Literacy StatisticsLiteracy Statistics

““The Alliance for Excellent Education points The Alliance for Excellent Education points to 8.7 million secondary students—that is one to 8.7 million secondary students—that is one in four—who are unable to read and in four—who are unable to read and comprehend the material in textbooks”comprehend the material in textbooks”

““Three thousand students with limited literacy Three thousand students with limited literacy skills drop out of school every day in this skills drop out of school every day in this country”country”

Literacy StatisticsLiteracy Statistics

““Nearly half of all Americans ages fifteen to Nearly half of all Americans ages fifteen to twenty-four do not read books for pleasure” twenty-four do not read books for pleasure” (Gallagher 41).(Gallagher 41).

“ “The 2005 ACT College Readiness The 2005 ACT College Readiness Benchmark for Reading found that only about Benchmark for Reading found that only about half of the students tested were ready for half of the students tested were ready for college-level reading, and the 2005 scores college-level reading, and the 2005 scores were the lowest in the decade” (Gallagher 3).were the lowest in the decade” (Gallagher 3).

Literacy StatisticsLiteracy Statistics

““The American Institutes for Research reports The American Institutes for Research reports that only 13 percent of American adults are that only 13 percent of American adults are capable of performing complex literacy tasks”capable of performing complex literacy tasks”

““USA TodayUSA Today reported that 27 percent of adults reported that 27 percent of adults in this country did not read a single book in in this country did not read a single book in 2007” (Gallagher 3).2007” (Gallagher 3).

Literacy StatisticsLiteracy Statistics

““By the third grade, students who suffer from By the third grade, students who suffer from ‘word poverty’ are often at a million-word ‘word poverty’ are often at a million-word reading deficit; by the sixth grade, they are reading deficit; by the sixth grade, they are already three grade levels behind their already three grade levels behind their average-performing peers” average-performing peers”

Literacy StatisticsLiteracy Statistics

Less than one-third of thirteen-year-olds are Less than one-third of thirteen-year-olds are daily readers, a 14 percent decline from twenty daily readers, a 14 percent decline from twenty years earlier.years earlier.

The percentage of thirteen-year-olds who read The percentage of thirteen-year-olds who read for fun on a daily basis declined from 35 for fun on a daily basis declined from 35 percent to 30 percent, and for seventeen-year-percent to 30 percent, and for seventeen-year-olds, the decline was from 33 percent to 22 olds, the decline was from 33 percent to 22 percent. percent.

Literacy StatisticsLiteracy Statistics

Among seventeen-year-olds, the percentage of Among seventeen-year-olds, the percentage of nonreaders has more than doubled over a nonreaders has more than doubled over a twenty year period, from 9 percent in 1984 to twenty year period, from 9 percent in 1984 to 19 percent in 2004.19 percent in 2004.

On average, Americans ages fifteen to twenty-On average, Americans ages fifteen to twenty-four spend almost two hours a day watching four spend almost two hours a day watching television, and only seven minutes of their television, and only seven minutes of their leisure time on reading. leisure time on reading.

ReadicideReadicide Concerns Concerns

““By gearing students year in and year out to By gearing students year in and year out to practice for state-mandated reading exams, we practice for state-mandated reading exams, we had begun producing high school seniors had begun producing high school seniors (students who now had numerous years of (students who now had numerous years of testing focus) who had passed their reading testing focus) who had passed their reading tests but were leaving our schools without the tests but were leaving our schools without the cultural literacy needed to be productive cultural literacy needed to be productive citizens in a democratic society” (Gallagher citizens in a democratic society” (Gallagher 28-9). 28-9).

ReadicideReadicide Concerns Concerns

“…“…Our students are in desperate need of large Our students are in desperate need of large doses of authentic reading—the kinds of doses of authentic reading—the kinds of reading we, as adults, do in newspapers, reading we, as adults, do in newspapers, magazines, blogs, and websites. These doses magazines, blogs, and websites. These doses need to come from a mix of reading need to come from a mix of reading experiences, from longer, challenging novels experiences, from longer, challenging novels and works of nonfiction to ‘lighter’ and works of nonfiction to ‘lighter’ recreational reading…. There is a dearth of recreational reading…. There is a dearth of interesting reading materials in our schools…. interesting reading materials in our schools…. Students are not doing enough reading in Students are not doing enough reading in school” (Gallagher 29).school” (Gallagher 29).

Think it’s not rigorous enough?Think it’s not rigorous enough?

““In short, reading the cartoon is not a problem. In short, reading the cartoon is not a problem. Comprehending the cartoon, however, is Comprehending the cartoon, however, is another matter…reading consists of two another matter…reading consists of two factors: 1) being able to decode the words on factors: 1) being able to decode the words on the page and 2) being able to connect the the page and 2) being able to connect the words you are reading with the prior words you are reading with the prior knowledge you bring to the page” (Gallagher, knowledge you bring to the page” (Gallagher, 33-34).33-34).

"You don't have to burn books to destroy culture.  Just get people to stop reading them."                                      Ray Bradbury

Essential Question: How can we avoid "readicide" and

instill a love for reading?

2006 report on adolescent literacy by the NationalCouncil of Teachers of English:

• calamitous, universal falling off of reading occurs around the age of 13

• secondary school students are reading at a rate significantly below expected levels

• one in four secondary students are unable to read and comprehend the material in their textbooks.

• one-half of students are ready for college-level reading

What are the culprits behind the decline in reading?

• poverty• lack of parent education• print poor environments• second language learners• over scheduling of children• electronic media competition• readicide

Read-i-cideRead-i-cide

noun, the systematic killing of noun, the systematic killing of the love of reading, often the love of reading, often exacerbated by the inane, exacerbated by the inane,

mind-numbing practices found mind-numbing practices found in schools.in schools.

• The development of test-takers.• Overteaching • Limiting authentic reading.• Underteaching

The Four Factors Supporting Readicide

When was the last time you were completely engrossed in a

book?

The Reading Flow: Where All Serious Readers Want To Be

  

Avoiding the TsunamiAvoid Over-teaching

The Kill-A-Reader Casserole • Take one large novel.  Dice into as many pieces as possible.

 • Douse with sticky notes.

 • Remove book from oven every five minutes and insert

worksheets. • Add more sticky notes.

 • Baste until novel is unrecognizable, far beyond well done.

 • Serve in choppy, bite-size chunks

"You don't have to burn books to destroy culture.  Just get people to stop reading them."                             Ray Bradbury

Endangered MindsEndangered Minds

AOW - Article of the Weekhttp://www.kellygallagher.org/resources/articles.html

What are "Beating the Odds" What are "Beating the Odds" schools doing?schools doing?

• Novels/ClassicsNovels/Classics

• Time to read in class.Time to read in class.

• Enough books.Enough books.

• Authentic, real world text.Authentic, real world text.

The Value Found in Second-Draft(and Third-Draft) Reading

First Read- Survival Mode-struggling to understand the text on a literal level

Richer level of craft -  a level of beauty that is usually not discovered until students revisit the text

Most students will discover the deeper, richer level of comprehension only with

the guidance of a teacher.

Mr. Utterson was cold, dreary. He was a lawyer. He spoke quietly. Something "eminently human beaconed from his eyes." He enjoyed the theater. A reference is made to the Bible. He was a good influence . . . He liked to help.

He was an upright citizen.

Mr. Utterson was lovable. He didn't like to talk. His actions spoke loudly.

The humanness never found its way into his speech.

He never went to the theater.

A reference is made to the devil. ...on downgoing men.

He did not like to reprove.

He sometimes looked at his defendants "with envy."

 1.  Read with a pencil in hand, and annotate the text.2. Look for patterns in things you've noticed about the text- repetitions, contradictions, similarities.

3.  Ask questions about the patterns you've noticed - especially "how" and "why."                    Patricia Kain's,  "How to Do a Close Reading" 

     

Student:  I read the chapter last night  but I don't                 get it.

Teacher:  What didn't you get?  

Student:  All of it. 

All of it," is Code:  I don't know how to monitor my comprehension"

  

Metacognitive Sweet Spot

Classrooms that Underteach  Strategies

 • given little or no help in

understanding what good readers do when the reading gets tough

• discussion on what text says- little or no attention to how to understand reading

           

Classrooms that Overteach Strategies

• too much time spent on noticing what you notice 

• text gets lost in overanalyzing what is done to 

"You don't have to burn books to destroy culture.  Just get people to stop reading them."                                      Ray Bradbury