Basal Reader - Criticisms

Criticisms

Some of the ostensible benefits of basal readers are viewed as shortcomings by critics of these books. Critics charge that they focus on teaching isolated skills, rather than fostering an enjoyment and appreciation of reading for its own sake, and that more time is spent on the supplemental worksheets than on actually reading authentic texts. The quality of the literature in the reading books is another target of criticism. Works chosen mainly to allow skills practice may not be particularly meaningful, authentic, or interesting. Critics of the basal reader industry, such as Rafe Esquith in his book, Teach Like Your Hair is on Fire, blame the readers for the failure of schools to teach reading. Esquith questions the ability of the basal readers to stimulate students' interest in reading. Other critics question the use of materials which lack any scientific evidence of effectiveness and point to the widespread failure of schools to teach reading as proof that basal readers are a waste of time.