The Problem
Low Literacy Skills
In the U.S., "one in four 8th graders cannot demonstrate even basic literacy" (Sparks, 2011). In addition, "About six million middle and high school students read below grade level" (Wise, 2009). Even though millions of adolescent students across the country can't read well, they continue to progress through high school and never pick up the skills they need to be successful readers and learners. Wise (2009) goes as far as to say, "No student with low literacy skills can graduate from high school prepared for college or a career." While Nevada Community School District's mission statement is: "Preparing learners today for tomorrow," we're actually reneging on our promise. Nevada High School is just as guilty as other schools in the nation for sending students out our doors without the skills they need to be successful. The graph (Fig. 1) on the right side shows data analysis from the Iowa Assessments for the 2012-2013 school year at Nevada Community School District. The percentages in red indicate the amount of students who are not proficient in reading. Based on the numbers on the graph, approximately 175 students between the middle school and high school will eventually graduate from Nevada High School in the next seven years without basic literacy skills. |
Figure 1: Data analysis for the 2012-2013 school year.
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Students Are Lacking a Vital Life Skill
Entwisle et al. (2007) noted three reasons for the U.S. to be concerned with adolescent literacy levels, especially rates for males which tend to be lower than female rates. The most important was that strong literacy skills are essential for every human being, regardless of gender. Numerous jobs in the U.S. require workers to have more advanced and complex literacy skills than in previous generations. Not having these literacy skills puts students at a disadvantage in an increasingly competitive job market. "No student with low literacy skills can graduate from high school prepared for college or a career" (Wise, 2009).
Of course, not all students go on to college or highly academic fields. However, low literacy skills are preventing those students from being successful as well. In a study done on graduates enlisting in the army directly after high school, 23% did not have the basic literacy skills to pass the tests required of the army which include the following: "aptitude in word knowledge, paragraph comprehension, arithmetic reasoning, mathematics knowledge, general science, mechanical comprehension, electronics information, auto and shop information and assembling objects" (Dunn, 2013). Furthermore, in a 2003 study done by the U.S. Department of Education, 20% of participants were considered functionally illiterate because they had difficulties in filling out a job application form, comprehending written instructions and reading such things "a basic health bulletin or apartment lease" (Dunn, 2013).
Entwisle et al. (2007) noted three reasons for the U.S. to be concerned with adolescent literacy levels, especially rates for males which tend to be lower than female rates. The most important was that strong literacy skills are essential for every human being, regardless of gender. Numerous jobs in the U.S. require workers to have more advanced and complex literacy skills than in previous generations. Not having these literacy skills puts students at a disadvantage in an increasingly competitive job market. "No student with low literacy skills can graduate from high school prepared for college or a career" (Wise, 2009).
Of course, not all students go on to college or highly academic fields. However, low literacy skills are preventing those students from being successful as well. In a study done on graduates enlisting in the army directly after high school, 23% did not have the basic literacy skills to pass the tests required of the army which include the following: "aptitude in word knowledge, paragraph comprehension, arithmetic reasoning, mathematics knowledge, general science, mechanical comprehension, electronics information, auto and shop information and assembling objects" (Dunn, 2013). Furthermore, in a 2003 study done by the U.S. Department of Education, 20% of participants were considered functionally illiterate because they had difficulties in filling out a job application form, comprehending written instructions and reading such things "a basic health bulletin or apartment lease" (Dunn, 2013).
Inefficient and Ineffective Measures in Place
While many efforts are being made at a national level to increase literacy skills for primary school students, typically middle school and high school students are ignored. However, "literacy is, in reality, the cornerstone of student achievement, for any student in any grade" (Wise, 2009). Unlike many high schools across the nation, Nevada High School has created a reading intervention class for students who are labelled as struggling readers based on their test scores on the Iowa Assessments and two BRI's (Basic Reading Inventories). However, what NHS is doing is not enough because it's not reaching all of the students who need help, and it's not the most efficient way to help students improve their reading skills. Currently, at NHS, only about 20 students are placed in the reading intervention class each school year because the maximum capacity of the class has been set at 20 students. The reason the number has been set so low is to provide the teachers the opportunities to have more one-on-one attention and provide differentiation for students in the course. Obviously, NHS can't reach all the students who need help with reading at this rate, and the help the students who are in the class are getting is only temporary as students may not be placed in the class each school year. Furthermore, in general, reading intervention programs do not help students make the kinds of gains they need in order to be successful outside of school. In an evaluation of a reading intervention program, Enhanced Reading Opportunities (not the one NHS uses), researchers found that such reading classes "can boost reading skills for struggling adolescents, but the short-lived improvements aren't enough to catch students who are years behind the curve" (Sparks 2010).
When Students Can't Read, It's a Community Problem
Reading skills are related to achievement in other subjects in school as well as college enrollment rates (Wise, 2009). In addition, research has shown that one reason students drop out of high school is due to low literacy skills (Biancarosa & Snow, 2006). This epidemic of low literacy skills impacts the community negatively. Students who drop out of school are more likely to be get in trouble with the law, rely on Medicaid to cover medical expenses, need college remediation courses, and rely on the government for other assistance. All these issues end up costing tax payers billions of dollars annually (Wise, 2009).
Even if students don't drop out of school, "most of the adults with "below basic" literacy (54 percent) lived in households with annual income less than $20,000" (Dunn, 2013) putting them very close to the poverty line.
While many efforts are being made at a national level to increase literacy skills for primary school students, typically middle school and high school students are ignored. However, "literacy is, in reality, the cornerstone of student achievement, for any student in any grade" (Wise, 2009). Unlike many high schools across the nation, Nevada High School has created a reading intervention class for students who are labelled as struggling readers based on their test scores on the Iowa Assessments and two BRI's (Basic Reading Inventories). However, what NHS is doing is not enough because it's not reaching all of the students who need help, and it's not the most efficient way to help students improve their reading skills. Currently, at NHS, only about 20 students are placed in the reading intervention class each school year because the maximum capacity of the class has been set at 20 students. The reason the number has been set so low is to provide the teachers the opportunities to have more one-on-one attention and provide differentiation for students in the course. Obviously, NHS can't reach all the students who need help with reading at this rate, and the help the students who are in the class are getting is only temporary as students may not be placed in the class each school year. Furthermore, in general, reading intervention programs do not help students make the kinds of gains they need in order to be successful outside of school. In an evaluation of a reading intervention program, Enhanced Reading Opportunities (not the one NHS uses), researchers found that such reading classes "can boost reading skills for struggling adolescents, but the short-lived improvements aren't enough to catch students who are years behind the curve" (Sparks 2010).
When Students Can't Read, It's a Community Problem
Reading skills are related to achievement in other subjects in school as well as college enrollment rates (Wise, 2009). In addition, research has shown that one reason students drop out of high school is due to low literacy skills (Biancarosa & Snow, 2006). This epidemic of low literacy skills impacts the community negatively. Students who drop out of school are more likely to be get in trouble with the law, rely on Medicaid to cover medical expenses, need college remediation courses, and rely on the government for other assistance. All these issues end up costing tax payers billions of dollars annually (Wise, 2009).
Even if students don't drop out of school, "most of the adults with "below basic" literacy (54 percent) lived in households with annual income less than $20,000" (Dunn, 2013) putting them very close to the poverty line.
The Solution
Improve instructional practices in reading for teachers in all content areas.
In a report funded by the Carnegie Corporation and the Alliance for Excellent Education, Biancosa and Snow (2006) outlined 15 components schools and teachers needed to have in place to help improve adolescent literacy:
In a report funded by the Carnegie Corporation and the Alliance for Excellent Education, Biancosa and Snow (2006) outlined 15 components schools and teachers needed to have in place to help improve adolescent literacy:
- Direct, explicit comprehension instruction.
- Effective instructional principles embedded in content.
- Motivation and self-directed learning.
- Text-based collaborative learning.
- Strategic tutoring.
- Diverse texts.
- Intensive writing.
- A technology component.
- Ongoing formative assessment of students.
- Extended time for literacy.
- Professional development.
- Ongoing summative assessment of students and programs.
- Teacher teams.
- Leadership.
- A comprehensive and coordinated literacy program.
Teachers Could Resist Instructional Changes
1. Most NHS teachers think of helping struggling readers as someone else's job. Teachers need to be on board with the idea that teaching reading strategies has to be done in all content areas in order to reach each student in the school in the most effective way. As noted earlier, a majority of NHS teachers feel reading instruction is important; however, a little less than a third feel it's their responsibility to help struggling readers (See Fig. 2). 2. Teachers won't take orders from just one person. Currently this project is just getting off the ground with one person. While Emily DeYoung has the support of her administration, it really will take a group to make this project successful. 3. Teachers will see this initiative as just a fad that's going to come and go like all the rest. In the past four school years alone, teachers at Nevada High School have been a part of such initiatives as PLC's, ICC implementation, Concept-Based Curriculum, Problem-Based Learning, 1:1, AIW, and Standards-Based Grading, just to name a few. Charles Hinman, a principal in California, wrote that many staff members feel a sense of “resignation and cynicism” when faced with new initiatives. He continued that it’s not surprising that staff members would feel this way when they are constantly bombarded with initiatives, many of which are not followed-through successfully or become just a “fad” (Hinman, 2007). 4. Teachers don't know how to teach reading to their students. Most high school teachers have not been trained to teach students how to read in their content areas. At NHS, 70% of teachers said they have never been explicitly taught how to teach students to read in their content areas (See Fig. 3). 5. Teachers will complain that they don't have the time or resources to make needed changes. Change is hard for everyone, especially if teachers are already stretching out resources. If teachers do complain enough, the initiative will quickly fade away. |
Figure 2: CENTR survey results
Figure 3: CENTR survey results.
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Figure 4: CENTR survey results.
Figure 5: CENTR survey results.
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Schools Need to Reach Students Where They Are
Many might argue that more needs to be done at the elementary school level to help students have a strong foundation in reading. While it's true that students need a strong foundation, struggling adolescent readers cannot afford to be ignored. As Wise (2009) said, " . . . if the builder leaves before putting up the walls and roof, it's not a finished product." In a survey conducted by the CENTR project of the high school teachers at Nevada, 75% of teachers who responded said a student's ability to read and comprehend text in their content area was very important (See Fig. 4). Moreover, in this same survey, 70% of Nevada High School teachers felt reading instruction was necessary for all students (See Fig. 5). It's not surprising teachers at Nevada consider reading so important. "For example, a recent study by American College Test found that greater literacy skills in high school led to better achievement in math, science, and social studies, and higher levels of literacy contributed to greater college enrollment and higher grades in all college courses" (Wise, 2009). No matter what the teachers do in the classroom, students need to be involved in order to make it successful beyond the doors of NHS because "adolescents are not as universally motivated to read better or as interested in school-based reading as kindergartners" (Biancarosa & Snow, 2006). |
Students Could Resist CENTR Initiatives
In addition to surmounting issues that will come to pass in trying to get teachers involved in CENTR, even more may arise in reaching students. The CENTR project also surveyed students and immediately noticed some concerns: 1. Students aren't interested in the initiative. While 20 of 31 NHS teachers responded to the CENTR survey about reading, only 85 of a little over 400 students responded to the student version of the survey. In addition, when asked if reading should be taught at the high school level, only 22% thought it should. The others were either on the fence about it or completely against it. 2. Students don't have good reading habits. To the right (Fig. 6), three graphs show the current reading habits of NHS students. While a third of students responded that their teachers are assigning 20 or more pages worth of reading each week, a third only spend 0-30 minutes reading their homework each week. In addition, almost half of the students do not read for pleasure. 3. Students aren't interested in some of the ways CENTR wanted to reach them.
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Figure 6: CENTR survey results
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Bibliography
Biancarosa, C. & Snow, C.E. (2006). Reading next -- a vision for action and research in middle and high school literacy: a report to Carnegie Corporation of New York (2nd ed.). Washington, DC: Alliance for Excellent Education.
DuFour, R.P & Eaker, R. (2007). Professional Learning Communities at Work: Best Practices for Enhancing Student Achievement. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree.Gewertz, C. (2009, November 11). Paper calls for focus on high school teachers. Education Week, 29(11), 8.
Dunn, J. J. (2013, December 2). Left behind: literacy is today's civil rights issue. America, 209(17), 20. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA351818389&v=2.1&u=9211haea&it=r&p=PROF&sw=w&asid=ecf33fbb3e31bfe9fa8629677f3f1999.
Entwisle, D. R., Alexander, K. L., & Olson, L. S. (2007). Early schooling: The handicap of being poor and male. Sociology Of Education, 80(2), 114-138.
Hinman, C. (2007). Developing a Substantive Professional Learning Community. National Forum on Educational Administration and Supervision Journal. 24 (1), 29-35.
Kruse, S., Seashore Louis, K. & Bryk, A. (1994). Building Professional Communities in Schools. Issues in Restructuring Schools. Report Number 6 (Spring 1994), 3-6.
Marzano, R.J. & Marzano, J.S. (2001). Kaleidoscope: Contemporary and Classic Readings in Education. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Sparks, S. D. (2010, September 15). Adolescent literacy: the enhanced reading opportunities study final report: the impact of supplemental literacy courses for struggling 9th grade readers. Education Week, 30(3), 5. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA238082735&v=2.1&u=9211haea&it=r&p=PROF&sw=w&asid=4f228bbc2e4456c97415f24bfb60070c.
Sparks, S.D. (2011, March 9). Striving readers pilot yields results as budget ax falls. Education Week, 30(23), 12.
Torres, F.C. (October 2013). Word up: look who's reading the old-fashioned way." Success. 13.
Wise, B. (February 2009). Adolescent literacy: the cornerstone of student success. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy 52(5), 369-375).
Zehr, M.A. (2010, January 6). Reading aloud to teens gains favor among teachers. Education Week, 29(16), 1.
DuFour, R.P & Eaker, R. (2007). Professional Learning Communities at Work: Best Practices for Enhancing Student Achievement. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree.Gewertz, C. (2009, November 11). Paper calls for focus on high school teachers. Education Week, 29(11), 8.
Dunn, J. J. (2013, December 2). Left behind: literacy is today's civil rights issue. America, 209(17), 20. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA351818389&v=2.1&u=9211haea&it=r&p=PROF&sw=w&asid=ecf33fbb3e31bfe9fa8629677f3f1999.
Entwisle, D. R., Alexander, K. L., & Olson, L. S. (2007). Early schooling: The handicap of being poor and male. Sociology Of Education, 80(2), 114-138.
Hinman, C. (2007). Developing a Substantive Professional Learning Community. National Forum on Educational Administration and Supervision Journal. 24 (1), 29-35.
Kruse, S., Seashore Louis, K. & Bryk, A. (1994). Building Professional Communities in Schools. Issues in Restructuring Schools. Report Number 6 (Spring 1994), 3-6.
Marzano, R.J. & Marzano, J.S. (2001). Kaleidoscope: Contemporary and Classic Readings in Education. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Sparks, S. D. (2010, September 15). Adolescent literacy: the enhanced reading opportunities study final report: the impact of supplemental literacy courses for struggling 9th grade readers. Education Week, 30(3), 5. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA238082735&v=2.1&u=9211haea&it=r&p=PROF&sw=w&asid=4f228bbc2e4456c97415f24bfb60070c.
Sparks, S.D. (2011, March 9). Striving readers pilot yields results as budget ax falls. Education Week, 30(23), 12.
Torres, F.C. (October 2013). Word up: look who's reading the old-fashioned way." Success. 13.
Wise, B. (February 2009). Adolescent literacy: the cornerstone of student success. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy 52(5), 369-375).
Zehr, M.A. (2010, January 6). Reading aloud to teens gains favor among teachers. Education Week, 29(16), 1.