It is clear that more is expected of our students than ever before. The increased rigorous academic expectations for all students can be especially challenging for struggling readers. They often lack the basic foundational skills (alphabetic principles, print concepts, phonological awareness, phonics, high frequency words, and fluency) necessary to even begin to decode the text let alone face the challenge of increased text complexity. Yet teaching these foundational skills cannot exist in isolation. All teachers, especially those who target struggling readers, must be able to refocus their reading instruction.
The impetus of my research project for me was trying to figure how how to help my students be more prepared for middle school and beyond. I felt a moral imperative to break the cycle of failure that students in intensive intervention often face. The bar had been dramatically raised and I needed to help my students make greater gains than they ever had before. The anchor standards I address in this project are listed on the right. To learn more about technology standards and how my district is preparing students for the 21st Century, please follow the links on the far right.
Anchor Standards
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.7 Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.
SPEAKING/LISTENING Comprehension and Collaboration
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.1 Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.2 Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.