Comments on: The Adult Literacy Paradox http://blog.coreknowledge.org/2008/11/28/the-adult-literacy-paradox/ Closing the Achievement Gap: Teaching Content Sun, 21 Mar 2010 21:56:23 -0500 hourly 1 By: from around these parts http://blog.coreknowledge.org/2008/11/28/the-adult-literacy-paradox/comment-page-1/#comment-5036 from around these parts Thu, 11 Dec 2008 17:38:40 +0000 http://www.coreknowledge.org/blog/?p=1528#comment-5036 <I>If they are using themselves as a standard, Sticht concludes ominously, many adults are not able to judge whether or not their children are learning to read well in school and fail to act accordingly.</I> Interesting. John Corcoran's book, The Teacher Who Couldn't Read, has a very interesting passage on Corcoran's having created a student-centered classroom in order to mask the fact that he couldn't read. It made me wonder whether the <a>NCTE's position statement on 21st century literacies</a>, which makes almost no mention of reading, is motivated by an NCTE membership with relatively poor literacy themselves. As a side note, I've noticed that some of the highest-level administrators in my school district don't seem to be interested in books. They are obsessed with technology, which they talk about (and purchase) constantly. But you don't hear much about books. A couple of years ago I gave an article to the middle school principal to read. He groaned and said, "More reading." Then: "We have to read a book." The superintendent was requiring all of the building principals to read one 200-page book on school improvement. And he was complaining. If they are using themselves as a standard, Sticht concludes ominously, many adults are not able to judge whether or not their children are learning to read well in school and fail to act accordingly.

Interesting.

John Corcoran’s book, The Teacher Who Couldn’t Read, has a very interesting passage on Corcoran’s having created a student-centered classroom in order to mask the fact that he couldn’t read.

It made me wonder whether the NCTE’s position statement on 21st century literacies, which makes almost no mention of reading, is motivated by an NCTE membership with relatively poor literacy themselves.

As a side note, I’ve noticed that some of the highest-level administrators in my school district don’t seem to be interested in books. They are obsessed with technology, which they talk about (and purchase) constantly. But you don’t hear much about books.

A couple of years ago I gave an article to the middle school principal to read. He groaned and said, “More reading.”

Then: “We have to read a book.”

The superintendent was requiring all of the building principals to read one 200-page book on school improvement. And he was complaining.

]]> By: Dr. Davis http://blog.coreknowledge.org/2008/11/28/the-adult-literacy-paradox/comment-page-1/#comment-4938 Dr. Davis Fri, 28 Nov 2008 21:01:04 +0000 http://www.coreknowledge.org/blog/?p=1528#comment-4938 I agree with Sticht. People are judging their reading ability based on the reading ability of the people around them. Once a person is out of school, they don't have anyone judging their reading and so they become the judges. And they are doing a comparative evaluation. Honestly, though, if people are able to do the reading they want and need to do fairly well, then why do they need to read better? Maybe that is something we should consider. I agree with Sticht. People are judging their reading ability based on the reading ability of the people around them.

Once a person is out of school, they don’t have anyone judging their reading and so they become the judges. And they are doing a comparative evaluation.

Honestly, though, if people are able to do the reading they want and need to do fairly well, then why do they need to read better? Maybe that is something we should consider.

]]> By: tm willemse http://blog.coreknowledge.org/2008/11/28/the-adult-literacy-paradox/comment-page-1/#comment-4935 tm willemse Fri, 28 Nov 2008 18:02:10 +0000 http://www.coreknowledge.org/blog/?p=1528#comment-4935 I am spending my Thanksgiving weekend digesting a report on educational data. Save for the Internet I would not have access to this information. The desire to read and understand reports like this forced me to improve my reading skills; otherwise, I probably would not have the ability. Not being able to read - and write well enough to respond adequately - leads people to take their natural frustrations at the inadequacy of our civil institutions into the streets, sometimes with tragic results. The necessity of every citizen to be able to do a penetrative reading of the output of the various institutions and respond to them in an appropriate manner is the only way this country “of, by, and for the people” will continue to stand. Being taught to read well is more than a civil right; it is a prerequisite to the survival of the Republic that the Founding Fathers envisioned. I am spending my Thanksgiving weekend digesting a report on educational data. Save for the Internet I would not have access to this information. The desire to read and understand reports like this forced me to improve my reading skills; otherwise, I probably would not have the ability. Not being able to read – and write well enough to respond adequately – leads people to take their natural frustrations at the inadequacy of our civil institutions into the streets, sometimes with tragic results. The necessity of every citizen to be able to do a penetrative reading of the output of the various institutions and respond to them in an appropriate manner is the only way this country “of, by, and for the people” will continue to stand. Being taught to read well is more than a civil right; it is a prerequisite to the survival of the Republic that the Founding Fathers envisioned.

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