading in front of that lion which leads into the New York City Public Library. Oh, what a magical place. Thanks again, Katie Knox.
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