Part 1: Discussion prompt Respond to the following discussion prompt: Accordin

Part 1: Discussion prompt
Respond to the following discussion prompt:
According to the article, “Hard Words: Why Aren’t Kids Being Taught to Read,” by Emily Hanford, “More than 60 percent of American fourth-graders are not proficient readers…and it’s been that way since testing began in the 1990s.” Clearly, this is problematic. After reading the article, discuss the following:
What factors have led to perpetual reading deficiency and how has research, noted throughout the article, influenced educational decision-making in the past few decades?
How have teacher preparation programs failed teacher candidates in incorporating research into reading programs?
What specifically can you do in the future to ensure that those under your leadership are actively seeking out and utilizing research to improve student outcomes?
Each thread must be:
1. a minimum of 500 words and a minimum of three paragraphs,
2. demonstrate course-related knowledge,
3. and contain a minimum of 1 citation in current APA format to support assertions
Part 2: Student Replies
You will complete 3 scholarly student replies with the following:
1. a minimum of 200 words,
2. demonstrate course-related knowledge,
3. and contain a minimum of 1 citation in current APA format to support assertions
Student Replies:
Student 1
Erin Wright
Across the United States, many children are not developing adequate reading skills to become proficient readers. For example, over 60% of fourth-grade students do not meet proficiency criteria in reading (Hanford, 2018). Hanford (2018) described the complexities involved and suggested that these low reading levels result from a lack of science-based instruction. Although researchers have established the processes involved in literacy development and the need for explicit instruction in these skills, many teachers lack the knowledge and skills required to use the science of reading in their classrooms. Instead, many school leaders and teachers assume that learning is a natural process where children will develop proficiency through exposure alone. Furthermore, teacher preparation programs often reinforce this narrative and do not train teachers in the Science of Reading due to a lack of knowledge and resistance to change (Hanford, 2018). Educational stakeholders’ resistance to utilizing science-based instructional knowledge will continue to cause students to miss out on critical literacy skills that could greatly benefit them in school and life.
Despite the work that researchers have done over the past few decades to establish the science of reading, most colleges of education have not shifted their emphasis from previous approaches to science-based approaches. As Hanford (2018) noted, this directly impacts the knowledge of pre-service teachers; this lack of knowledge then influences the methodologies utilized across American schools. Prior to the research that established the science of reading, educators and leaders debated about how to approach reading instruction. The debate centered on whether educators should teach phonics or focus on a whole language approach, and balanced literacy developed as an attempt to combine the two. Unfortunately, balanced literacy approaches are not science-backed; furthermore, these approaches include limited direct instruction regarding phonics and the critical processes involved in learning to read. The balanced literacy approach remains pervasive in today’s schools and teacher preparation programs. Colleges of education have been overall resistant to adopting the scientific reading approach as part of their preparation for teachers. Professors often determine the syllabi for education courses, and there are limited guidelines provided by states regarding teacher preparation requirements. If college programs do not emphasize the science of reading and ensure professors provide this information, teachers will continue to be unprepared to provide literacy instruction when they enter the classroom (Hanford, 2018).
Leaders must emphasize high expectations for all students. As Hanford (2018) described, many teachers have assumed they cannot help students who are struggling readers, especially when the students are past elementary school. As a leader, I plan to have high expectations for students and teachers by ensuring that educators have been trained in the science of reading. To help close the research-to-practice gap, I will emphasize ongoing learning by encouraging leaders and teachers stay current on literacy research. Additionally, I will encourage educators to collaborate with others and seek assistance if they are uncertain about the next steps for a student who is not progressing in reading; this will help to establish a collaborative and supportive environment where teachers feel comfortable asking for support. Overall, I will aim to empower teachers to feel confident assessing, evaluating, and addressing their students’ literacy needs.
Reference
Hanford, E. (2018, September 10). Hard words: Why aren’t kids being taught to read? APM Reports. https://www.apmreports.org/episode/2018/09/10/hard…
Links to an external site.
Student 2:
Laura Iatrou
Numerous factors contribute to the persistent reading challenges nationwide, including limited access to quality reading materials, inadequate parental involvement, and ineffective teaching methods (Hanford, 2024). A recent study by Dessemontet et al. (2022) revealed that while less than half of the classes implemented systematic phonics instruction, as recommended by research, over fifty percent incorporated sight-word and vocabulary teaching; moreover, only about one-third of classrooms provided comprehension instruction for texts read aloud by teachers. This speaks to the detriment of using “balanced literacy” in classrooms versus a structured literacy approach (Balanced Literacy’s Crumbling Foundation — What We Can Do About It | Reading Rockets, n.d.). Balanced Literacy may benefit some students but does not provide explicit instruction for those with reading difficulties.
Over the past few decades, educational decision-makers have increasingly relied on research findings in reading instruction to inform policy and practice. These findings, such as the National Reading Panel report, emphasize the significance of evidence-based approaches in literacy teaching (Hanford, 2024). They have led to a shift towards adopting new curricula, instructional methods, and intervention programs to address reading difficulties and enhance student literacy outcomes. Examples of the change include programs with a scope and sequence, training such as LETRS, and intervention programs, including multisensory reading practices.
Teacher preparation programs often fail to incorporate research findings into reading instruction (Handord, 2024). Despite research demonstrating the effectiveness of specific instructional strategies, many teacher candidates graduate with limited exposure to evidence-based practices (Hanford, 2024). Anecdotally, I have had student teachers in my classroom for the past several years, and they received zero instruction on evidence-based practices for reading instruction. The university does not prioritize training in phonics instruction, fluency development, or comprehension strategies. As a result, teachers may enter the classroom ill-equipped to support struggling readers effectively. Improving teacher preparation programs to align with current research is vital for ensuring educators have the knowledge and skills to address classroom reading deficiencies.
Educational leaders are crucial in promoting research use and improving student outcomes. They should take proactive steps to foster a culture of evidence-based practice. This may involve implementing professional development opportunities focused on the latest research in reading instruction, providing ongoing support and resources for teachers to implement evidence-based strategies, and establishing systems for regular review and discussion of research findings. A positive example of educational leaders making positive decisions is “The Mississippi Miracle” (Heubeck, 2024). The “Mississippi Miracle” refers to the remarkable improvements in student achievement in Mississippi, particularly in reading. This term became popular after Mississippi students showed significant progress on national standardized tests despite the state’s previous low performance. The improvements were credited to early literacy initiatives, thorough reading policies, the principles of the science of reading, private funding, and decision-making based on data analysis. By creating environments where educators are encouraged to critically evaluate their practices and incorporate the most effective research-based strategies, leaders can empower teachers to make meaningful improvements in student learning and achievement.
References:
Balanced Literacy’s crumbling foundation — What we can do about it | Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Reading Rockets. https://www.readingrockets.org/blogs/right-to-read/balanced-literacys-crumbling-foundation-what-we-can-do-about-it
Dessemontet, R. S., Linder, A. L., Martinet, C., & Martini-Willemin, B. M. (2022). A descriptive study on reading instruction provided to students with intellectual disability. Journal of intellectual disabilities: JOID, 26(3), 575–593. https://doi.org/10.1177/17446295211016170
Hanford, E. (2024, January 5). Why aren’t kids being taught to read? Hard Words | APM Reports. https://www.apmreports.org/episode/2018/09/10/hard-words-why-american-kids-arent-being-taught-to-read
Heubeck, E. (2024, March 1). Mississippi students surged in reading over the last decade. Here’s how schools got them there. Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/mississippi-students-surged-in-reading-over-the-last-decade-heres-how-schools-got-them-there/2023/06
Student 3:
Rebecca Rhodes
Reading proficiency is an important skill that impacts students’ academic success and post-school experiences (Hanford, 2018). According to Hanford (2018), students who do not have proficient reading skills by the third grade often never close the gap in their reading compared to peers who are on level and are more likely to struggle academically, be at risk for dropping out of high school, end up in the criminal system, and struggle more financially. As of 2018, over 60 percent of fourth graders were not proficient readers, making these statistics a concern for many students (Hanford, 2018). Multiple factors have led to these poor reading outcomes. One factor is the idea that reading can be learned naturally (e.g., balanced literacy) the same way people learn to talk, but research over the past decades has clearly shown that reading is not a natural process and must be explicitly taught how to connect sounds to letters and then letters to words (Hanford, 2018). Of importance, Hanford noted that the research supports that most students are capable of learning to read proficiently as long as they are taught correctly. Other factors are those in the field of education who are unaware of the research on reading or are resistant to teaching reading explicitly, as explained by Hanford.
As Hanford (2018) discussed, many teacher preparation programs do not teach their pre-service teachers how to explicitly teach reading to students based on the research. This is due to the deans of colleges of education and their faculty not being aware of the research behind teaching reading or dismissive of the research (Hanford, 2018). Due to this negligence, pre-service teachers, who come out of their university training with a lack of knowledge of the science of reading, are poorly equipped to teach students reading in their classrooms (Hanford, 2018). Alarmingly, when teacher preparation programs across the United States were reviewed, only 39 percent of these programs were educating pre-service teachers on the science of reading (Hanford, 2018). As stated by Hanford, pre-service teachers are being taught different approaches to reading and can choose approaches based on preferences. Part of the resistance to the science of reading seems to stem from personal experiences or a belief that the science of reading is not applicable to all (Hanford, 2018).
Based on the information gleaned from the article by Hanford (2018), there are a few important things I may be able to do to ensure that those whom I supervise are actively seeking out and utilizing research to improve student outcomes. First, it may be important to assume that pre-service teachers are still coming out of teacher preparation programs without the knowledge of the science of reading, so providing professional development throughout the school year may be critical. In conjunction with professional development, ongoing training and coaching may need to be provided to help pre-service teachers implement evidence-based practices with fidelity. Ongoing training and coaching should also include how to take data and critically analyze the results to help drive the next steps in their instruction. Supporting their learning of research-driven practices and implementing them effectively may help teachers become knowledgeable in the science of reading and positively affect student outcomes in reading.
References
Hanford, E. (2018, September 10). Hard words: Why aren’t kids being taught to read? APM Reports. https://www.apmreports.org/episode/2018/09/10/hard…
Links to an external site.
Assignment will be checked for A/I use and plagiarism.