Reading in Education
Reading has become a key part of many language arts programs and is encouraged across grade levels. When teaching language arts at the primary level, eight fundamental elements are essential to deliver a complete program, including: “reading aloud, shared reading, guided reading, independent reading, shared writing, interactive writing, guided writing (writing workshop), and independent writing” (Stephens, n.d.). Early-childhood experts support this by outlining “the benefits of reading to and with children on a regular basis at an early age -- improved attention spans, heightened social skills, fewer problems in school” (“Hanover Post,” 2001). Thus, many teachers embrace reading, both orally and silently, in the classroom. Taylor & Connor (1982) suggest that silent reading should be the primary form of classroom reading in later years, which refers to intermediate and high school levels. Oral reading can be utilized in those settings as well, but it should be used rationally for purposes appropriately served by oral reading (Taylor & Connor, 1982).
How is reading changing the classroom?
Schools across districts implement silent reading into daily classroom schedules. For example, schools in British Columbia embrace D.E.A.R, Drop Everything and Read, where students drop whatever they are doing and read a book silently. It has played a large role in BC schools as “hundreds of people signed up on the Drop Everything and Read Facebook page, and hundreds more on the BCTLA’s DEAR blog” (Lindsay, 2008). To promote D.E.A.R even more, “teachers and teacher-librarians invited their MLA, the mayor, trustees, their superintendent, local athletes and actors to come and read with their students—and they did!” (Lindsay, 2008).
There are many reading programs available for educators to utilize in their classrooms. For example, teachers in the Surrey School District have adopted Adrienne Gears' Reading Power, a program that helps improve student comprehension by providing students the necessary skills they need to think about the content they are reading and to develop a deeper understanding (Gear, 2010).
There are many reading programs available for educators to utilize in their classrooms. For example, teachers in the Surrey School District have adopted Adrienne Gears' Reading Power, a program that helps improve student comprehension by providing students the necessary skills they need to think about the content they are reading and to develop a deeper understanding (Gear, 2010).
What is better for comprehension: oral or silent reading?
There have been several studies that examine whether oral or silent reading is a better choice for student learning and comprehension. Miller & Smith (1985) found that poor readers, i.e. those that struggle with reading, comprehend better during oral reading in comparison to silent reading, whereas the “good reader is generally strong in both oral and silent reading on various measures of comprehension” (Miller & Smith, 1985, p. 3460). However, recent studies show that there is no significant difference between oral and silent reading when assessing reading comprehension:
There have been several studies that examine whether oral or silent reading is a better choice for student learning and comprehension. Miller & Smith (1985) found that poor readers, i.e. those that struggle with reading, comprehend better during oral reading in comparison to silent reading, whereas the “good reader is generally strong in both oral and silent reading on various measures of comprehension” (Miller & Smith, 1985, p. 3460). However, recent studies show that there is no significant difference between oral and silent reading when assessing reading comprehension:
How do we, as educators, know if students are actually reading silently?
When students are reading silently, it can be difficult to know whether or not the student is actually reading silently or if their mind has wandered off to something else. Researchers at the Florida Center for Reading Research (FCRR) investigate this puzzle by measuring silent reading through eye-tracking technologies (Coyne, 2013).
When students are reading silently, it can be difficult to know whether or not the student is actually reading silently or if their mind has wandered off to something else. Researchers at the Florida Center for Reading Research (FCRR) investigate this puzzle by measuring silent reading through eye-tracking technologies (Coyne, 2013).