Now, I am really reading it and thoroughly loving it. The second chapter, Building on Early Literacy, is really speaking to me now. It compares how children learn to speak their language versus reading. It states that no one has to "teach" children how to speak. It is through their environment and adult support that they learn. Adults talk back to them during the day, correcting them, and integrating it throughout their days. It is a self-extending system, allowing the learner to keep on learning by using it. There is no formal curriculum for teaching a child's first language. The process is not random, and again, it is supported by the adults in the children's lives.
That is fascinating to me! Reading should be taught the same way. What if it was?