High School Literacy Programs
The need for literacy programs in high school is obvious. The 2008 national testing exams indicated that 38% of graduating seniors were reading below the standard basic level. An international comparison of reading comprehension and performance showed that in the United States, students in grades 11 and 12 scored close to the bottom, trailing students in Brazil, Indonesia and other developing countries.
Many teachers were not surprised at these findings. They said it confirmed that even students who read well enough in the lower primary grades may encounter some trouble with reading later. In both middle schools and high schools, teachers usually consider themselves to be “content specialists” and believe that elementary school teachers are the ones who should be helping children to improve reading skills. One method of turning that around is to secure ongoing development by working with a literacy specialist who will coach the teachers on the best way of infusing literacy instruction while teaching.
There have been some steps taken to improve our educational system, including the NCLB, (No Child Left Behind Act) that was signed into law in 2002. This generally requires states to develop assessments to determine the level of literacy, which will be given to all students in certain grades if the school wishes to receive federal funding. In addition, there are several states that require high school students to pass an “exit exam” in order to graduate.
If you need further proof that a standardized literacy program is needed for students, then consider the fallout from poor writing and reading abilities in post secondary circles as well, as 73% of employers have rated the reading and writing abilities of recent graduates as “fair” or “poor.” Over a third of the undergraduates needed remedial writing and reading courses during the first year or two in college.
Gaining insights into the reading process helps students to read for recreation, as well as providing a way to help them with their problem solving abilities. After going over the current research that is available on the reading process, school officials decided that students were not being provided with enough tools to successfully complete their reading goals. In the high school literacy programs, the teachers are encouraged to make the reading portion of their lessons more interactive. To see if these programs have merit, all you have to do is read some of the personal testimonies that are given by both students and teachers.
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