Hi All,
Have a look at this video clip from youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEMEBBwO6J8
Reading is not the same as it was in years gone by. Silent reading of the traditional, notes and records between two covers may be a passing trend. However, it would seem that the deep-rooted culture of reading has gained as much as it has lost. We now have the introduction of new literacies emerging out of widespread and all pervading technology such as; e books, blogs, wikis, kindle, iPad, digital photo stories. It is up to the educators to ensure that students continue to read and read well.
What can we, as teachers do to build a culture of reading in our immediate environments? It is helpful to have famous people endorse the value of reading as in the video clip shown above. However, this may be short lived. The Gravelly Hill Middle School which earned the IRA’s Exemplary Reading Program Award has implemented a whole school focus on Literacy.
The strategies they incorporated in improving school literacy can be employed by any school, if they are looked to as a benchmark. Their approach was to bring the entire school on board. They put up pictures of staff holding their favourite books, and signs encouraging students to read. The staff implemented the “Grizzly Acceleration Programme” developed by literacy experts such as, Robert Marzano, Irene Fountas, Gay Su Pinnell and Jerry Johns. This is, “an intervention Programme that uses a 30 minute literacy block of intensive and targeted intervention that is data driven, supports core instruction and monitors student growth and achievement.”Reading Today, (2010).
The school gave priority to professional development. They also made considerable use of technology. They added resources such as magazines in every classroom, the cafeteria the offices the gym and in the auditorium. The staff worked as a team to ensure that students’ written work was well organized and planned and grammatically correct.
All schools can implement such a programme with support from administration and proper planning.
Reference :
Anonymous, A culture of reading: Whole-school focus on literacy earns IRA’s exemplary reading program award for Gravelly Hill Middle School. Reading Today, Vol.27, No. 6 June/July 2010.
Syndy Jahoor
