I'm Ready to Learn; I'm Going to School TodayReview by: Virginia B. HoyleThe Reading Teacher, Vol. 26, No. 1 (Oct., 1972), p. 111Published by: Wiley on behalf of the International Reading AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20193149 .

Accessed: 28/06/2014 08:10

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range ofcontent in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new formsof scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

.

Wiley and International Reading Association are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extendaccess to The Reading Teacher.

http://www.jstor.org

This content downloaded from 91.223.28.130 on Sat, 28 Jun 2014 08:10:31 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

subsequent "silent w" category, the authors complete the

confusion. The directions point out that we "hear the

sound of each letter in the blend"; yet "blends" given in

tensive study here include ihr (in threat, thrive) and shr

(in shriek, shrewd) without mentioning that these are

really digraph-within-blend elements. Likewise, to include

without comment scissors and science beside scar, scan,

scalp, in the sc blends list defies the sound base for phon ics differentiation.

These confusions might lead pupils and their teachers

to an intensive, inductive examination of letter-sound rela

tionship providing the definitions and categories presented in the materials are examined with a critical eye?and ear! Typography and format are clear and uncluttered, an

invitation to such study.

I'm Ready to Learn. Color, 29 minutes, $225.00 purchase, Films

$7.50 rental. I'm Going to School Today. Color, 27 minutes,

$255.00 purchase, $7.50 rental. Both from the Australian

News & Information Bureau, 636 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10020. Reviewed by Virginia B. Hoyle, former RT staffer.

Of the two films the first (I'm Ready to Learn) is less ex portable. It argues for amelioration of the plight of "thou sands of Australian youngsters who are deprived of their

right to learn" by a shortage of qualified nursery school and kindergarten teachers, as well as a shortage of edu

cationally stimulating facilities where working mothers

especially can place their children. The viewer observes a

day in a good kindergarten and nursery school, and learns about the three year preparation of Australian kindergar ten teachers.

In the second film, however, a primary (or first grade) teacher gives us her philosophy of education in simple language and persuasive, inclass action. This might be a

good film for kindergarten or elementary school open house, for PTA or other parent and community meetings. It sim

ply contrasts the "new" way of schooling (exploring, in

volving, actively noisy, child centered) with the old regi mented way. (For those few who can't tell the difference,

the good way is in full color, the bad way in drab black and white!) It would be nice to say that this message no

longer needs to be delivered, but since it probably does in some parts of the world, this is one soft-sell, "human

interesting" way to do it.

Ducks, color, 7 minutes. Playground, color, 8 minutes. One

Turkey, Two Turkey, color, 8 minutes. All produced by ACI Films, Inc., as part of an eleven-title series "Starting to Read" which may be purchased for $1100.00. Individ

ually, the films cost $110.00. All from ACI Films, Inc., 35 West 45th Street, New York, New York 10036. Reviewed

by Virginia B. Hoyle, former RT staffer.

Each of these films deals with a limited number of con

cepts selected to appeal to young children, and to provide context for introducing ten to twenty words. In Ducks the

words are big, small, yellow, white, feet, wings, bills, eat,

Critically Speaking 111

This content downloaded from 91.223.28.130 on Sat, 28 Jun 2014 08:10:31 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions