Reading is one of the most difficult and challenging skills to master in school. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP; 1997) reported that 40% of fourth graders, 30% of eighth graders, and 25% of twelfth graders were reading below grade level. Snow, Burns, & Griffin discovered that the percentages are even higher and the gaps even wider between grade levels in schools predominately made up of free or reduced lunch eligible student populations (as cited in Joseph, 2002). It is up to the schools and teachers to find strategies to help these struggling readers master the skills that are necessary to be better readers. Even with the growing number of programs being made available to help assist with struggling readers, most …show more content…
The main goal for Fast ForWord is to help improve the achievement of struggling readers by building upon various skills through the use of computer programs that are adapted to each individual student. My son, Owen, who is in Third grade, has been using the Fast ForWord program since First grade and has shown great improvement in his comprehension and reading skills. Studies conducted by Scientific Learning and independently from 1996 1999 reveal that the four-to eight-week Fast ForWord Language product accelerated the progress of language acquisition by an average of one to two grade levels (“Instructional Interventions,” n.d.). Like other intervention programs, Fast ForWord accommodates different students such as English Language Learners, at-risk, and special education. The program is designed for students from Kindergarten to Twelfth grade and are researched-based materials that align with the Virginia Standards of …show more content…
With the growing number of English Language Learners and the induction of inclusion in general education classrooms, teachers have had to change their way of teaching to allow for differentiation in the classroom. Differentiation is also necessary for those students who are struggling with their reading skills or for those students who are reluctant to read. Just as in any other subject taught in school, reading is not a one size fits all subject. Teachers must make sure that they have quality materials that can be used by various levels of students and to meet the Virginia Standards of Learning. Quality differentiated instruction in reading should include books that are at the grade level struggling students are reading at and subject matter that can entice reluctant readers to find something that is actually worth reading. Reluctant readers are able to read but seem to never find a subject that interests them. With differentiated instruction, reluctant readers are given more freedom to explore the different genres and subject matter in books. Differentiated instruction should also allow extra time for those students who are slower at reading or do not like to read. Students who are struggling readers still need their teacher to help, but with using books that are at the correct reading level the student gains independence quicker. Since differentiated
During the next two decades, the focus of reading instruction shifted away from phonics based basal reading programs. Instead, research suggested teaching children how to think and
Early reading success is the foundation of a student’s knowledge and self-esteem. The foundation also provides future opportunities for growth. Students must learn to read proficiently so that they are able to learn more in future grades, post-secondary schools, and the workforce. Beverly Tyner’s Small-Group Reading Instruction: A Differentiated Teaching Model for Beginning and Struggling Readers states “In the United States, which offers few career opportunities for the illiterate, teaching children to read proficiently is the most important single task in education.” (Tyner, 2009). Beverly Tyner created the Small-Group Differentiated Reading Model which incorporates research-based strategies for teaching beginning reading skills and skills
* How should classroom reading instruction practices best meet the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse students?
In every school across America, effective practices of reading instruction are being discussed. Calkins (2012) suggests that over 85% of students being tested on grade level literacy standards are non-proficient. Research suggests that students, who are unable to read proficiently by third grade, are not predicted to ever learn to read or have successful lives when they reach adulthood (Martinez, 2008). For these reasons, it is important that districts implement literacy models and instructional reforms that have been well researched and shown to be successful. The instructional reform method of Balanced Literacy is being used throughout the country to meet the challenging standards of the Common Core. Teachers will need
Reading is a means of language acquisition, of communication, and of sharing information which is essential in being a productive member of society. If and when a student missed an opportunity to learn the skills necessary for reading, it’s has a profound impact on their lives. As educators we realize that teaching all children to read requires that every child receive excellent reading instruction. We are also aware that children, who are struggling with reading must receive
This course has provided a window into the resources and strategies available to create rich instruction for diverse needs of all literacy learners. The media segments and virtual field experiences provided models of the strategies and activities being conducted in the classroom. This was very helpful in implementing my own versions of those lessons with my literacy learner and completing the literacy development study. I believe this course has prepared me to be a more efficient educator when teaching students of diverse reading abilities. I plan to continue using my newfound knowledge and skills to create an enriching learning environment for all students in my classroom.
Reading and writing is crucial for increasing achievement among people of all ethnicities. For many young kids, books are their primary source of learning how to read and write besides the parameter of the classroom. However, there is a significant decrease in the literacy rate found in African-American communities. There is a need for stronger literacy education for this particular group of the population. A huge problem associated with that can be attributed the failure of the public school system to effectively educate the youth. According to the 2009 NAEP data, only 33 percent of 4th graders and 32 percent of 8th graders in the U.S performed at or above proficiency in reading on national tests. These results are very discouraging, in the African-American community, but the results are even worse because only 16 percent of African American 4th graders and 14 percent of African American 8th graders performed at or above the grade proficiency level in 2009.
For a child who is just starting to learn to read, they need sufficient practice in reading a variety of different books to achieve fluency. Reading can be complex and has many different aspects (Burns,1999). It is suggested that children who have problems reading and writing at a young age will find it hard to catch up as they get older and will not reach their full potential as adults, many will withdraw from school or society and some becoming involved with crime (MacBlain,2014). 40 percent of children find learning to read a challenge but with early help, most reading problems can be prevented (Reading Rockets, n.d.).
he most fundamental responsibility of schools is teaching students to read. Indeed, the future success of all students hinges upon their ability to become proficient readers. Recent scientific studies have allowed us to understand more than ever before how literacy develops, why some children have difficulty, and what constitutes best instructional practice. Scientists now estimate that fully 95 percent of all children can be taught to read. Yet, in spite of all our knowledge, statistics reveal an alarming prevalence of struggling and poor readers that is not limited to any one segment of society:
Learning to read is one of the most foundational skills needed for educational success. As children learn to read they develop the ability to decode, interpret, and store information from what they are reading. Reading comprehension allows a child to gain meaning from text and decoding allows a child to process sounds into words. Reading is vital to educational success because it allows a student to learn new information and build upon their prior knowledge. Students who attain reading skills are more likely to achieve academic success while students who have reading difficulties are likely to struggle academically and fall behind their peers. Reading difficulties have been prominent within the US for years. For example, the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress statistics shows that only about 33% of fourth graders are at or above proficient at reading (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2011). Studies show that the cause of reading difficulties is based primarily on genes, environment, and instructional experience (Vellutino, Fletcher, Snowling, Scanlon, 2004). Students with a language learning disorder have difficulty comprehending spoken and written language thus making it difficult to learn new information. Children with reading disabilities are more likely to struggle during elementary school years as students are asked to think about what they read more critically. Speech language pathologists and teachers can help
Chall and others found that children from economically disadvantaged families scored lower on the NAEP test at ages 9, 13 and 17. The achievement gap grows larger as children grow older and this happens as children move from “learning to read” in the early grades to “reading to learn” from fourth-grade onward. That transition can be troublesome when “texts begin to contain new words and ideas beyond their own language and their knowledge of the world.” The “fourth-grade slump” that results particularly impacts
While there are children from many socio-economical statuses that may struggle with reading in general, there is a large percentage of children from poor families that have little to no money to spend on things such as books. Children raised in poverty, those who have limited proficiency in English (when taught in an English speaking school), parents' whose reading levels are low, and those with speech, language, and hearing handicaps are also at increased risk of reading deficiencies. Of the 16 million children living in poverty in the U.S., two-thirds don’t have a book to call their own (RIF, n.d). RIF encourages reading for any child not just children that are at risk they essentially cover every child, so there is no real influence to their intervention; they simply want to ensure that every child grows up with the opportunity to
Many students around the United States have reading difficulties, which can be due to a variety of reason such as: low socioeconomic status, family history of learning disabilities, a neurological disorder, limited exposure, etc. Reading difficulties can lead to further problems with education and learning, therefore the struggles should be addressed and intervention techniques should be implemented promptly. The interventions need to be individualized for the student based on their needs in order to improve the student’s reading to the best of their abilities.
Students can struggle to read for many reasons. “They can lack the talent, the cognitive wiring that is necessary to easily unlock the printed code of English” (Shaywitz, 2003). These students have been categorized by many names such as learning disabled, dyslexic, and ADD (attention deficit disorder). There is only a minimal amount of students who actually suffer from a neurological or cognitive issue which causes them to be behind in learning. Student’s which are considered “at risk” because of their poor achievements on assessments actually have average intelligences they just lack a strong literacy environment at home. A child’s learning foundation begins at home so students who tend to struggle with reading are not being read to. These
After the survey was over, Lucy was walked back to the class where she laid down and began to read a book right away.