European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 29, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Stateside views if kids can to read can to learn Charles Osgood Tribune Media service he National assessment of educational Progress the so called report card that Congress requires the department of education to put out regularly on the performance of americans schools this Spring addressed Reading and writing. We already know from previous reports that our kids can to add or subtract multiply or Divide very Well. Math is not their Strong suit. We also know that geography Isnit their favorite subject either. They done to know where anyplace is. History no they done to know much about who did what or when. Science no they re not quite up to Speed on How anything works. Now from this latest assessment we learn something that helps to explain a lot i think. It turns out the kids Are not so Good at Reading or writing. Aha maybe the Reading and writing should have been dealt with first. If you can to read How Are you supposed to study any subject How Are you going to Leam what you Are supposed to know if Reading is a struggle then it follows learning is a struggle too. And if you can to write How Are you going to prepare reports answer test questions or let the world know what you know the report was based on Reading and writing tests Given to fourth graders eighth graders and 12th-graders. The results were appalling. Not Only do too Many of our kids have trouble absorbing and understanding what they read but they also have great difficulty organizing and expressing ideas a including their own. The report says that what happens at Home is an important Factor. Kids whose parents read to them take Reading in stride. Its something they almost take for granted like walking breathing or eating. Yet most american parents Don t bother to work with their kids at Home and most of our teachers done to demand that their students do very much Reading either in the classroom or at Home. The children who do the most Reading Are the Best readers. The ones who do the least Are the worst. Its As simple As that. And the Best readers become the Best writers and the Best readers and writers become the Best students Overall. Conversely the worst readers turn into the worst writers and the worst students. Too soon they Are out of school and then later out of work. Time is a problem for schoolchildren. There a simply not enough of it to do much Reading they often complain. But if you ask me the most revealing statistics in the assessment report Are these fewer than half the fourth graders say they do any Reading for pleasure yet 69 percent of them say they watch three hours or More of television every single Day. Isis but go sanm theh inn  i a so w i pm vhf l a lust Rose to Vrr a. Pishke Kcf Tea took no u to 0x0 a of.  Mats a took no kidding people who had food named after them Caesar Gaia do for chef Caesar Cardoni Melba Toast a opera Singer Nellie Melba beef stroganoff a Diplomat Paul stroganoff Salisbury Steak a phys can James Salisbury Graham Cracker a food reformer Sylvester Graham macadamia nut a chemist John Macadam a recommended beef three times daily to cure hardening of arteries source world features Syndicate Early careers of famous writers of Scott Fitzgerald a advertising executive Charles Dickens a Law clerk sir Arthur Conan Doyle a physician Franz Kafka a insurance Salesman . Weils a biology teacher Hans Christian Andersen a actor and Singer George Orwell a bookseller s assistant source world features Syndicate 8 fears of the outdoors fear of rain a Omar phobia fear of wind a Anem phobia fear of Dawn a eos phobia fear of lightning a Veraun phobia fear of Thunder a Tonitz phobia fear of Sun a hello phobia fear of Snow a Chion phobia fear of fog a Homich phobia. Source phobias and obsessions th6 White House just narrowed our Mission to. Float Wal Yewlow waxy build Ufa theh6art break of psoriasis m1prwgar0unp the Cottar. July 29, 1990 sunday c Page 3