1. Preparing Students
in Literacy
Are the foundational reading skills that students receive in the primary
grades, sufficient for success in middle school/high school?
Savanna M. Rogness
Regis University
4. Needed Skills For the
Secondary Level
• Critical thinking
• Ability to read for different contents
• Ability to read difficult texts
• Reading comprehension
• Ability to glean information from difficult texts
“American youth need strong literacy skills to succeed in
school and in life” (Biancarosa & Snow, 2006)
6. Harris L. writes about the
importance of students
developing orthographic
knowledge.
“For middle and high school
students struggling with reading
and writing, orthographic
knowledge is an overlooked
building block for higher
achievement. There is a high
correlation between learning
to spell words and learning to
read words, as the underlying
processes and knowledge
base used to spell are much
the same as reading” (Harris,
2007, p. 4).
7. “Literacy skills in reading and writing
are critical components needed for
both access to general curriculum and
for successful academic
achievement.”
(Harris, 2007, p. 3)
8. Other Findings of Harris
“2 in 3 high school students read below grade level” (2007, p. 3)
“Only 31% of eighth grade students and 24% of twelfth grade
students are performing at or above the writing proficiency level”
(2007, p. 3)
9. The View of a Second Grader
• Spelling words
– Not incorporated into sentence
writing
• Works on handwriting
• Some in class writing, students
are able to write whatever
they want
• Reading in classroom is out
loud
Do you read and
write in class?
Hunter: “I don’t do
any of that…”
10. The Interview: Hunter
• Do you read and write on class?
I don't do any of that. ..
• Do you ever read books?
I read Star Wars. .
• Did you read that because your teacher
told you to?
No I just wanted to.
• Did you have to answer questions after?
No questions after we read unless we all
read it together
• Do you have to take tests
No
• Do you have to read books that are true
or can you just read stories if you want to?
No books that are true unless I want to
• Do you get Spelling words?
Yes
• What kinds of things do you need to
write?
Sometimes I have to make up sentences.
• With your spelling words or just whatever
sentence you want?
Whatever I want
• Do you have to use certain words like
nouns or adjectives?
No
• Do you ever get homework?
Yeah for math or things like that but not
for writing or reading
• Do you like reading and writing?
Yes
• Are you good at them?
Pretty good because my teacher helps
me
11. The View of a Second Grader
• In an interview with Hunter, a second grader at Estes Park
Elementary School, I learned that he does not recognize the
value or structure of reading and writing that may be being
taught in the classroom.
• Writing is often confused with handwriting
• Structure is not required when writing sentences in class
• There is not a emphasis on reading or writing for homework
12. The View of
the Second Grader’s Mom
• When talking with Hunter’s mom, she agreed with most of what
he said
• Except that he is supposed to be reading 20 minutes an
evening but doesn’t do it
• Mom also shared that he needs work on practicing writing
– when asked to clarify whether he needs to practice writing or
handwriting she clarified handwriting.
13. Teacher’s Perspective
In question in a principle at a new school about current
curriculums and expectations specifically on reading and writing,
Teri Beaver found that…
• Use trade books for reading
skills, no clear curriculum
• Left curriculum choices for
actually writing expectations
up to the teacher
• Principle thought of
handwriting when asked of
writing
• Curriculum used for
handwriting is, “Handwriting
Without Tears.”
14. Another Teacher’s Perspective
In talking with Mrs. Hollenbeck, a English teacher at Lutheran High
School, she shared her concerns for her students. Stating that
they did not have the skills and ability to recognize critical
defining words within readings. She also spoke about the
challenges of teaching them reading comprehension and critical
thinking. She mentioned the struggle that students have in
understanding the abstract.
16. “Several researchers have
documented the decline in text
difficulty at the high school level.”
(Springer, Wilson, & Dale, 2014, p. 300)
This decline included difficulty of high school
textbooks through decreased vocabulary
levels and length of sentences.
17. Postsecondary
Concerns
Springer, Wilson, and Dale (2014) discuss the
failure of schools in preparing high school
students for the level of literacy needed for
college and life after.
• They discuss that proficient college
readers need good comprehension skills
with the ability to take what they read
and accomplish the following:
– Access
– Retrieve
– Integrate
– Interpret
– Reflect
– evaluate
“As a result, each
semester on college
campuses across the
country, thousands of
freshmen walk into
developmental or
remedial English
courses.”
(Springer, Wilson, & Dale,
2014, p. 299)
18. Workforce Concerns
• Is there a disconnect
between what schools are
teach and what is required in
the work force?
“70% of older readers
require some form of
remediation.”
(Biancarosa & Snow,
2006)
19. References
Springer, S.E., Wilson, T. J., & Dole, J. A. (2014) Ready or Not: Recognizing and Preparing
College-Ready Students. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy. 58(4) 299-
307. doi: 10.1002/jaal.363.
Biancarosa, C. & Snow, C. E. (2006) Reading next: A vision for Action and Research in Middle
and High School Literacy. Retrieved from http://www.adlit.org/article/19784/.
OCM BOCES. (2015). The Fifteen Key Elements of Effective Adolescent Literacy. A Report of
Carnegie Corporation of New York. Retrieved from
http://www.ocmboces.org/tfiles/folder888/15KeyElementsReadingNext.pdf..
Harris, L. (2007). Adolescent Literacy: Wordy Study with Middle and High School Students.
TEACHING Exceptional Children Plus. 3 (4). Retrieved from
http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ967455.pdf.
