8/13/2019 The Origin of Caleb Gattegno

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THE ORIGIN OF CALEB GATTEGNOS APPROACH TO READING

From An Interview with Caleb Gatteno!

"on#$"te# b% &ohn an# S$'% Pint on &$l% (! )*+,

Tran'"ribe# an# e#ite# b% &- Pint! ./001 b% &ohn an# S$'% Pint

CALEB GATTEGNO2

It wa' Chri'tma'! )*,3 when I wa' bro$ht45or the 5ir't time4into "onta"t with the

5iel# o5 rea#in- I wa' (, %ear' ol# an# ha# been in e#$"ation 5or thirt% %ear' an# I ha#

never ta"6le# the 7$e'tion o5 rea#in-

I ha# 8$'t arrive# in A##i' Ababa 9"ommi''ione# b% :NESCO ; E#

ha# no time to =re=are m%'el5 5or bein there- Now! it wa' Chri'tma' an# ever%thin

wa' "lo'e# an# I ha# (+ ho$r' to m%'el5- Onl% then #i# I o=en the envelo=e :NESCO

ha# iven me- I loo6e# in'i#e an# 'aw 'omethin abo$t the lan$ae Amarin%a an#

how the% write it- So I loo6e# at it 5or the 5ir't time! with a 5re'h e%e an# I 'ai#! >How

"o$l# I remember /,) "hara"ter' 5or writin thi' lan$ae?

I loo6e# an# I loo6e# an#! be"a$'e I bro$ht 'omethin in m% e%e! the 'tr$"t$re

o5 '=a"e in m% e%e! I re"a't thi' material- I 'tarte# on Sat$r#a% mornin an# on S$n#a%

a5ternoon I "o$l# rea# Amarin%a- I #i#nt 6now how to '=ea6 Amarin%a! b$t I "o$l#

rea# Amarin%a- I "o$l# wal6 thro$h the 'treet' an# rea# all the 'in'-

Now! I wa' at the @ini'tr% o5 E#$"ation a' an a#vi'or- @% 8ob wa' mainl% with

'"ien"e tetboo6'! b$t the '$b8e"t o5 rea#in thi' lan$ae wa' a $niver'e that o=ene#$= an# I wa' 5$ll o5 bean'! 'o I ma#e in7$irie' an# I #i'"overe# that it ta6e' eihteen

month' to tea"h what I ha# learne# in two #a%'- ell! I 'ai#! >Thi' i' im=o''ible It'

not =ermi''ible

So I e=erimente# with the =eo=le at the mini'tr% who were illiterate- The%

6new how to '=ea6 the lan$ae b$t the% #i#nt 6now how to rea# it- The% rane# in

ae 5rom 5i5t%5ive to 'it%nine- So the% ha# ver% ba# learnin habit' an# 'o on! b$t in

'i ho$r' the% learne# to rea# a new'=a=er So I 6new I ha# 'omethin whi"h wa'

worthwhile! b$t it wa'nt =art o5 m% a''inment-

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However! there wa' a "ollea$e o5 mine 5rom Lon#on :niver'it%! a S"ot'man!

@r- Ran6in! who ha# been invite# b% :NESCO to wor6 on litera"% be"a$'e he ha#

#one '$"h wor6 5or the Briti'h overnment in Nieria 5or a n$mber o5 %ear'-

9Gatteno #i#nt enter into "om=etition with @r- Ran6in! b$t #$rin hi' 'e"on#

'ta% in Ethio=ia in O"tober o5 )*,3! he "on'i#ere# how he "o$l# hel= >a 5a'trowin"o$ntr% with enormo$' =overt%- ; E#o$l# %o$ tell me where I ma%

have one wron? However! in'tea# o5 loo6in at m% error'! the% t$rne# to me an#

the% 'ai#! >h% i' it %o$! who are in the De=artment o5 @athemati"'! who ha' #one thi'

4an# not $'?

F$ll o5 bean'2 livel%! enereti" 9:J an# ea'tern :SAFi#el re5er' to the '"ri=t #evelo=e# to write GeKe! a Semiti" lan$ae relate# to

So$th Arabi"- It i' wi#el% $'e# 5or Amhari" 9Amarin%a< in Ethio=ia an# Tirin%a in

Eritrea- The 'et o5 "on'onantvowel "ombination' 9whi"h in 'ome =la"e' "an n$mber a'

man% a' 00< i' 6nown a' Mthe Fi#el-M Be"a$'e Amarin%a wa' the 5ir't lan$ae

Gatteno wor6e# on to #evelo= hi' a==roa"h to tea"hin rea#in! he a==lie# the name

Fi#el to ea"h 'et o5 "olor"o#e# "hart' $'e# to tea"h the 'o$n#' an# writin '%'tem o5 a

=arti"$lar lan$ae- Ta6e a loo6 at the Enli'h Fi#el-

Daniel &one' 9)/ Se=tember )++) ; ( De"ember )*31< wa' a Lon#onborn Briti'h

=honeti"ian an# i' "on'i#ere# b% man% to be the reate't =honeti"ian o5 the earl% /0th

"ent$r%- It i' =robabl% Daniel &one' 9an# not a' i' o5ten tho$ht Henr% Sweet< who

=rovi#e# Geore Bernar# Shaw with the ba'i' 5or hi' 5i"tional "hara"ter Henr% Hiin'

in P%malion- ; i6i=e#ia

HO@E