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
Syndy,
ReplyDeleteReading is definitely the single most important educational skill that any child will learn . Therefore, as eventual Reading specialists it is important to be cognisant of the multiplicity of strategies , programmes, and techniques that we will be expected to share with our clientele.Obviously, the use of technology must be innovative, stimulating and encouraging if we are to effect meaningful change in our education system and by extension the society. This view is even more relevant if one is based in a school environment where the majority of students encounter difficulties in reading.
Definitely, the success of any programme in any school will depend on the cooperation and support of administration and the teaching staff.
Hi Syndy,
ReplyDeleteLoved your youtube video, will use it when I get back to school to motivate my students.
You have made some insightful points about developing a school reading program. I has been suggested in the research that students must have role models in readin so that they will be able to look at reading positively.The support of staff professional development is also essential as teachers must have access to the resources and skills they need for improving reading achievement. You also mentioned the role of data collection, where the areas where students are weak can be directly targetted so that the intervention fulfills the role for which it was chosen.