About This Series
The
Faith and Life series has many features which make it unique among
catechetical programs. There is one in particular we wish to mention.
If you turn to the first few pages
of one of the textbooks you will notice immediately that it is written
at a reading level higher than that of the average reading level.
This is intentional. We believe that children of this age deserve
to hear more of the Good News of the Catholic Faith than a "Dick
and Jane" reading level would permit.
This approach has several advantages.
It is obvious that in the early grades a child's oral comprehension
is far beyond his reading ability. For example, a six-year-old can
follow the plot and dialogue of a T.V. program even though he would
find the written script of the program unintelligible. Applying
this principle to catechetics, the Faith and Life series presents
Christian doctrine in a style designed to arouse wonder and challenge
the intellect of the child, thus avoiding
the boredom that is often fatal to catechetical efforts.
In addition, we all know that children
love to be read to. As they listen to the narratives in the Faith
and Life series children will learn to associate God with the joy
of storytime reather than the drudgery of a reading lesson. All
too often children perceive the study of their faith as simply one
more "subject" to be set aside with relief when they leave
the classroom. By lessening the emphasis on reading we wish to help
concentrate their attention on the Gospel message itself, and thus
see the faith not as schoolwork, but as divinely revealed truths
that have a bearing on every aspect of their lives.
All those who have worked on the Faith
and Life series sincerely hope that it will provide parents and
teachers with the assistance they need in the task of evangelizing
young minds.
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