Hundreds Attend Reading Reform Foundation Conference
By Liza Young
|
Sandra
Priest Rose |
|
Dr.
E.D. Hirsch, Jr. |
|
Muriel
Silberstein-Storfer, Founder of Art for Children ,
Metropolitan Museum of Art |
|
Philip
G. Miller, Senior Specialist, Customer Operations,
Con Edison |
Reading Reform Foundation—with its credo that every
child can learn to read—has been going strong for over
two decades with its mission of bringing the joys of fluency
in reading to children across the city.
Recently, the Foundation
held its 24th annual conference, focusing on “Effective Techniques for Teaching Reading,
Writing and Spelling.” A varied array of workshops provided
topics ranging from exploring myths and legends to improving
study skills to expanding vocabulary though using Greek and
Latin Roots.
Presided over by the intrepid reading teacher, Sandra Priest
Rose, founder and trustee of Reading Reform Foundation whose
dedication to the Orton-Gillingham approach to reading is legendary,
scores of attendees changed rooms as Rose clanged the great
brass bell throughout the halls.
Emily Goldberg, master
teacher, awarded the Leona Spector award, quoted the late
Sandra Feldman, “You can’t
have a first class education unless you have first class teachers.” This
was an apt quote considering the goals of the Reading Reform
Foundation.
E.D.Hirsch, Jr. in
his keynote talk quoted Blake in describing Reading Reform
Foundation: “He kept the divine vision
in time of trouble.” In addressing “Reading Beyond
Decoding,” Hirsch spoke about the new frontier, comprehension. “You
can’t gain knowledge and vocabulary from wide reading
if you don’t understand what you’re reading. Imparting
a knowledge system is so important; it goes to the heart of
the reading profession,” he underscored. Quipping about
a woman listening to Albert Einstein speak, Hirsch explained
she said, ‘I understood all the words; it’s just
how they were put together that I didn’t understand.’#
