Next year, you will be teaching in a school where the vast majority of students did not meet standard on your state's criterion-referenced test and where more than 75% of the students are eligible for free and reduced-price meals. What are some specific universal literacy strategies you may implement to ensure students success? Include both in-class examples and things you could do outside the classroom.
The first way to ensure students' success in reading would be to make sure they are being taught using a contemporary method of reading instruction. This is critical because it allows them to learn strategies to help them become reader's of the whole text, and not just individual parts of words, which a traditional method would offer them. Like all students, these students need to know that reading is meant to result in meaning. By learning whole words, and reading interesting texts they will gain more meaning. Traditional methods would call for too much decoding and predictable texts which may turn them off from reading. In addition, it is important to make sure these students are being taught through a program that is proved effective, and not the "latest greatest". Although it is important for educators to keep up with the times, a tried and true program is best for these learners. Something new and flashy may end up negatively effecting them in the end.
In terms of what can be done outside the classroom, it is critical that these students have access to books at all times. It is even more critical that these books be on their level. Having access to books when they want to read them, will help them gain an appreciation for reading and do it more often for pleasure. In addition, if the books are on their level they will have the freedom to practice reading independently. Also, having books that can be read aloud to them will show them how books are supposed to be read, introduce them to more strategies and get them excited for more reading. If students are not given access to these books, I believe their interest in engagement for reading will not flourish. In doing so, the students will not be able to be successful in the future since so much of education is rooted in reading.
Mary,
ReplyDeleteI agree that students needs to have access to books on their level - at all times! You never know what will spark them to read and if nothing is available, that moment is gone forever. Literacy is a gift that keeps on giving.
Mary,
ReplyDeleteI agree that it is important to be sure the students are accustomed to a comprehensive literacy approach to teaching. I also agree of the importance of allowing students to have access to books throughout the year. I think a classroom library check-out system would be wonderful for these students! All in all, great post!