The Urgent need to improve reading The Urgent need to improve reading instruction and outcomes for our K-12 instruction and outcomes for our K-12

studentsstudents

Dr. Joseph K. TorgesenDr. Joseph K. TorgesenFlorida State University and Florida State University and

Florida Center for Reading ResearchFlorida Center for Reading Research

Serve Forum, Savannah, GA, November, 2005Serve Forum, Savannah, GA, November, 2005

““Current Current difficulties in difficulties in reading largely reading largely originate from originate from rising demands rising demands for literacy, not for literacy, not from declining from declining absolute levels absolute levels of literacy” of literacy”

Rising needs for high levels of Rising needs for high levels of literacy in our society demand literacy in our society demand that schools break the mold of that schools break the mold of past performance--past performance--

we clearly must do better than we clearly must do better than has ever been done before.has ever been done before.

Even students who complete high school Even students who complete high school successfully at present are not prepared for successfully at present are not prepared for many post secondary optionsmany post secondary options

Comparing the difficulty of typical 11Comparing the difficulty of typical 11thth and 12 and 12thth grade texts with those encountered in college grade texts with those encountered in college and other post secondary environments.and other post secondary environments.

Estimates based on average Lexiles of textEstimates based on average Lexiles of text

When all of this data is brought together, it is When all of this data is brought together, it is apparent that apparent that society in general and the society in general and the workplace in particular demand higher levels of workplace in particular demand higher levels of reading proficiency than schoolsreading proficiency than schools. Moreover, . Moreover, many students are barely meeting those many students are barely meeting those minimal education requirements. minimal education requirements.

(p. 3) -- Pennsylvania Department of Education (p. 3) -- Pennsylvania Department of Education (2004) (2004)

This study calculates the financial costs incurred This study calculates the financial costs incurred by Michigan business and institutions of higher by Michigan business and institutions of higher learning when students leave high school without learning when students leave high school without learning basic skills. … The best estimate … is learning basic skills. … The best estimate … is $601 million per year. Extrapolating to the entire $601 million per year. Extrapolating to the entire United States, the lack of basic skills costs a total United States, the lack of basic skills costs a total of approximately $16.6 billion each year.of approximately $16.6 billion each year.

--Greene (2000)--Greene (2000)

In fall 2000, 28 percent of entering freshmen In fall 2000, 28 percent of entering freshmen enrolled in one or more remedial reading, enrolled in one or more remedial reading, writing, or mathematics courses. (p. iv) writing, or mathematics courses. (p. iv)

--U.S. Department of Education, National --U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (2003) Center for Education Statistics (2003)

Why do such high numbers of students struggle Why do such high numbers of students struggle in learning to readin learning to read

Many students come to school poorly prepared Many students come to school poorly prepared for learning to read because of reduced for learning to read because of reduced learning opportunities in their pre-school learning opportunities in their pre-school environmentenvironment

Development of Phonological Development of Phonological SensitivitySensitivity

Cross-sectional study comparing Cross-sectional study comparing the performance of 250 the performance of 250

children from higher income children from higher income families to 170 children from families to 170 children from

lower income families.lower income families.

Children were between two- Children were between two- and five-years of age.and five-years of age.

LanguageLanguage

Hart and Risley (1995) conducted

a longitudinal study of children and families from

three groups:•Professional families•Working-class families•Families on welfare

Hart & Risley compared the mean number of interactions initiated per hour in each of the three groups.

0

10

20

30

40

50

Welfare Working Professional

InteractionsInteractions

InteractionsInteractionsHart & Risley also compared the mean number of minutes of interaction per hour in the three groups.

0

10

20

30

40

50

Welfare Working Professional

Cumulative Language Cumulative Language ExperiencesExperiences

Cumulative Words Per Hour

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

Welfare Working Professional

Cumulative Language Cumulative Language ExperiencesExperiences

Cumulative Words Spoken to Child (in millions)

0

10

20

30

40

50

0 12 24 36 48

Age of child (in months)

Professional

Working

Welfare

Why do such high numbers of students struggle Why do such high numbers of students struggle in learning to readin learning to read

Many students come to school poorly prepared Many students come to school poorly prepared for learning to read because of reduced for learning to read because of reduced learning opportunities in their pre-school learning opportunities in their pre-school environmentenvironmentOther students have biologically based, specific Other students have biologically based, specific language disabilities that interfere with readinglanguage disabilities that interfere with reading

Alexis….Alexis….

Why do such high numbers of students struggle Why do such high numbers of students struggle in learning to readin learning to read

Many students come to school poorly prepared for Many students come to school poorly prepared for learning to read because of reduced learning learning to read because of reduced learning opportunities in their pre-school environmentopportunities in their pre-school environment

Other students have biologically based, specific Other students have biologically based, specific language disabilities that interfere with readinglanguage disabilities that interfere with reading

Until relatively recently, we have not understood Until relatively recently, we have not understood reading skill well enough to develop consensus reading skill well enough to develop consensus about the best methods for teaching struggling about the best methods for teaching struggling readersreaders

The challenge of diversity in talent and The challenge of diversity in talent and preparation for learning to readpreparation for learning to read

11 100100

3030 7070

Diversity in talent and Diversity in talent and preparationpreparation

Diversity of educational Diversity of educational responseresponse

3030 7070

The challenge of diversity in talent and The challenge of diversity in talent and preparation for learning to readpreparation for learning to read

11 100100

Diversity in talent and Diversity in talent and preparationpreparation

Diversity of educational Diversity of educational responseresponse

11 100100

What we must do to prevent reading What we must do to prevent reading failure in grades K-3: The big Ideasfailure in grades K-3: The big Ideas

1. Increase the quality, consistency, and 1. Increase the quality, consistency, and reachreach of instruction in every K-3 classroomof instruction in every K-3 classroom

2. Conduct timely and valid assessments of 2. Conduct timely and valid assessments of reading growth to identify struggling readersreading growth to identify struggling readers

3. Provide more intensive interventions to 3. Provide more intensive interventions to “catch up” the struggling readers“catch up” the struggling readers

The prevention of reading difficulties is a The prevention of reading difficulties is a school-level challengeschool-level challenge

Evidence from one school that we Evidence from one school that we cancan do do substantially better than ever beforesubstantially better than ever before

School Characteristics:School Characteristics:

70% Free and Reduced Lunch (going up each 70% Free and Reduced Lunch (going up each year)year)

65% minority (mostly African-American)65% minority (mostly African-American)

Elements of Curriculum Change:Elements of Curriculum Change:

Movement to a more balanced reading curriculum Movement to a more balanced reading curriculum beginning in 1994-1995 school year (incomplete beginning in 1994-1995 school year (incomplete implementation) for K-2implementation) for K-2Improved implementation in 1995-1996Improved implementation in 1995-1996Implementation in Fall of 1996 of screening and Implementation in Fall of 1996 of screening and more intensive small group instruction for at-risk more intensive small group instruction for at-risk studentsstudents

““soft bigotry of low expectations”soft bigotry of low expectations”

Proportion falling below the 25th

percentile in word reading ability at the end of first grade 10

20

3031.8

20.4

10.96.7

3.7

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999Average Percentile 48.9 55.2 61.4 73.5 81.7for entire grade (n=105)

Hartsfield Elementary Progress over five years

Screening at beginning of first grade, with extra instruction for those in bottom 30-40%

Proportion falling below the 25th

Percentile 10

20

30

Proportion falling below the 25th

Percentile 10

20

30

31.8

20.4

10.96.7

3.7

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999Average Percentile 48.9 55.2 61.4 73.5 81.7

14.5

9.05.4 2.4

1996 1997 1998 1999

Average Percentile 58.2 67.1 74.1 81.5

Hartsfield Elementary Progress over five years

Hartsfield Elem. State Average

10

15

20

25

30

35

40Level 2Level 1

FCAT Performance in Spring, 2003FCAT Performance in Spring, 2003

How must we improve reading instruction How must we improve reading instruction for students in grades 4-12?for students in grades 4-12?

1. Must have very intensive intervention 1. Must have very intensive intervention instruction for students who have fallen far instruction for students who have fallen far behindbehind

Consequences of reading difficulties: Consequences of reading difficulties: an ever widening gapan ever widening gap

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th

The gap increases in both depth and

The gap increases in both depth and

breadthbreadth

Teaching Reading is UrgentA student at the 10th percentile reads about 60,000 words a year in 5th grade

A student at the 50th percentile reads about 900,000words a year in 5th grade

Average students receive about 15 times as much practice in a year

(Anderson, R. C., 1992)

Each year skills and knowledge Each year skills and knowledge required to meet standards required to meet standards increasesincreases

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th

Must learn to recognize many new words accurately and automatically

Must acquire many new vocabulary words

Must learn to deal with longer sentences and more complex ideas

Must be able to draw upon more extensive background knowledge

How must we improve reading instruction How must we improve reading instruction for students in grades 4-12?for students in grades 4-12?

1. Must have very intensive intervention 1. Must have very intensive intervention instruction for students who have fallen far instruction for students who have fallen far behindbehind2. Must be more effective in teaching all 2. Must be more effective in teaching all students to think more productively about students to think more productively about what they readwhat they read

3. Must be more effective in teaching content in 3. Must be more effective in teaching content in areas like science, social studies, and history areas like science, social studies, and history so that students will acquire more knowledge so that students will acquire more knowledge

4. Develop a culture of success in which 4. Develop a culture of success in which students want to participate in achieving students want to participate in achieving high standardshigh standards

Quality in EducationQuality in Education

“ “Quality is never an accident; it is Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction, and sincere effort, intelligent direction, and skillful execution; it represents the skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives.”wise choice of many alternatives.”Willa A. FosterWilla A. Foster

If we have an impact on literacy If we have an impact on literacy instruction, we improve the quality of instruction, we improve the quality of our schools in the most central way our schools in the most central way possible.possible.

A reason for working hard at the A reason for working hard at the task….task….

Thank YouThank You