SSA Lc TS n o e on leS SS eS SS SS SSA TTA S S l P Sel ol leS l S hould teachers drill students S into learning correct spelling and grammar usage and risk turning them off reading and writing, or do you encourage reading and writing by ignoring spelling and grammar mistakes? That‘s the core of the whole lanâ€" guage versus phonics debate which By ANGELA BLACKBURN Oakville Beaver Staff Controversy over phonics created by media says educator Garden Centre Sunday 8â€"5 Monday 8â€"4 Victoria Day Clemens was the main speaker at the last of nine board presentations aimed at explaining educational jarâ€" Last week, Halton Board of Education Language Arts coâ€"ordinaâ€" tor Micki Clemens told parents the controversy shouldn‘t even exist since phonics is part of the whole language philosophy â€" and practice â€" in Halton. often pits teachers and parents at odds with one another. She said the media has confused people with "inflammatory stateâ€" ments" and the misrepresentation of whole language as whole word. gon during Education Focus 1992 Education: Explained! About 40 parâ€" ents attended the session at Pine Grove Public School last week. Clemens contended the controâ€" versy actually doesn‘t exist and is mainly being brewed by the media. "People are saying whole lanâ€" Most parents in attendance, howâ€" ever, were frustrated by their chilâ€" dren‘s poor spelling and grammar. In an extensive 90â€"minute presenâ€" tation, parents were often vocal, reporting how their children â€" in many instances diagnosed as aboveâ€" average learners â€" couldn‘t spell or write in grammatically correct ways. "The aim of the whole language guage doesn‘t include phonics and it does," said Clemens. Sunday 8â€"5 Monday 8â€"4 S Parents also heard that it‘s imporâ€" tant for children to become literate through a variety of triggers not just memorization of grammar and rules â€" that it‘s important to gain comprehenâ€" sion and communication through the "big picture", through context for a purposeful end. "Engagement occurs when a learner is convinced, ‘I can do it,"" and if someone makes a mistake, they‘re not going to be stomped on, she said. Clemens said literacy used to be taught with reading and writing sepaâ€" rate, with a focus on skills in isolaâ€" tion from the whole, writing for grades with a goal of acquiring basic skills. Today, literacy is taught with lanâ€" guage as integrated skills teamed for a purpose, writing for an audience or personal use with the goal of literacy for life. One parent countered that while her child loves writing, she can‘t write in grammatically correct ways. The parent complained she‘s conâ€" stantly editing her child‘s work and a page with 10 to 20 spelling mistakes will come home without the teacher having noted the mistakes. Clemens said it‘s important not to extinguish a student‘s enthusiasm for learning by pointing out negatives. Clemens recalled the "spitting, hissing and growling" method of the old style of marking â€" "SP" for spelling, "SS" for sentence structure, and "GR" for grammar. Solar pool heating systems now on sale for the month of May. Doâ€"itâ€"yourself packages using the high efficiency TECHNOSOLIS solar panel (50% more heat than from rubber systems). Prices start at $999.00 plus taxes for 12‘ x 24‘ pools, $1,399.00 plus, for 16‘ x 32‘ pools. Call us! Solar Evaluation Services Inc. program is to produce children who are not only able to read and write, but who want to do so," said Clemens. Whole language tries to engage children into reading by doing it via materials that appeal to them and challenge them to use reading and writing in natural activities such as conversations, stories, books and videos. Page 3, Item 2, #60â€"190iâ€"6 = Black Decker cordless mower. Copy Reads: Reg. 459.99 Sale 409.99, Save 50.00 Should Read: $39%99 Our Everyday Low rice We regret any inconvenience we may have caused you. (416) 844â€"1116 Oakville The following errors have been found in (Deal #320) May 16 to 22 CORRECTION NOTIGE HEAT YOUR POOL FOR FREE!