[quote]John wrote:
By the way Janet and Dan, I've been led to believe that New Zealand is ground zero for some of the most interesing early literacy education in the world: Whole Language pedagogy, Mari Clay, Reading Recovery, etc. I don't know much about it, but it sounds fascinating. I've also been led to believe that these advances would not have been possible without the inherent challenges of teaching literacy in a bilingual Maori-English environment.
If anyone has further insight, I'd be captive.
John
John, Sylvia Ashton Warner, teacher and writer, is celebrated for her advances in the field of teaching Maori children to read:
Sylvia Ashton Warner
I had an aunt who was born towards the end of the 19th century, who had an international reputation for her children's verse-speaking choirs. She was a teacher and even had a poem published in an anthology which included Robert Frost. Her New Zealand school verse-speaking choirs were broadcast regularly on the BBC during WW2. Recordings which were shipped to London! Keeping up the spirits of the British Empire I suppose. She was my father's oldest sibling. My father was born in 1900 and she was a great deal older.
I recently received a gift from a friend of hers. My aunt wrote a book about poetic meter for children. I had no idea. It wouldn't have interested my parents. Alas it's packed with the books ready for transfer to Queensland. When I was still in my pram she had me reciting:
A birdy with a yellow bill
hopped upon my windowsill.
Cocked its saucy head and said:
"Ain't you ashamed you sleepy head".
Scouts honour. I recited that before I could walk
My aunt's name was F. Alexa Stevens. The F stood for Flora.
Janet
[This message has been edited by Janet Kenny (edited August 17, 2005).]