DISQUS

Scott · 1 year ago

Excellent article. As you stated, a "one size fits all" approach doesn't fit reading instruction or any other type of instruction. In fact, "one size fits all" is notorious for being an ineffective approach to just about everything.

Robin Ellis · 1 year ago

Your statement concerning the responsibility to effectively teach reading throughout the curriculum lies with every educator parent and responsible adult is right on. Several years ago my district recognized the need to support reading across the curriculum and obtained grant money to create positions of literacy coaches in our middle and high schools. These were teachers who would support all core content area teachers in teaching reading in their subject area, not just in RELA classes. All of our secondary teachers received RELA training, the literacy coaches were funded for two years, and the positions were staggered. Along with the coaches, in our middle schools the daily class schedule was altered to add 30 minutes every day to one period, and that extended period changed daily so each teacher, regardless of content area, had one extended period a day to reinforce teaching strategies in their content area along with the assistance of the literacy coach.
The literacy coaches in the high school and 9th grade center worked with content area teachers as well, but I believe they faced more challenges in terms of people being open to this idea of teaching anything outside of an individual's core content area.
In PA our state mandated tests center on RELA and Math, this approach facilitated through the literacy coaches helped to spread the responsibility of success of RELA PSSA scores across the curriculum as well. As Spellings states the consequences of poor reading skills for all has an extended reach which impacts one's daily life and the potential to achieve.
Great post Darren.