Literacy Quotes

Language grows out of life, out of its needs and experiences.

Tuesday, September 8th, 2009
weathered antique book

In order to use language intelligently, one must have something to talk about, and having something to talk about is the result of having had experiences; no amount of language training will enable our little children to use language with ease and fluency unless they have something clearly in their minds which they wish to communicate…

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Words are much more than mere lifeless symbols and signals. They are the very structure of thought.

Friday, August 21st, 2009
beer bottle caps

Many famous leaders have understood and capitalized on the psychology of language, and have used this knowledge to arouse and mobilize people, for both good an devil. Poetry…

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She has learned that everything has a name, and that the manual alphabet is the key to everything she wants to know.

Thursday, March 26th, 2009
hands in water from pump

We went out to the pump-house, and I made Helen hold her mug under the spout while I pumped. As the cold water gushed forth, filling the mug, I spelled “w-a-t-e-r” in Helen’s free hand. The word coming so close upon the sensation of cold water rushing over her hand seemed to startle her. She dropped the…

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