This has been one of the more difficult blogs for me to write. I started over so many times. Reading is a topic I am passionate about, but as I read about back-to-basics, learning loss, NAEP test scores, reading wars, etc., I shake my head.
Our world continues to change. There is so much more to learn about brain research, the "science of reading," AI and other technologies, social-emotional learning, socio-economic challenges and impacts on student learning, teacher preparation programs, etc. etc. But one thing doesn't change. Learning to read is important. But are we doing it right? If we are, then why are students losing skills they supposedly mastered earlier?
Schools are essential in our society. And reading is one of the most important skills that we acquire to continue to learn and grow. That is why teaching reading is emphasized in early childhood and elementary teacher education programs. But is there one "right" way to teach reading?
I don't think so. Every student is different. Every teacher is different. Every classroom is different. Everyone's experiences are different. So expecting everyone to learn to read in the same way with the same reading material and react to it in the exact same way is . . . well . . . ridiculous. And yet, that is the expectation when students are all taught with “fidelity,” (I hate that word!) with the same reading program or materials even though students may be at very different points in their reading journey.
Why is reading important? Why teach reading?
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Reading proficiently is important if we want our students to be life-long learners who can choose what to read, who see reading as a way to learn more about a topic, to be entertained, to see different viewpoints, to put ourselves in the character’s shoes,
This is why the years from 0-8 are so important in our students' reading journey. And as educators, this requires us to know our students - their strengths, their challenges, their interests, their lives both inside and outside of school, how they learn best, and so much more. We want our kids to see reading as a desirable activity. We want our kids to choose to read when they have free time.
I think that in our effort to raise test scores, we have viewed reading as a series of skills to learn in isolation. Then we test students on that standard or benchmark and move on to the next skill. Is this what reading has come down to?
Are teachers given time to assess students, to listen to them read, or to work on skills that students are struggling with? Do we carve out time during the day for kids to choose what they want to read? Do students have regular times to visit the school library to explore the shelves and select a book they want to borrow? Do they even have a school library? (Read "It's More than a Place to Borrow Books." ) Do our students have opportunities to listen to adults share books they love? Are students able to pick their own book to read independently, or do we expect them to choose something "at their Lexile reading level"? (Hint: This can kill a child's love for reading.)
In his book, Literacy's Life Lessons, Steven L. Layne states that "aliterate individuals are those who can read but choose not to." When students claim that "they don't like reading," we need to work together to change their mind. It might mean choosing a book and reading it together. Get the child hooked, and they will hopefully want to continue reading it. We want our kids to know that reading is not just done in school, that it can be enjoyed for a lifetime, and there are so many books to choose from. And our students need to know that reading can open up whole new worlds, that there is so much to learn from books. As a parent and a teacher, I loved when kids came to me with, "Did you know . . ? and when I asked where they got that information, the child proudly shared, "I read it in a book!" Parents have a big role to play in a child's reading habit, but schools are just as if not more important. Let's work together - home and school - to ensure that our children become life-long readers and life-long learners!
