Knowledge From the Field

Reading Next: A Vision for Action and Research in Middle and High School Literacy

Published: 2004

Publisher(s): Alliance for Excellent Education

Author(s): Biancarosa, Gina; Catherine Snow

Funder(s): Carnegie Corporation of New York

View Report (52 pages; 310KB; PDF)

Area of focus: Low-Performing Schools; Literacy/Reading Skills

Abstract

The report outlines recommendations for the improvement in reading skills of middle and high school students, focusing on the needs of the nearly 8 million struggling readers in grades 4-12. It identifies 15 key modular elements of instructional and infrastructural improvement for literacy programs that can be used in multiple combinations as the basis for program reform.

Key Findings and/or Recommendations

= Literacy program creators should implement a blend of the Fifteen Elements of Effective Adolescent Literacy Programs.

= Literacy program creators should experiment and test different combinations of the Fifteen Elements.

= All literacy programs should include professional development, formative assessment, and summative assessment.

= Continued research into literary programs and what works is necessary to improve student’s success.

= Literacy programs should be developed and implemented with comparative evaluation to other programs in mind.

Geographic Focus: National

Subjects/Keywords: Low-performing schools; school reform; adolescent literacy; literacy

+ Successful strategy
= Observation
– Challenge