Promoting Reading Development, Research Paper Example

Introduction

Politicians have been focusing on ways to help struggling readers for year and often use this issue as their platform. Teachers use a variety of ways to teach reading. The big question has been whether some ways of teaching reading is more effective than others. Over the years, researchers have introduced various methods to aid struggling readers in becoming more efficient readers. In the past 20 years, educators have seen numerous strategies and methods fail to assist struggling readers. Consequently, educators are examining ways to reach each individual child, rather than strategies geared toward an entire class. During the early years of education teachers used the whole word method to teach reading. In this method, teachers required students to memorize words. This was the most widely used choice of instruction.  Later, the phonics approach was adopted. This method stressed learning by determining the relationship between sound and letter.  This method quickly went to the backburner and the look and say method was adopted. With this method the student would say the word aloud and look at the word. This method was really a combination of the whole method and the phonics method. The silent reading method was adopted after these previous methods were found unbeneficial. Teachers and researchers deemed this the most effective method of teaching reading. Later, teachers realized that some students were not reading. Also, there was no way to determine if students were reading. A student could sit quietly and still not be reading. This method gave way to the basal approach. With this approach, students are divided into groups according to their reading ability. Basal comes from the root word base or basic. Students used reading books or what is commonly called readers. These books have short stories and individual books for learners. This method is still widely used around the world today. All efficient teachers know that there is no one best way to teach reading because a combination of approaches is essential to meet the needs of students with varied learning styles.           

The Media Specialist

The role of t he media specialist varies from school to school.  Traditionally, the media specialist was seen as a teacher, but the role has changed in recent years to an advocate that supports reading skills. The media specialist has the opportunity to shape the way students feel about literature more so than the classroom teachers. When media specialists are aware of the trends and popular books and the students’ interests, they can develop collections that will fit the needs of the students. This fact alone will draw students to the school media center. (Goddard & Moran 2007) Media specialists also teach students to be ethical users of information and skillful researchers. The media specialist can collaborate with classroom teachers to enhance. Media specialists also play a crucial role in the implementation of technology in the classroom.  Media specialists can support the school’s use of technology by collaborating with classroom teachers to create engaging lessons. They can introduce and model lessons using technology. After all, they are the specialists in this area.

Reading Development

So many students are struggling with reading because they have missed those essential phonetic skills in elementary school. By the time they reach middle school they are far behind their classmates.  (Parsley & Corcoran, 2003).Most schools require students to take some type of test that displays what grade level they are on according to the test. Teachers in turn, must take those results and meet students where they are. This tactic will call for some differentiation in teaching methods. Some teachers choose to collaborate with co-workers and use a partner teaching method. For example, one teacher may take all of the students who are on grade lever. This way, the students who are able to go on can do so. Another teacher may take students who are slightly below grade level. Finally, another teacher will take the students who are several levels below their actual grade. This tactic can only be successful when skillful planning is taking place. Teachers must have the support of administrators and parents. Most school have a designated time when they focus on reading skills. This would be the ideal time to focus on this tactic. The media specialist can also assist in this tactic. Often, students who are below grade level, steer clear of the library. Media specialist can partner with classroom teachers to reinforce what classroom teachers are teaching. Some media specialist have contest to entice students to read more. Students are allowed to read books on the grade level they tested on. This helps students become motivated to read. Students are often frustrated with reading when they can not understand what they are reading.

Strategies for Reading

Repeat Reading

There are several reasons why student do not read well. Most times it is that the skill is new to the student and the student needs more practice opportunities to master the skill. There are three skill based strategies that are designed to improve reading fluency. First, repeated reading is a strategy known to improve reading fluency by having the student read and reread material on his/her reading level. This strategy is especially effective on elementary students. By using repeated reading, students can increase their exposure to certain words; thus decreasing the latency recognizing words. According to Allington, this type of practice is essential for students to learn sight words. This strategy, in turn, will allow students to focus more on higher-level skills. Once students have mastered this skill they will be able to multi-task while reading. Eventually, they will be able to self-monitor reading comprehension. “Repeated reading is effective for improving fluency with elementary students, adolescents struggling readers, and students with learning disabilities:’ (Ysseldyke, 2005). Repeated reading increases a student’s exposure to words. Studies support that reading a passage a minimum of three times is optimal (Ysseldyke, 2005) This type of reading is completed with an instructor providing one-on-one guidance. The instructor corrects the students the first two times, but the student must read the passage alone the last time. If a student is reading alone and does not receive feedback from the adult, this process may not process may not prove effective. If the student does not receive feedback, he/she will continue to make the same mistakes. Studies show that “reading without feedback is ineffective.” (Goddard, 2007).

Listening

Secondly, listening improves reading fluency through a skill-based model of fluent reading. This method also improves comprehension and word recognition accuracy. When students listen while reading along silently with a fluent reader, the struggling reader will strengthen his/her reading skills. Many students enter school with limited exposure to reading. Students who come from low socioeconomic conditions have an ever lower exposure to words (Parsley & Corcoran, 2003). Because of their limited exposure, students have limited knowledge about appropriate intonation and rhythm of text. They are unaware that a period means stop and a comma means pause. Consequently, all of the words run together and the student does not comprehend what he/she has read. With LLP, students are provided demonstrations of the rhythm of language, correct punctuation, and intonation. By reading along silently with a fluent reader, struggling readers written and oral word recognition with strengthen.

Reinforcement

Thirdly, contingent reinforcement is based upon behavior principles. This strategy involves removing or delivering stimuli to get the desired outcome. In other words, students are rewarded for desired outcomes and punished for undesirable outcomes. Usually, positive reinforcement is most effective in producing desired outcomes. Nonetheless, teachers must find out what students like and dislike so as to use them as an effective stimulus.  For example, the teacher may set a goal of 100 words per minute for a 5^th grader. Once t he goal is met the child will receive an award for reaching that goal. However, if a child does not reach his/her goal or digresses after reaching the goal, the child will have the reward withheld until he/she reaches the goal again. Teachers have to be created with rewards; rewards may be free time to pleasure read or free time to play educational games on the computer or whatever the teacher deems is effective. These types of stimuli play a big role in a teacher effort to improve reading effective in both effective and struggling readers. (Goddard, 2007).

Getting Parents Involved

Getting parents involved in student’s education can prove very difficult, especially when students reach middle school and high school.   According to Allington, “Some parents may experience “volunteer burnout” by the time their kids enter high school or decide that the schools don’t need them as much then. Many parents who volunteered a lot of time during their kids’ elementary years return to full-time careers by the time their kids are teens, so there’s often a shortage in the secondary schools” (Allington, 2002). First of all, teachers need to get to know their parents. One can start with an orientation meeting at the beginning of the school year, and do a follow up home visit for those parents that couldn’t make it to the orientation. This is a chance for the teacher to get to know the child’s family and a chance for them to get to know the teacher. This helps families realize that teachers are real people. This also gives the teacher a chance to observe that home culture. This can be helpful when planning lessons that meet the needs of all students. Try to see pick out strengths in all of the families’ one meets. Parents are more likely to get involved if they fell welcomed. Offer books that parents can check out and read with students, or have books that parents can check out and read along with students (usually for middle or high school students).  Reinforce how important it is for parents to be involved in their child’s learning process. Ask for parents help. Get them involved by seeking help in writing or in person. Send home calendars of events sot that parents will know what is going on in the classroom. Send out sign up sheets for parents to volunteer for different tasks. Asking parents to come out and volunteer as room mothers or fathers is a good way to get them active in the classroom. For older students, parents can tutor or be chaperones for field trips or after school programs. Parents will help to spread the world about your willingness to get them involved. This will be great for one’s next school year of students. Teacher’s can assign activities that involve parents. For example, students may have to complete a report on one of their parents. Asking them questions about their jobs or interests is a good way to get parent and children taking.

Teacher Collaboration

Collaboration between teachers has been proven to improve student scores. Both teachers and the school benefits from collaboration. Research supports the fact that lower turnover rates for beginning teachers in schools where collaboration is fostered. Also, teachers felt a sense of personal satisfaction when they were involved in decision making. School leaders who foster collaboration between new and veteran teachers will improve teacher retention and teacher satisfaction.  Historically, teachers have worked in isolation. There was always one teacher in the classroom. That one teacher was responsible for all the needs of the students the class. In the past several decades, that picture has changed drastically.  Cooperative teaching began emerging in the late 1980s.  Initially, this type of collaboration was geared towards the general education teacher collaborating with the special education teacher (Parsley & Corcoran, 2003). However, today collaboration is taking place across the school. Teachers, literacy coaches, principals, parents, and administrators are putting their heads together to decide what is best for the students.  Today, the general education and special education teachers work side by side in one classroom. This can be a stressful task. Some teachers are territorial, and have a difficult time giving over the authority they have over their classrooms.  For example, “In developing and implementing cooperative teaching, school professionals experience great changes in the way they go about their daily work. To overcome the inevitable fears and stresses associated with change, the educators involved must feel that they are responsible for the change and that its success or failure lies directly with them” (Allington, 2002    ) However, each person plays a crucial role in the education of the students. Because all parties have the same goal in mind- a common ground should be found.  In order to ensure that efficient collaboration is taking place, six action steps must be completed:

1. Raise collaboration literacy
2. Identify and inventory communities of practice
3. Reconfigure teacher teams
4. Assess quality of collaboration
5. Make corrections
6. Recognize accomplishments (Allington, 2002).

Principals and other administrators play a very important role in developing a learning community centered on teacher collaboration. With collaboration, teachers become specialists in their areas. Collaboration can be done at any grade level. However, it has been shown to be highly effective in elementary school. Elementary school teachers are responsible for teaching all core subjects. With collaboration, teachers who are better with reading strategies can focus only on that. In order for this to be successful, a great deal of strategic planning is needed.

Technology

Technology is a great tool to help enhance a student’s reading ability. One reason it’s so beneficial is the fact that student don’t realize they are actually learning when they use technology.  Research has proven that computer technologies support student learning in many ways. ( Ysseldyke, 2005).Multimedia computer based programs offer a wide variety of teaching enhancers like text, audio, video, graphics, and animation.  Whenever a teacher implements some of these enhancers, he/she has the child’s attention immediately because it is something they are familiar with. The average middle school student today has a cell phone, has a social media account, and is quite tech savvy. There are programs that students can use to help increase their reading fluency. One of the newest trends is the E-books. Students have access to books anywhere they have internet connection. With E-books, students have access to the strategies mentioned earlier. The student can listen as the book is read aloud to them. They can get the definition of an unknown word by simply clicking on the word. Often students who come across a word that they are unfamiliar with simple skip the word. For struggling readers, this can be a great deal of skipped words. Consequently, they do not have a comprehension of what they read. Using E-books is a great tool for struggling readers.

ConclusionReading efficiently is a skill that all productive members of society must possess. In order to ensure that students are fully equipped with proper reading skills and comprehension strategies, educators, parents, and administrators must work together. Collaboration of teachers is a key factor in ensuring that students can read effectively. Parental involvement is a great asset to teachers. Parents are a student’s first model. If parents show that they value reading by reading to and with students, students will value reading as well. Teachers must be aware that their classrooms are filled with students who have varying learning styles. As a result, teachers must teach to reach the need of every student in their class. Technology is a great tool to help enhance and motivate students to be lifelong readers.

References

Allington, R. (2002). What I’ve learned about effective reading instruction: From a decade of studying exemplary elementary classroom teachers. Phi Delta Kappa, 83, p. 740-747.

Goddard, Y. L., Goddard, R. D., Tschannen-Moran, M. (2007). A theoretical and empirical investigation of teacher collaboration for school improvement and student achievement in public elementary schools. Teachers College Record, 109(4), 877-896.

Parsley, K., & Corcoran, C. (2003). The classroom teacher’s role in preventing school failure. Kappa Delta Pi, 39, p. 84-87.

Ysseldyke, J. E. (2005). Assessment and decision making for students with learning disabilities: What if this is as good as it gets? Learning Disability Quarterly, 28, 125–128.