米国における読みの教材集『ヴォイシズ・リーディング』の検討 -スキルの獲得と内容理解の両立への模索-

Abstract

Catherine Snow (1945-present) is a researcher in children's language and literacy development, focusing on how oral language skills are acquired and how they relate to literacy outcomes. This article focuses on her reading instruction theories and "Voices Reading, " which is the textbook series for reading instruction in America. Snow is one of the authors of "Voices Reading." First, this article presents the results of two studies that Snow chairs. The two studies are by the Committee on the Prevention of Reading Difficulties in Young Children and the RAND Reading Study Group. Snow emphasizes the importance of compatibility between instruction in basic skills and reading comprehension. Snow defines the term "reading comprehension" as the process of simultaneously extracting and constructing meaning through interaction and involvement with written language. Moreover, Snow claims that it is important to acquire "knowledge" for reading and to "apply" the knowledge. Snow argues that these points are vital to foster an independent reader. Next, this article analyzes "freedom and democracy, " a unit of "Voices Reading." In the lesson plans of "freedom and democracy, " there are instructions using multicultural literature, opportunities to acquire knowledge for reading and to apply the knowledge, and the means to encourage children to read and write based on their background. By analyzing the lesson plans, one can find ways to overcome the problems discussed in Reading First, which is an education policy in America.