This is a topic and interview that you may find interesting. Do you accept their premise and conclusions? Emily Hanford reveals how America’s educators adopted a flawed system for teaching reading to kids—and, as a result, completely failed them. The article appeared in The Free Press: Why 65 Percent of Fourth Graders Can’t Really Read (thefp.com) Many parents saw America’s public education system crumble under the weight of the pandemic. Stringent policies—including school closures that went on far too long, and ineffective Zoom school for kindergarteners—had devastating effects that we are only just beginning to understand. But, as with so many problems during the pandemic, COVID … [Read more...]
Toddlers – Parents reading from a book vs. interactive tablet
Is there a difference between parents reading to their toddler from a book vs. using an interactive tablet? Apparently there are some studies that say yes. Today we bring you an overview of some recent research for your consideration. We've shared the body. Clicking the link gives you the overview plus a LOT more detail if you want to get into it. The article appeared in the American Journal of Pediatrics in December 2021. OBJECTIVES In some studies, parents and toddlers verbalize less when engaging with a tablet versus a print book. More needs to be known regarding child contributions to specific parent verbalizations. We examined parent-toddler contingent interactions with tablet … [Read more...]
This 1897 Text Gives 3 Clues Why Today’s Students Can’t Write
Do things change over time? Today's article was originally published in November 2015 at Intellectual Takeout by Annie Holmquest. So 6+ years later and has anything changed? Should it have? Why not? What will you do about it? Last week the Nation’s Report Card announced that no more than 40% of America’s 4th and 8th graders are proficient in reading and math. Those are scary numbers, but the numbers for writing are even more frightening: only 27% of American 8th and 12th graders attained proficiency. Why are American students such terrible writers? Several answers to this question dawned on me while reading through an 1897 text by Dr. Edwin Lewis. Entitled A First Book in Writing … [Read more...]
Most High School Seniors Aren’t College Or Career Ready, Says ‘Nation’s Report Card’
From nprEd ..... The latest results of the test known as the Nation's Report Card are in. They cover high school seniors, who took the test in math and reading last year. The numbers are unlikely to give fodder either to educational cheerleaders or alarmists: The average score in both subjects was just one point lower in 2015 compared with the last time the test was given, in 2013. This tiny downtick was statistically significant in mathematics, but not for the reading test. But even though the changes are small, chances are you're going to be hearing about them in a lot of places. Why is this test so widely reported on, widely cited and widely debated? And how does it line up with … [Read more...]
WHAT Students Read Matters More Than You Think
From an article at Intellectualtakeout.org .................. In today’s standards-based education system, the main focus is on teaching skills rather than content. There’s a prevalent idea that it matters less what students read just so long as they are reading. But according to E.D. Hirsch, professor emeritus of education and humanities at the University of Virginia, that’s bull. Some of you may know Hirsch through his famous advocacy of “cultural literacy”—the idea that some amount of “shared, canonical knowledge is inherently necessary to a literate democracy,” and that students in a particular culture should have common exposure to certain texts and concepts. But what you … [Read more...]
Reading far outweighs socio-economic background for impact on pupils’ success
From tes.com Reading for pleasure far outweighs the impact of socio-economic background on pupils’ success at school, Nick Gibb has said. The schools minister wants every primary pupil to read “at least one book a week” and is concerned that secondary English teachers start preparing pupils for GCSE-style questions too soon. “Reading for pleasure is more important than a family’s socio-economic status in determining a child’s success at school,” Mr Gibb said yesterday. The minister cited UCL Institute of Education research involving 6,000 children which found that reading for pleasure was more important for a child’s cognitive development, between 10-16, than their parents’ level … [Read more...]
‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’ removed from Philadelphia-area school curriculum over student concerns about racial slurs
PHILADELPHIA — A suburban Philadelphia school is removing “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” from its 11th grade curriculum, saying the language and portrayal of blacks makes students uncomfortable. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that Friends’ Central School decided the “community costs” of reading Mark Twain’s 1885 classic outweigh the literary benefits. Art Hall, principal of the school in Wynnewood, says the book’s use of racial slurs was “challenging for some students, who felt the school was not being inclusive.” The school is guided by a Quaker philosophy. The book will remain in the school’s library. The book about manners, race and rebellion in pre-Civil War has inspired … [Read more...]
You Can’t Force Developmental Milestones: A Parent’s Perspective on the CCSS Kindergarten Foundational Reading Standards
This link takes you to the blog of Sarah Blaine called: parentingcore. Her post is a follow up to a Facebook discussion she had. In this blog article she expands on the discussion and adds more details and information. It will take 3-4 minutes to read the article. After reading it stop back by here and share your thoughts. The graphic is from her blog. http://parentingthecore.com/2015/01/27/you-cant-force-developmental-milestones-a-parents-perspective-on-the-ccss-kindergarten-foundational-reading-standards/comment-page-1/#comment-1898 … [Read more...]
Reading, the Great Debate
Some times other people say something well enough or so well that it doesn't make sense to try to re-write it. The following link takes you to the blog of a former teacher who shares some thoughts about the way reading is being taught to young children. Give it a read and let me know what you think... http://www.herbansprawl.com/blog/reading-the-great-debate-redux … [Read more...]