Addressing Low Student Reading Comprehension Scores on Standardized Tests

1. Addressing Low Student Reading Comprehension Scores on Standardized Tests Saginaw Valley State University EDL 633 Scott Keen

2. Lack of access and literacy exposure Limited vocabulary Poor reading volume Low SES Poor reading habitsand volume Minimal engagement inauthentic literacy Literacy value at home Low self expectations Limited exposure toacademic knowledge No Preschool Pre-K programs Mismatched text tocurrent reading level Poor Reading Comprehension Time available forliteracy activities Mismatched text tocurrent reading level Literacy value at home Poor reading engagement Inability to self monitor No Preschool Pre-K programs Low SES Poor reading self awareness

3. Elementary Plan Components · Relationship building · High expectations · Quality instruction with authentic literacy · High volume independent reading · Reciprocal teaching

4. Quality Instruction of Authentic Literacy • Would have 20 to 30 times as much positive impact on learning than the most popular current initiatives. • Is about 10 times as cost-effective as reducing class size. • Can account for as much as 400 percent "speed of learning differences" (students would learn about 4 times as fast as a result of its consistent use). Schmoker, M (2011). Focus: Elevating the Essentials to Radically Improve Student Learning. Alexandria, VA: ASCD

5. Quality Instruction of Authentic Literacy Research findings also show: • Only three years of effective teaching will catapult students in the lowest quartiles into the third or even the fourth quartile. • Effective teaching could eliminate the achievement gap in about five years. • The highest-performing teachers ensure that students learn twice as much material in the same amount of time. Schmoker, M (2011). Focus: Elevating the Essentials to Radically Improve Student Learning. Alexandria, VA: ASCD

6. Quality Instruction of Authentic Literacy Lesson structure must include: • Clear Learning Objectives • Teaching/Modeling/Demonstrating • Guided Practice • Checks for Understanding/Formative Assessment Schmoker, M (2011). Focus: Elevating the Essentials to Radically Improve Student Learning. Alexandria, VA: ASCD Brief and Reciprical

7. Increasing Independent Reading Volume Research suggestions for the classroom: Between 50 and 70 percent of class time should be spent engaged in authentic literacy activities. Across the curriculum, students should be reading for at least 60 minutes and writing for at least 40 minutes on a daily basis (Allington, 2001). Schmoker, M (2011). Focus: Elevating the Essentials to Radically Improve Student Learning. Alexandria, VA: ASCD

8. Increasing Independent Reading Volume Results: Rafe Esquith a 5th grade teacher in high poverty East L.A. insists that his students read vast amounts of text throughout the year. He also teaches them that their ability to read is a matter of life and death. As a result, Esquith's students perform in the 91st percentile while the rest of his school who sticks to packaged reading programs and skill development, perform in the 40's. Schmoker, M (2011). Focus: Elevating the Essentials to Radically Improve Student Learning. Alexandria, VA: ASCD

9. Increasing Independent Reading Volume Results: Kristie Webster, 5th grade teacher at J.B. Sutton (100 percent free/reduced lunch population) has her students read 35-40 books per year. Over 90 percent of her students pass the state reading exam and 100 percent pass the writing exam. Finland achieves the among the highest scores in the world. Researchers attribute their success directly to how much time students spend actually reading during the school day. Schmoker, M (2011). Focus: Elevating the Essentials to Radically Improve Student Learning. Alexandria, VA: ASCD

10. Biggest Reading Gains in Schools That Combine High Levels of Social Support and Academic Press Figure 4. Valerie E. Lee, Julia B. Smith Tamara E. Perry, Mark A. Smylie, Social Support, Academic Press, and Student Achievement: A View from the Middle Grades in Chicago (Chicago: Consortium on chicago School Research, October 1999).

11. Reciprocal Teaching Trains students to engage in 4 critical reading comprehension skills: • Generating questions • Summarizing • Clarifying • Predicting Carter, J. C. (1997) Why Reciprocal Teaching? Educational Leadership, 54, 64-68.

12. Reciprocal teaching strategies implemented in November of 1993. Carter, J. C. (1997) Why Reciprocal Teaching? Educational Leadership, 54, 64-68.

13. Summary - Elementary Level Action Plan Goal: Increase Reading Comprehension Changes to implement • Relationship building training, discussion, and renewed focus. • High quality instruction based on high expectations, and high volume of authentic literacy. • Reciprocal teaching strategies taught and implemented throughout all grades and content areas.

14. Summary - Action Plan Resources and Tools Needed for Data Gathering: • Leveled reading assessments (NWEA, Dibles, DRA, Fountas & Pinnel) • Common Assessments • Data is automatically stored with NWEA and Dibles. • Data Director and Teacher created Google spreadsheets to be used for tracking of other progress monitoring.