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Post by loganc on Feb 22, 2016 22:19:32 GMT -5
I googled "literacy crisis" and the first thing that came up was an article about a school district in Houston, Texas, where 4 out of 10 students struggle with reading(http://www.chron.com/opinion/editorials/article/Literacy-crisis-5675469.php). With the chance of sounding ignorant, I plan to teach high school and have never considered having students in my classes who have trouble reading. By this, I mean, when I am creating my practice lesson plans for my courses all of my classes are on grade level and the only accommodations that I have to make are for ELLs, ADD, ADHD, anxiety, asperger's, etc. but never had I thought about what I might do if I assign a book to my students and over half of them are not on grade level. Any thoughts?
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Post by sarahaubreyr on Feb 23, 2016 19:52:58 GMT -5
I don't think you sound ignorant. The expectation for high schoolers is that they know how to read. So I completely understand where you are coming next from. I, however, want to teach middle school so I'm completely expecting some issues (I want to teach 6th grade). I think one thing we as teachers can do is just learn to expect anything and understand that it might not meet our expectations. Kids come from all sorts of backgrounds and may not have the time or help to practice their skills as other students might. I think the struggle then is finding a balance for all kinds of students so the assignment isn't too hard for some, but then too easy for others. It's definitely a juggling came that we have to expect. However, I think it's one of those things where we will figure out a way under the pressure that it might put on us.
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Post by taylorsauban on Feb 24, 2016 9:24:28 GMT -5
I agree Logan, I plan on teaching high school and I always catch myself thinking about my future classroom being similar to the classrooms I was in, which will probably not be the case. I went to a brand new, highly funded school and was in Honors/AP English classes. Of course everyone knew how to read in this setting so I never thought it was possibly for 17 year olds to still not have this skill. I personally think this is an issue best addressed once you learn the strengths and weaknesses of your students, pick out who is excelling and who is struggling with reading, and figure out a way to teach both of them at the same time. It is inevitable that the most advanced in your class are not constantly going to be challenged when you have such different ranges of learning in the same room. Thankfully, in high school students are generally broken up into Regular, Honors, etc so hopefully this alleviates the possibility of having students of such different learning spectrum's in one class.
As far as how you would teach these students, I would probably take strategies we have learned is TSL to encourage their English skills. If the student doesn't know how to read, many of the things we are instructed to help with ELL's could possibly help them out as well. Examples: modeling, speaking clearly and annunciation when reading aloud, pointing to the words as you read, etc.
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Post by andryahr on Feb 24, 2016 11:20:54 GMT -5
I don't think it's as much as being ignorant as it is being an idealist. I know the possibility of having high school students who can't read is a shock to me and not because I don't know the statistics but rather because I picture the perfect classroom in my head. We don't have the experience to rely on to be able to picture that issue. Especially when we compare our future students to our fellow classmates, as we do frequently in our classrooms. We are readers, it's something we're passionate about and constantly being surrounded by others who feel the same way causes us to forget some don't. I agree with Taylor that the break up of classes will help alleviate the possibility of students on opposite sides of the spectrum and being able to see it per classroom will help remind the teachers that not everyone is at the same level. Whereas if a few students with low reading abilities were mixed into a classroom with students who excel in reading, they'd be forgotten and this literacy crisis would never end. In the end, I just believe it's really important to know all of your students and their abilities; this way nothing is assumed and the students have a chance at the education they deserve.
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Post by alexandrajohnson on Feb 27, 2016 17:14:51 GMT -5
I don't think that is an ignorant thing. It is the same thought I has actually. For me it is especially hard to imagine a child in high school not being able to read because I was reading at the age of 5 and was always above grade level. But even with this, we have to acknowledge that everyone's situation is different and everyone has a story to tell. Just because a kid in high school can't read doesn't make him or her dumb. But I have to say it will be a challenge to deal with this as teachers. especially as my certification will be in biology and basic reading skills will not be built in my curriculum but it is something I know that I will always have to think about and consider as it comes to the time when I do have my own classroom.
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Post by angelawithee on Mar 3, 2016 9:37:30 GMT -5
I don't think what you're saying is ignorant at all. I feel like as college students a lot of us had prior experience with honor and AP classes where reading skills were necessary to get into. Many of the students we teach might not have had the same resources and similar learning experiences as us and might have trouble acquiring reading skills at an early school age due to reasons out of their control. This gap just increases when they're expected to comprehend books on their grade level and have no prior knowledge of reading to build upon.
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