when thinking trumps reading by tim farquer

when Thinkin Trum Adolescents and "backto-basics" reading programs rarely mix. Four strategies stimulate thinking while teens learn to read. Gay Ivey and Douglas Fisher

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EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP/OCTOBER 2006

ow should secondary school teachers respond when they face students reading three, five, or even seven years below grade level? We suspect that many instructional leaders feel the urgency, as one district literacy director recently shared v/ith us, to "bring kids up to speed." Most likely, this means improving test scores. Schools often respond to pressures to improve reading skills by adopting back-to-basics programs that focus mainly on discrete skills with little attention to critical reading and writing. The assumptions dri\ang teachers to use this kind of back-to-basics intervention seem to he that (1) the basics must be learned before higher-level reading and writing work can begin, and (2) students did not "get" the basics in the early grades. But our observations indicate that the most popular programs define "the basics" quite differently, from sounding out

SkiU:s keading Skills long vowel words, to identifying a sequence of events in a story, to using .similes and metaphors, to making an inference, ln addition, we know of no evidence that proves that an approach locused on the technical aspects of literacy helps students hecome more sophisticated in their reading or score higher on tests created independently of the programs being used. A trL")ubling consequence of this back-to-basics approach is exemplified by the reaction of 15-year-old Luke,' whom we recently observed. Luke does not yet read comfortably on a 1st grade level. Lukes teachers believe that he needs to read texts that are not a struggle for him—and we would he the first to agree (Ivey, 2000; Ivey & Fisher, 2006). Luke's teacher invited him to read a hook "matched to his reading level," Dan, the Flying Man hyjoy Cowley, a simple picture book that one would likely find in a kindergarten L-lassroom. When he read the title, Luke looked up, obviously perplexed, and asked. "Do you think he's on drugs?" It did not even occur to Luke that his teacher would give him a book ihat made higher-order reasoning unnecessary. Dan, ihe Flying Man was 110 match for this teens vast knowledge base and his ability-—and desire—to think critically

Torn Between Two Academic Needs When older students are sdll acquiring lundamental knowledge about literacy, teachers may feel tom between trying

to respond to two seemingly disparate academic needs. On the one hand, teachers know that stRiggling readers will not grow from literary experiences that are too hard, that require a level of reading expertise that they have not achieved. Yet teachers are keenly aware that older students must develop their abilities to think critically about a range of sophisticated concepts, even while they are stil! learning to read and write. It is difficult to Imagine literary experiences that use accessible text yet hring sophisticated content to students. We believe there is an alternative to the either/or perspective that pits developmental approaches to reading against instruction that connects Uteracy to higher-order thinking. We suggest four practices that simultaneously develop students' hteracy skills and their higherorder cognitive skills. We have observed these practices tn secondary classrooms and have noticed that they result in higher rates of student engagement.

Use Accessible Texts with Rich Concepts If you asked a teacher why students should spend lots of time reading, you would probably get a response akin to the title of Richard Allingtons (1977) classic article "If They Don't Read Much, How They Ever Gonna Get Good?" We concur But if you asked adolescents why they should read, we doubt you would get the same answer. Students who value independent reading are more likely to tell you that time spent reading is crucial because it

gives them a chance to think, learn, and fantasize (Ivey & Broaddus, 2001). Like adults, teens read because it satisfies their minds. So when we recotnmend hooks to older, inexperienced readers, we want to show them that reading can stimulate their minds—make them laugh, puzzle, empathize, question, or reconsider previously held notions. We cannot think of any other reason that students would adopt the hahit of reading. But when students have world knowledge that far surpasses their abilities to read, how do you find appropriate materials? Consider how proficient adult readers choose their texts. As such a reader, do you find that only hard-to-read books cultivate your thinking? Do you select hooks on the basis of how easy or difficult they are? We suspect that most often the content and style of a text grab your attention, rather than word-level or s>mtactical complexity. What draws readers to a text is a sense of connection or curiosity For example, picture books with a mature sense of humor can fit with both the reading levels and the sensibilities of older struggling readers. Older kids can enjoy the "Saturday Night Live"-style wit of such books as The Happy Hocky Family and Squids Will Be Squids. Adolescents and adults are more likely than elementary students to possess the cultural knowledge necessary to appreciate the satire in such hooks. Students also appreciate exploring relevant social issues through conceptu-

ASSOCIATION FOR SUPERVISION AND CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

we/ read/ aury, —John/Locke/

ally rich, accessible texts. Two examples are The House That Crack Built—a cumulative picture book that details the creation, distribution, and harmful effects of crack cocaine—and The First Part Last —a manageable read that highlights the hardships of becoming a teenage parent. Studetits can also strike a balance between readability and conceptual richness through independent reading about specific content. For example, Ms. Grant, a physics teacher, makes a wide range of texts available to her students as they study motion. Instead of relying on a single text, which is often too hard for the majority of students in the class, Ms. Grant uses Web sites, picture books, and newspaper and journal articles. Students read and write daily in this classroom and learn to make sophisticated judgments about texts, content, and authors. As Carrie, a 9th grader who reads at a 3rd grade level, said, I really didn't get this until 1 read about the roller coaster. See, you got to understand friction first, and then you get the laws of motion. That pop-up book [Galiko's Universe] helped me a lot v^ith motion, but I couldn't get it in my brain. Then I read pan of the book witb all of the pictures [Eyemtness: Force & Motion]. I was on a roller coaster before, and i made a picture of that when 1 read. Garrie's reading skills have progressed—but more important, she 18

expect readers to infer as they read, and asked students, "What social commentary do you think Steinbeck was making here?" The problem was that nearly three-fourths of the class did not understand what they had read the previous night. Instead of developing the skill of inferring, students got tangled up trying to figure out unknown words and difficult concepts in the novel. At the other end of the continuum, we see students assigned to books that are easy to read, but not complex enough to offer a context for sophisticated reading processes.

has engaged with the kind of content and thinking expected of students her age.

Use Alternative Texts to Spur Critical Reading We have often seen teachers instruct unskilled teenage readers in comprehension processes and strategic reading using books that are too difficult. For instance, in a high school Fnglish class, students ranging in reading ability from 2nd grade through college-level, were assigned a chapter from The Grapes of Wrath. The next day, the teacher used this chapter to discuss how writers

EDUCATIONAL LHADERSHIP/OCTOBER 2006

Easy-to-read texts supported by compelling graphics and photographs are an excellent alternative for instructing students in critical £ reading. For instance, graphic s novels, anime, and comics I give students struggling to read grade-level texts access to engaging ideas (Frey &r Fisher, 2004). Notice how Mr. Jacobs, an English teacher, introduced inferring through the graphic novel Out From Boneville by Jeff Smith, the first book in a ninevolume series about three cousins who are run out of town and end up lost in an uncharted desert. The teacher points out to students See this space right here, between the panels? We call that the gutter: it's the place where you might make an inference. The author can't tell us everything—some things we simply must infer or read between tbe lines. Let's look at this page. Is he the richest guy in town? If so, why is be sweating so much?

In her U.S. history classroom, Mrs. Everson uses Still 1 Rise: A Cartoon History of African Americans to preview

content and build students' background knowledge. In one lesson, Mrs. Everson shared a cartoon from the book with the class and asked students to consider the impact of the end of World War 1 on African Americans, lessica, a student who reads below her :issigned grade, observed, It wasn't good. When the blacks came back, people wanted to hold them down. Look, there were lynchings. . . . They used to string our people up, just for being black.

Javier, who reads above grade level, added. Yeah, but the people had new expectations. They knew that they could do things and they made organizations to help. On that page, they talk about the NAACP.

When they share an interest in the content, students of various reading levels can converse and think critically together about the topic at hand. Of course, not all graphic novels are appropriate tor the classroom—many contain adult themes and graphic content. See "Accessible Books with .Sophisticated Concepts" for a list of several visually appealing content-rich books that are appropriate for secondary schools.

Read Alouds and Think Alouds Teacher read alouds help students understand difficult texts (Ivey & Broaddus, 2001). Most secondary students enjoy listening, and teachers can capitalize on this enjoyment by modeling critical thinking. For example, as she introduced the book Getting Away with Murder: The True Story of the Emmett Till Case by Chris

Crov/e. 8th grade civics teacher Ms. Farrell explained to students how she reasons her way through a book: 1 ask myself important questions that are inspired by the title; Did someone kill someone eise and not go to prison for it?

Was Emmett Till the person murdered? These questions give me a purpose for reading the book. At Lhe point at which two white men from Money, Mississippi, approach tbe house of a black family w\(h a gun and a flashlight, asking for the boy "who done the talkin' in Money," she paused and shared vdth the students more questions that came to mind for her: Are they going to kill the boy in the house? Are they going to kill him for "doing the talking"? What could he have said that was so bad they wanted to murder him?

What draws readers to a text is a sense of connection or curiosity.

idea, to use word analysis strategies, or to identify cause-and-effect paragraphs. Although these skills are important to the reading process, they don't necessarily translate into the ability or desire to read critically Listening to teachers reflect on sophisticated texts helps struggling readers and vmters keep their eyes on the prize. An even more crucial benefit is that it helps students glean vocabulary and sophisticated concept knowledge that may not be contained within the kind of hooks that students can read alone—and we know that students learn most nevi' vocabulary and concepts through reading {Nagy, Anderson, & Herman, 1987). Without such knowledge, even teens who can decode will be at a loss when it comes to higher-level reading. For this reason, we consider regular teacher read alouds across the content areas a nonnegotiahle activity

Use Writing to Tap Critical Knowledge Ms. Farrell explained that she will continue to think about the book, even after closing it: 1 have more complicated questions now. In this book, I've learned that Emmett Till was killed for whistling at a white woman. The murderers went unpunished. After reading, I keep wondering about these things. How could ihese men live with themselves and not feel sorry for what they had done? Are there other cases like this one? Tbe first question is not easily answered, but we can talk about it. The second question makes me want to read and team more. I remember seeing a movie about Medgar Evers, who was killed by a white supremacist. 1 might want to read more about that now.

Like all readers, older strugghng readers want to know about their world, understand the events around them, and engage with topics on their minds. When teachers connect reading and writing to the cultural knowledge that students bring to school, they not only help increase writing fluency, but they also help students think critically ahout course topics. Fnglish teacher Mrs. FlWardi knew that her students, all English language learners, were interested in immigration policies. While teaching vmting conventions and reading comprehension, she selected The Circuit: Stones from the Life of a Migrant Child for her

This teacher not only made a difficult text more accessible, but she also showed students why reading is important in the first place: because it makes you think ahout significant issues. A program focused on basic skills might lead students to believe that the purpose of reading is to find the main

daily read aloud. As she read, she shared her thinking, summarizing and predicting out loud. In addition, she used informational texts—such as population statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau, an opinion piece from the newspaper, and a political cartoon—for her shared readings.

ASSOCIATION FOR SUPERVISION AND CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

Accessible Books with Sophisticated Concepts Eyewitness: Force and Motion. Peter Lafferty. (1999). New York: Dorling Kindersley. The First Part Last. Angela Johnson. (2003). New York: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers. Galileo's Universe. J. Patrick Lewis and Tom Curry. {2005}. North Mankato, MN: Creative Editions. Getting Away with Murder: The True Story of the Emmett Till Case. Chris Crov^'e. (2003). New York: Dial. The Happy Hocky Family. Lane Smith. (1993). New York: Viking. The House That Crack Built. Clark Taylor and Jan Thompson. (1992). San Francisco: Chronicle Books. Out From Boneville. (2004). '••••mmtm'mmim'^'mmmmmtm Jeff Smith, Columbus, OH: Cartoon Books. Squids Will Be Squids. Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith. (1998), New York: Viking. Still I Rise: A Cartoon History of African Americans. Roland Owen Laird Jr., Taneisha Nash Laird, and Elihu Bey. (1997). New York: Norton.

Graphic Novels for the Secondary Classroom Capote in Kansas. Ande Parks and Chris Samnee. (2005). Portland, OR: Oni Press. City People Notebook. Will Eisner. (1989). New York: DC Comics. Dignifying Science: Stories about Women Scientists. Jim Ottaviani, Donna Barr, Mary Fleener, and Ramona Fradon. (2003). Ann Arbor, Ml: GT Labs. Fallout: J. Robert Oppenheimer, Leo Szilard, and the Political Science of the Atomic Bomb. Jim Ottaviani, Janine Johnston, Steve Lieber, Vince Locke, Bernie Mireault, and Jeff Parker. (2001). Ann Arbor, Ml: GT Labs. The four Immigrants Manga: A Japanese Experience in San Francisco, 1904-1924. Henry Kiyama. (1999). (F.L. Schodt, trans). Berkeley, CA: Stone Bridge Press. Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis. Peter Kuper. (2004). New York: Three Rivers Press. The Murder of Abraham Lincoln. Rick Geary. (2005). New York: ComicsLit.

EDUCATIONAL LEADEKSHIP/OCTOBER

2006

rS SAMHEC

Mrs. FlWardi knows that writing is thinking, that writing clarifies understanding, and that student writing can he used as a formative assessment to guide future instruction. So she gives students a daily writing prompt to do "quick-vi'rites." Several chapters into reading The Circuit, Mrs. ElWardi asked students to write about a time when they had to say good-bye. These short pieces enabled students to connect their own lives with those of the characters in the book, who must frequently say good-bye. Students were invited to "find the poem" hidden in their writing, using only the most important words and phrases from their original pieces. A poem hy Ammale, a student from Fthiopia who had been in the United States for 14 months and whose mother was detained at the horder, helped her to get in touch with and express her thoughts in a way prose writing could not. Ammale's quick-write was filled viith the mistakes anyone learning a new language would make. Her found poem, however, was subtly powerful and showed the personal connection she had with the topic. Although teachers like Mrs. Elwardi understand that there is more to writing than what gets assessed on standardized tests, we fear that the expectations and purposes for writing presented to most inexperienced writers are terrihly Hmited. As Kirhy, Kirby, and Liner (2004) argue, [Students] hear us talk, talk, and talk about thesis statements, topic sentences, outlines, 500 words, and five paragraphs: but they hear little talk about collecting, percolating, and generating information, (p. 196)

An Invitation We do not believe the kinds of experiences that we have described—those that simultaneously support critical thinking and the development of reading expertise—are encouraged in the commercially based programs now availahle. Instead, most programs require a high volume of teacher

control, some directing the teacher to guide students word hy word or sentence hy sentence through meaningless passages. We see little hope for students to become Independent readers and thoughtful citizens in such a context. We know positive practices like those we describe flourish in the classrooms of secondary reading specialists and classroom teachers who understand both literacy acquisition and the richness of the adolescent mind—and who are quietly uncovering the critical reader within students who have limited skills. These suggestiotis, however, have only scratched the surface. So we close with an invitation to teachers who have found ways to maintain a thought-provoking curriculum for older struggling readers while also helping them improve basic reading and writing skills: Let us know

JOIN US FOR THE

Like adults, teens read because it satisfies their minds. what has worked for you. As a secondary education community, we are thirsting for creative ways to "bring kids up to speed" in literacy. (3 'Ail names in the article are pseudonyms.

Ivey, G,, & Broaddus, K. (2001). "Just plain reading": A survey of what makes students want to read in middle school classrooms. Reading Research Quarterly, 36, pp. 350-377. Ivey, G., & Fisher, D. (2006). Creating literacy-rich schools for adolescents.

Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Kirby, D., Kirby, D. L., & Liner, T. (2004). Inside out: Strategies/or teaching writing (3rd ed.). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Nagy, W., Anderson, R. C.. & Herman, P. A. (1987). Learning word meanings from context during normal reading. American Educational Research Journal, 24, pp.

237-270. References Allington, R. L. (1977). If they don't read much, how they ever gonna get good? Journal 0/Reading, 21(1), pp. 57-61. Frey, N., & Fisher, D. (2004). Using graphic novels, anime, teen magazines, and the Internet in an urban high school English class. English Journal, 93(3), pp. 19-25. Ivey, G. (2000). Redesigning reading instruction. Educational Leadership, 58(1),

pp. 42-45.

A N N U A L

C O N F E R E N C E

Gay Ivey is Associate Professor in the Department of Reading Education at James Madison University, MSC 6909, Harrisonburg, VA 22807; iveymg @jmu.edu. Douglas Fisher is Professor in the School of Teacher Education at San Diego State University, 4283 El Cajon Blvd., #100, San Diego, CA 92105; dfisher@mail.sdsu.edu.

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URBAN EDUCATION iNNOVATiOINJ & CHALLENGES: WHAT NEXT? FEBRUARY ^~ 3, 2007, §AIM FRANCiSCU^gALIFOHNIA

OVERCOMING THE CHALLENGES FACING URBAN SCHOOLS New thrnking, new approaches and new strategies have led to significant progress in tackling the challenges faced by today's urban educators. Much has been accomplished, but there is still nnore to be done. Join Pedro Noguera and Linda Darling-Hammond, along with other thought leaders and practitioners as they share stones of past successes and work together to strategize for tomorrow.

A forum to share the work under way and participate in developing an even broader range of responses.

Acquire the knowledge you need to achieve real and sustainable change. Topics include:

Discover the latest research and effective practices to engage and motivate students in high needs urban schools. Special emphasis will be placed on innovative initiatives such as small high schools, preparing and supporting new leaders, developing customized intervention services for students at risk ot iailure, and ensuring urban teachers are fully prepared for the challenges they face and are capable of meeting all their students' needs.

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