Teachers &/or uni students: where to find info on different teaching methods?

Hey guys,

My DD is in prep, and as such has started learning the alphabet. Last year when DS was in prep they learnt it out of order - i.e. all the counter clockwise shapes (c,a, d, g, q etc), then clockwise (b, p), then u shaped (u, v, w, y) etc. DD is learning them in order (a, b, c, d). I prefer the way DS was taught them. DS also learnt a combination of phonetics (letterland) & sight words. Anyway, I'm interested in the theory's behind different teaching methods, and I'm wondering where I can find out information about the advantages & disadvantaged of different methods & what current trends are in early literacy education.

Ideally I would love to go back to uni & study education, and specialise in special education, but as DS has special needs it's just not practical for our family right now (maybe in a few years I will consider it). So for now I have to be content with doing my own education on how to educate (also as I do a lot of support work with DS so it help to understand this all).

Can anyone point me towards any websites, books (I'm near Monash uni so I can go & do some reading in their library), journals etc?

Thanks

learning theory changes all the time, but I think what you're talking about is the actual learning programs that the teachers use in the classroom. A school may decide to use a particular program if they think it will be of benefit to their students and other times teachers will have their own individual ways of teaching content as well. Personally, even though you prefer the other way, if you try to teach her a different way, you will only confuse her and possibly cause issues in the class for her because of a conflict between what the teacher is doing and what you are doing. I'd be going in to see the teacher and asking them what program they are using, why they think that's better than say, letterland, and then asking how you can help DD at home with it. It's really important that there is some level of consistency, otherwise it can just take them longer to learn what they need to.

there is the Jolly Phonics program, Multi-Lit, and L3 that i can think of, but I'm sure there are more. Not actually being in a school yet I've only come across those I've seen during my prac placements. this info might help you too as a starting point http://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibr...0-20060831.pdf