Non Automatic
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Automaticity Vs. Hesitancy
AUTOMATICITY
vs.
HESITANCY
LaBerge and Samuels' model (1974) of the reading process brought us the concept of 'automaticity' in word recognition. Like Gough, word recognition is primary and needed for the later work of comprehension. Comprehension is made possible, according to LaBerge and Samuels, when readers no longer have to expend all of their cognitive attention on the recognition of letters and words. This is because it is not possible to consciously attend to, and thus process information from more than one event or stimulus at a time. When a process becomes so familiar and 'expert,' usually through repetition and practice, it becomes ‘automatic' and does not require selective, or conscious, attention. This frees selective attention for other processes that do require it.
Decoding takes selective attention when it is unfamiliar or not fully mastered. And comprehension also requires attention. So, it is necessary to practice decoding skills to the point of mastery before the process of comprehension -- the real goal of reading -- is possible. The faster one becomes an automatic decoder -- recognizes words without having to break them down and ‘figure them out' -- the sooner one can attend to comprehending text.
However, this proves that "Automaticity" is reached only if there are continuous sufficient practices on the part of the reader. And these practices should be given to them with proper guidance from the already fluent readers like the teachers in case of the pupils in their respective schools. But, what would be the case if there are insufficient or no enough practices that will help them or even worst when they are continuously practicing but are being misguided or totally not guided at all? Will they still become "automatic" readers? Is the process still called "automaticity"?
I have been teaching in the elementary grade for a few years now, specifically in the primary level. I admit that teaching them how to read is one mammoth task that I hardly do, but I have to so I have tried almost all the strategies and approaches I think would help them. Unfortunately, very few are benefitting on it. As I have come to learn the "Automaticity" model, I have gained an idea of adapting it in my own classroom situation. I have given my pupils regular exercises on reading. They have their own regular time everyday just for reading, aside from the routinary group reading that they have to do every morning before classes start and some practices at home. As I have observed it made a progress. The instructional readers turned into independent readers. Some slow readers turned into instructional readers. It was already a big improvement in the class but the sad part is that many slow readers are still under slow category and the non readers almost have no improvements. As I mentioned this to my colleagues, who have also adapted the "automaticity" model in their own classes, they all said that we have the same results. Many slow readers especially the non readers are being more left behind even though they are given the same regular practices. It was then, that I have started to realize that while it is true that the children are provided with regular reading practices, they lack one more important factor and that is proper guidance from the teachers and some guardians at home, thus resulting to the readers' "Hesitancy" rather than "Automaticity".
The readers, especially the slow readers and non readers, even though provided with enough regular practices would only turn into ‘hesitant' readers rather than ‘automatic' readers if they have formed lots of uncertainties and doubts in their heads. This is due to some reasons:
- Slow readers are not actually reading during regular group practices along with the better readers;
- Slow readers, even though they want to read along with the others during class reading practices cannot read because they are having a hard time catching up;
- Slow readers may form some misconceptions either in the sounds they are learning or comprehending a text they are reading;
- Slow readers are having regular reading practices but could be under improper guidance
One particular example of this is one of my actual pupils in school. She is really a slow reader. Although, she has the same reading practices as the others she is making very little progress. Then, I have come to think of conducting casual interviews to some other children living near them to know what practices she is doing at home because of her very little progress in school despite our regular practices and guidance as I am already almost tutoring her everyday. Through this, I have known that this particular child is unconsciously having doubts in her mind. Some of the children as well as adult neighbors told me that there are many times that they have watched and listened to this girl while being taught by her own mother. Some instances that they cited with me are as follows:
"Mader will go two da market.(Mother will go to the market.), She bi-kes the bread.(She bakes the bread.), Da ki –ti is above the hu-se.(The kite is above the house.)"
Due to this misguidance, this particular child despite having regular practices to become an "automatic" reader turned into a "hesitant reader," because even though she is hearing the same words correctly in the class, she is being taught incorrectly at home, and thus confusing her. The reason there are times that she could read correctly but most of the time, not.
Another instance that I have observed in my colleagues' classes is that during their group reading practices and the slow readers cannot catch up with the fast readers, they tend to stop and just pretend that they are reading. But this was absolutely not a good practice because they tend to mishear some important sounds and words, or misunderstand some texts. With my colleagues' permission I have observed these slow readers more. I have allotted some time to test their reading and comprehension skills with the same words and texts they are using. I compared the results I have gathered from them but I cannot see any improvements. This is how I, with my colleagues realized that these readers are having misconceptions and doubts in their minds. Because they are mishearing the words and misunderstanding the texts they are reading, they tend to decode the words and comprehend the texts similar to how beginners of reading do. And what I have observed is that because the practices are not enough, and some are inadequate. The practices they have are only group readings. They do not apply other practices that could help them more like oral individual reading in class to find these readers' common miscues, or pair reading with the fast and better readers in the class.
It is true that through regular practice, we can make all readers "automatic" but insufficient practices and misguidance or total lack of guidance in reading will result to readers being "hesitant."
About the Author
* A Public Elementary School Teacher in Victoria, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines
* A Graduate of Masters in Linguistics at the Philippine Normal University
* A Ph. D in Reading Instruction student at the Philippine Normal University