Reading Strategies for High School Students: A Review of the Literature Bill Muth Virginia Commonwealth University Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium Policy & Planning Council Meeting Wednesday, March 4th, 2009

National Assessment of Educational Progress, % Less than proficient National Assessment of Educational Progress Virginia 8 TH Grade Reading

Performance of NAEP Reporting Groups Virginia th Grade Reading Group % Pop AveScore Below Basic BasicProficientAdvanced Male Female White Black Hispanic Asian/Pacific

proficient readers fluent fluent deep and broad vocabularies deep and broad vocabularies read strategically read strategically self-directed and engaged self-directed and engaged

what works explicit instruction: vocabulary explicit instruction: vocabulary explicit instruction: comprehension strategies explicit instruction: comprehension strategies extended discussions of text extended discussions of text student engagement student engagement intensive interventions for struggling readers intensive interventions for struggling readers Kamil et al. (2008)

explicit vocabulary instruction 3,000 new words per year, grades ,000 new words per year, grades 3-12 extensive reading, but… extensive reading, but… direct instruction direct instruction –new words  Tier 1,2,3 –How to learn words independently ↑ word consciousness ↑ word consciousness

explicit vocabulary instruction multiple exposures in multiple contexts multiple exposures in multiple contexts strategies strategies –semantic feature analysis, semantic mapping –games –running records word-rich classrooms word-rich classrooms –dictionaries, thesauruses, word walls, crossword puzzles, Scrabble and other word games, literature, poetry books, and word-play and joke books

direct instruction of comprehension strategies active comprehension monitoring & fix-up strategies active comprehension monitoring & fix-up strategies graphic and semantic organizers & story maps graphic and semantic organizers & story maps question generation question generation summarization and paraphrasing summarization and paraphrasing selective rereading selective rereading

direct instruction of comprehension strategies content reading strategies content reading strategies –win-win solutions –boost discipline learning and general reading explicit instruction explicit instruction –demonstrations (e.g., teacher think-alouds) –Discussion professional development support. professional development support.

extended discussion of text engage students in… engage students in… –predicting –questioning –clarifying –summarizing –interpreting –connecting to prior learning examples: examples: –anticipation Guides –directed reading and thinking activities –reciprocal teaching

extended discussion of text students scaffold each other students scaffold each other model literate thinking model literate thinking ↑ Comprehension of difficult text ↑ Comprehension of difficult text adjustments to curriculum: adjustments to curriculum: –tension between depth and breadth

motivation and engagement interesting and relevant content interesting and relevant content goals tied to “big picture” goals tied to “big picture” being challenged (“academic press”) being challenged (“academic press”) examples: examples: –range of choice and autonomy –hands-on learning experiences –interesting and accessible tests –collaboration through discussions and assignments.

motivation and engagement understanding the potential of non-canonical literacies canon of methods canon of methods ELLs funds of knowledge ELLs funds of knowledge girls portrayed in traditional & pop culture girls portrayed in traditional & pop culture African American boys and masculinity African American boys and masculinity digital literacies digital literacies

intensive interventions struggling readers triaged: those with word-level proficiency those with word-level proficiency –content area reading support for vocabulary, fluency and comprehension. those lacking word-level proficiency those lacking word-level proficiency –specialized intensive help if significantly behind, (e.g., 2+ years) if significantly behind, (e.g., 2+ years) –system approach such as Response to Intervention

intensive interventions all learners, including ELLs and struggling readers, benefit from: formative assessment formative assessment differentiated instruction differentiated instruction

formative assessment & differentiated instruction rich questioning & discussion to uncover student thinking rich questioning & discussion to uncover student thinking comment-only marking comment-only marking sharing (co-constructing) scoring and grading criteria sharing (co-constructing) scoring and grading criteria ↑ opportunities for peer- and self-assessment. ↑ opportunities for peer- and self-assessment. group review of outcomes from tests. group review of outcomes from tests.

formative assessment & differentiated instruction differentiation starts with accurate assessment FA starts with clear knowledge of standards & tasks. classroom-based FA: –“unpack” State standards –but—some literacy standards point to competencies that have less well-developed “theory of task” –e.g., “describe the relationship between theme, setting, and character…”

formative assessment & differentiated instruction differentiation starts with accurate assessment FA starts with clear knowledge of standards & tasks. intervention classrooms: –targeting word-level skills (e.g., phonics) –maintain meaningful purposes for reading –NAEP is insensitive to instructional needs of struggling readers –NAEP treats literacy as general skill, not content specific

formative assessment & differentiated instruction challenges: changing attitudes and instructional practices tensions between teachers and administrators educators’ attitudes & beliefs about indicators of student success teachers need concrete FA examples: teachers need concrete FA examples: –assessment exemplars –discussion questions –think alouds –text sets –student-constructed rubrics

other findings integrate SOLs “essential knowledge” with instruction integrate SOLs “essential knowledge” with instruction buy-in at all levels buy-in at all levels teachers focus on no more than 2-4 strategies teachers focus on no more than 2-4 strategies content teachers need incentives & PD content teachers need incentives & PD content teachers need to know what is and is not expected of them content teachers need to know what is and is not expected of them each discipline needs to define its own essential literacy skills. each discipline needs to define its own essential literacy skills.

conclusions fostering: deep knowledge of the tasks deep understanding of our students making connections between the two