The students surveyed varied from students with special needs or English language learners. All students were reading below grade level and struggled in the area of comprehension. Most students were good decoders, but struggled to understand what they were reading. When asked about reading strategies, most students didn't even know what strategies were. They needed help but weren't getting it.
A few shocks and surprises while reading this article. For starters, I was happy to see how many parents were involved and knew their child's specific reading needs. I was disappointed to see the interventions put in place at schools to not be meeting student needs. As a reading teacher, my job is to teach specific strategies to students based on their needs. Through assessment, a teacher should be able to see if it is a fluency, comprehension, or decoding skill that a student needs and then teach to those needs. Specifically in secondary schools, these adolescents need intervention programs that will directly enhance their literacy lives for all subjects. We need to be preparing our students for the workplace and a solid literacy foundation is essential. What good is an intervention program if it isn't intervening? What good is a teacher if they aren't working cooperatively with the student and the parents?
Pitcher, S.M., Martinez, G., Dicembre, E.A., Fewster, D., McCormick, M.K. (2010). The Literacy Needs of Adolescents in Their Own Words. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 53(8), 636-645.
Stacey,
ReplyDeleteI, too, was surprised that these student's struggles went either unnoticed or misdiagnosed by their schools, but, like you, was encouraged that they had parents who intervened in time. What a reminder to be constantly vigilant with our students and in communication with their parents. You made several great points!
-Jill
Stacey,
ReplyDeleteAs a special education teacher, I use a wide range of reading intervention tools, strategies, and programs. I have seen interventions succeed and others that have not. I think you pose an essential question when you ask, "what good is an intervention program if it is not intervening?" This is an important question that teachers must closely consider when choosing interventions to help their struggling students close the gap.