Literacy Now

Reading is something most high school students take for granted, but if you ask teachers around the country, they say many students lack the basic literacy skills necessary for learning.

A 10th-grade teacher, Sandi, told us nearly all of her 30 inner-city students are behind in reading by one or more grade levels and need individual and small-group instruction on basic literacy skills. Sandi has little help from her school district to support intervention, but she does her best. She modifies lessons, scours thrift stores for simpler texts, and works with students during her lunch break and after school.

“My heart breaks every day,” Sandi says. “I try to walk a tightrope between teaching the kids what they’re supposed to know for the state standards and coming back to help with really basic skills.”

Research suggests these problems start early in a child’s schooling. If students aren’t reading on level by third grade, they’re likely to fall further and further behind as they progress through school.

Why Is Third Grade So Important?

Third grade is a pivotal point in a student’s development because students are learning to read until third grade. After third grade, students are reading to learn. It’s nearly impossible to learn about state history in fourth grade or solve a word problem in eighth grade without being able to read.

Teachers in the later grades aren’t trained to teach basic reading skills, so if a student hasn’t learned to read by the end of third grade, the student is almost certain to struggle.

Studies by the Annie E. Casey Foundation found that 82% of low-income students aren’t reading at grade level when they enter fourth grade, and students who don’t read at grade level by the end of third grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school.

“Walk around my school during a day of state testing,” Sandi says. “Watch the kids look at the standardized test and, one by one, put their heads down because they can’t read it. The text is too difficult.”

Who’s Seeking Solutions?

Fortunately, a number of powerful players have realized the importance of reading on level by third grade.

The Education Trust has identified reading by third grade as one of its six critical areas worth fighting for, and even the White House is paying attention. In September, the administration unveiled My Brother’s Keeper Community Challenge, a campaign to ensure all young people have access to educational opportunities and reading by third grade is one of its six priorities as well.

School districts across the country are refocusing their efforts, too. In Philadelphia, they’re placing an early literacy coach in every elementary school, and in Denver, they’re aiming to have 80% of students reading at grade level by 2020.

The Education Trust uses its Dispelling the Myth Awards program to recognize schools making a difference. Its 2014 winners range from a rural elementary school in Michigan to an urban pre-K through eighth-grade school in Atlanta. All winners boast high rates of reading proficiency, despite above-average levels of student poverty.

Hard Work Leads to Progress

There’s no secret to solving this problem. The solution lies in what we already know: Students need exposure to reading and good teaching to develop literacy skills, and teachers need targeted training and in-classroom coaching to implement best practices in reading instruction.

Sandi’s students still struggle, but she’s starting to see results, and she knows her hard work is worth it.

“I feel a sense of hope when I see a kid sneaking a novel under the desk,” she says. “If they can read, they can do everything.”

Joel Zarrow is the executive director of Children’s Literacy Initiative. CLI is a nonprofit organization that aims to help teachers transform instruction to enable children to become powerful readers, writers, and thinkers. Prior to CLI, Joel served as a senior advisor and consultant for the New Jersey Department of Education, the associate director of Partners in School Innovation, and a board member for Envision Schools, a charter management organization.

Four years ago I came across Drive by Daniel Pink. This professional reading continues to empower my teaching practice. Drive focuses on how to avoid meaningless work by engaging in work for a purpose. Pink’s writing focuses on three specific characteristics of work: autonomy, mastery, and purpose. He describes autonomy as the urge to direct our own course, mastery as the drive to improve, and purpose as the reasoning behind what we do.

Still today I take to heart what Pink wrote. Not only do I apply it to my personal life, I also implement it in my classroom. I have found it is difficult to have students work towards a larger purpose by asking them to hang their work outside the classroom. Instead, I look for ways to learn outside of the classroom while asking the students to work with a purpose. We then harness Twitter, Skype, and other technological vehicles to connect the student’s work with other classes, organizations, and businesses to ensure students are working for a purpose.

This year my students participated in the National Association of Independent Schools Challenge 20/20 program. This program is an Internet-based program teaming three classes to find solutions top global problems. To start, we connected with our partner schools in Rochester, NY, and Vitoria, Spain, to work on global biodiversity. Each class pursued a project covering one problem in their area. Our projects had the same enduring understandings of empathy, compassion, and collaboration. While working globally, we also connected locally with programs including The Dallas Zoo’s program about conservation and The Dallas World Aquarium’s shark program. These programs heightened my student’s passion for the subjects and allowed us to tie in other studies such as art, Spanish fluency, and literacy. We researched the geographic locations of shark habitats using Google Earth and learned about a global demand for shark fins driven partially by a cultural desire for shark fin soup.

The students then researched how we, as young learners, could solve this problem. This lead us to an organization called Sharks 4 Kids. One of the major components of Sharks 4 Kids is to educate and help kids learn to advocate for sharks. My students took this to heart and decided to collaborate on a book, All About Sharks, which we will share with the other classes in the Challenge. We are in the process of recording our book in both English and Spanish to post on YouTube to share globally.

The students ate up the shark research so much I tied in reading and writing nonfiction. I scheduled a field trip to The Dallas World Aquarium and each student picked an animal to research. They wrote four chapters with different chapter titles such as “Where Boas Live,” “What Boas Eat,” “Boa Babies,” and “Fun Facts.” I told students they would take photos of their researched animal during our trip. The reason was two-fold: first, students will have a purpose on the trip, second, for copyright issues. My librarian and I collaborated on our digital citizenship goals. Our goal included students citing sources and at this point in the school year this can be a bit daunting. While brainstorming solutions, one was for students to take pictures of the animals themselves.  We will also have students illustrate pictures in addition to using the Book Creator app.

My favorite moment so far this school year unfolded when we arrived at the aquarium. The sight mesmerized the students. As we forged ahead to the first exhibit, I heard squeaks and squeals of “Hey Marshall, look at your animal the three-toed sloth.” The students not only knew the facts about their animal, they knew their peers’ animals. They took their learning and owned it!

To keep the excitement going after these trips, I have planned Skype sessions with the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) to hear the story of a rescued penguin named Beakie, Digital Explorers to hear about coral reefs, and Yoga Foster to participate in an ocean yoga lesson.

I know this can sound like a lot. I want to urge educators to start small. Take one question from a child or one topic and go with it. Make a list of local and virtual ideas. My favorite virtual ideas are Skype in the Classroom and Twitter. Talk with colleagues and ask for help. Our Spanish teacher helped me with the aquarium field trip by tracking animals using Google Maps and the students learned animal names in Spanish. They are also writing a sentence in Spanish about their animal for their book. The art teacher at my school tied in photography. She taught students how to take photos and the importance of light when taking photos on the trip.  

Once you start you will be simply amazed at how the learning extends outside of your classroom. Hold on tight and get ready to be amazed.

Allison Hogan is a primer teacher at The Episcopal School of Dallas in Texas where she teaches kindergarten and first grade. She holds a bachelor’s in communications from the University of North Florida and a graduate degree in education from Southern Methodist University where she specialized in reading and English as a Second Language. She has been recognized as a Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development Emerging Leader and a National Association of Independent Schools Teacher of the Future. She can be found on Twitter at @AllisonHoganESD or @PrimerESD.

Kindergarten is such a transitional time in the life of a 5-year-old and the crucial time to begin an exciting path to lifelong learner. That being said, it is critical Kindergarten teachers fill the emergent writers with tools for the rest of their school careers. One is how to write a story in a sequence. The easiest way is with something most of you have in your classroom, sequencing puzzles. You know that kit, the one with the three puzzle pieces that obviously fit together because the pictures go together—AND there is only one way for the pieces to fit.

It certainly isn’t the best activity to assess or even practice their sequencing skills, but let’s not throw the puzzles away too quickly. Use that puzzle set in a center to inspire writing in a sequence.

Put a set of the puzzles together under the document camera and have the students tell the story while pointing to each picture. “I see a jar of popcorn. I cook the popcorn. I eat the popcorn.” Introduce the students to the words: first, then, and last. Ask them to restate the sentences, adding those introduction words. “First, I see a jar of popcorn. Then, I cook the popcorn. Last, I eat the popcorn.” Practice this sequencing activity with a few completed puzzles each day for a week. Each day emphasize using the words first, then, and next.

The following week, revisit the puzzles. While the puzzles are displayed, write a sentence for each puzzle piece as a whole group. Providing a sheet with the transition words on it, students will create one story a day for a week. “First, I see the cow. Then, I milk the cow. Last, I drink the milk.” Once the students have practiced the art of orally telling a story in the correct sequence and writing the story with transition words, this becomes an independent center. I cleverly call it, “First, Then, Last.” I know it isn’t creative, but the students know exactly what to expect. I put three sets of puzzles in a resealable bag. The students choose a bag, and put the puzzles together. After they choose one puzzle they get a sequencing paper and start their independent story. This center can remain for the next several weeks or for the remainder of the school year. The same bags can be used because students choose a bag and a different puzzle to write the story. Eventually, the writing paper is replaced with word cards (first, then, last) and students can add more details to their stories as they are comfortable.

Eventually, students may add a comment about how much they like or don’t like milk or even about how it would be to milk a cow. Providing simple sequencing lessons lets a student experience success with writing. Each success puts another writing tool in their toolbox and future teachers can build on this skill to increase the rigor and expectations.

Cathy Collier is a reading specialist at Great Bridge Primary School in Chesapeake, VA, with an additional 15 years as a kindergarten teacher. She has her B.S. in Special Education, a master’s degree in Special Education and a certified reading specialist. She is the immediate past president of the Virginia State Reading Association.

Let’s face it: education is, and always has been, a pendulum. It seems as if the people who lead the charge in our educational system feel we have to choose just one way make our children proficient in academics. Then, politicians promote it, college professors seem to be apathetic to it, and, for the most part, teachers accept it, knowing that in a few more years the pendulum will indeed swing back to the other side and strategies and mandates will change yet again.

In the meantime, our students suffer and I wonder, why is there never a middle? We seem to forget pendulums have a middle, directly under the “point of support.” Why then can’t we choose the middle? Isn’t that what we want to be for our students—a point of support?

For our current opposing strategies, consider the sanctioned/safe method of study—Common Core Standards—and, on the other end, a technique that is a little less structured and a little more risky—Project-Based Learning. As often happens, neither of the two “ends of the swing” seem to be the right fit for every child, in every subject, in every situation.

The problem with not recognizing the middle is that we become shortsighted. We start to think all students can learn the same way, and even worse, we believe the same student will learn everything he or she needs to know using that same preferred method. Given our country’s pride surrounding diversity and embracing differences, we should already know this progression just doesn’t make sense. And given current statistics, this theory doesn’t make proficient students, either. 

I do get it. Schools are under significant pressure to perform within the confines of the Standards, and in the minds of administrators it is much easier to perform under what is presumed a stable and more “in the hands of the adult in the room” setting. A given set of standards with specific skill sets does provide a jumping off point for most students and a more discernable way to evaluate progress.

These skill sets, although important, will not provide necessary critical thinking, team-building, creativity, and communication skills needed for our students to survive in today’s real-world scenarios. Furthermore, they will not even provide the skills needed for the students to pass the newest test on the block, Smarter Balance.

On the other hand, PBL provides the opportunity for the student to choose. The teacher no longer does the evaluation or synthesis. Students are actually given the opportunity to formulate their own ideas regarding a given thought or practice. Administrators claim to want this type of learning atmosphere and student, but it has been my experience that they don’t want the methods that will provide them. The push-back for teachers who choose PBL in a Common Core world is often devastating to teachers and students.

Don’t get me wrong. I am in no way trying to say there shouldn’t be specific skill sets all students must know. On the other hand, I am also not saying that supplying the students with “big questions” in which they have to work as a team to examine solutions, ideas, and/or processes is not a necessary part of a true education. So, what is the answer?

• Create assignments that use skill sets included in the Common Core, with the core ideas and values that exist in any respectable project management atmosphere.
• Allow students to use their problem-solving skills. This is a necessity to being successful in life.
• Engage students in reading—anything and everything—and teach them how to talk about it.
• Ensure students have a strong skill-set base in math, reading, and writing. This includes being able to evaluate what’s important, what’s not, and what’s different or the same about both.
• Teach students that every idea, thought process, and text has a sequence. Figure it out and you open the door to meaning.
• Allow students to fail. There is something to be said for the idea that failure builds knowledge and character.

Or…simply find the middle and use a little bit of everything.

Pam Andreavich is a middle school writing teacher at a charter school in Middletown, DE. She is an executive board member for Delaware’s Odyssey of the Mind program.

Happy New Year! Each year, educators are fortunate to have two opportunities to celebrate a new beginning. Filled with the anticipation and excitement of a brand-new school year, we often make resolutions to improve various aspects of our instruction. Now, as we ring in 2015, it’s a perfect opportunity to consider three small changes that will positively impact our students’ learning as we transform our literacy teaching to support them in meeting higher standards.

Strive for balance

Balance. It’s something we all aim for in our personal lives—a balanced diet, a balanced budget, a balance between work and play. Maintaining balance is essential in the era of higher standards. I’ve heard of many questionable instructional practices and shiny packaged programs being mandated in the name of Common Core. It’s time to use common sense! Wise teachers, like you, know better than to abandon the research-based stages of gradual release and proven practices like read-aloud, guided reading, and independent reading.

Now, more than ever, children need to hear rich literature read aloud on a daily basis. When carefully-selected literature is surrounded by collaborative conversations, listeners’ comprehension of complex text soars. Not only do we surround texts with discussion, but we also use them as mentor texts to demonstrate the strategic moves of proficient readers. Then, we scaffold as our readers try out what they’ve learned during guided practice. The descriptive feedback we provide, whether in small-guided reading groups or in individual conferences, is the key to nudging readers toward independence. Finally, to apply all of this learning in authentic context of self-selected books, students need ample time to engage in supported independent reading. Learners thrive in classrooms where caring educators know their readers, are knowledgeable about books, and can put the perfect book in each reader’s hands. With the words of great literature singing in their ears, students in balanced literacy classrooms are more likely to become confident, capable readers.

If you’re looking for more ideas or research to support the need for independent reading check out IRA’s recent Position Statement on Leisure Reading and Scholastic’s Open a World of Possible campaign. For more common sense information on finding balance in the Common Core Era see IRA’s Literacy Implementation Guidance for the ELA CCSS or Regie Routman’s recent blog post on Scholastic Administrators Site .

Notice the world around you

From your interactions with adults to conversations with children—words matter. No one educational researcher has had a greater influence on my thinking about words than Peter Johnston and his books Choice Words and Opening Minds.

From him, I’ve learned that every word I say in my classroom has a profound impact on the way students view themselves and view each other. For the new year, I challenge you to add one simple question to your daily conversations with students. Ask your students, “What do you notice?” Since this questions has  no one “right” answer, it invites children who typically don’t participate to join the discussion. In addition, your avid noticers will find something interesting to share about any topic. In fact, just before Winter Break, we were studying the digraph “ch.”

Here’s the brief noticing conversation we had:

Kira: I notice that the word Christmas begins with a “ch.”
Christian: So does my name!
Me: Hmmmm! What do you notice about the words Christmas and Christian compared to the ones we’ve written on our “ch” chart?
Aarav: They make the /c/ sound and the words on our chart make the /ch/ sound.

This simple, yet powerful, exchange would not have happened if my students weren’t avid noticers. As Peter Johnston says, “To notice—to become aware of—the possible things to observe about the literate world, about oneself, and about others can open conversations among students who are noticing different things.”

“Let It Go!”

I know you love the penguin unit that you’ve been teaching for the last 20 years. I know because I used to teach one, too. I spent hours creating the activities and, over the years, bought a lot of penguin books for our classroom library. Certainly, if we’re going to focus on helping students achieve higher standards, we can’t do everything we’ve always done plus more. Because our instructional time is precious, we have to focus our attention on the learning experiences that will propel students toward higher standards, which may mean giving up the beloved penguin unit. In our school, we have meetings where we celebrate “brave abandonments.” We cheer and encourage teachers who make intentional decisions to abandon a routine, practice, or activity to make more instructional time for authentic and purposeful literacy experiences. In the words of Elsa from Frozen, “It’s time to see what I can do. To test the limits and break through.” As you ring in 2015, ask yourself, “Can I let something go to make more room for meaningful literacy experiences?”

What other small changes would you suggest to your colleagues as they transform their literacy instruction to meet higher standards? Share your stories at social@/.

Maria Walther is a first-grade teacher, literacy consultant, and Scholastic author. Her latest book Transforming Literacy Teaching in the Era of Higher Standards comes out this month. Find out more at her website or follow her on Twitter.