Literacy Coalition Forum: "Empowering Teachers," Reading Research, Instruction, and Supports

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Literacy Coalition Forum: “Empowering Teachers,” Reading Research, Instruction, and Supports

by Josiah Brown | Nov 3, 2009 12:01 pm

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Posted to: Citizen Contributions

Capecod%20and%20Literacy%20CoalOct2009%20084.JPG The Greater New Haven Literacy Coalition sponsored a forum Thursday, October 29, featuring reading specialist Margie Gillis on “Bringing Research into the Classroom, One Teacher at a Time.” Held at the new Literacy Resource Center at 4 Science Park in New Haven, the event drew a crowd including elementary and preschool teachers, parents, current and prospective literacy volunteers working with both children and adults, and nonprofit staffers all seeking to learn more about emerging reading research and strategies.

Margie Gillis, who is a senior scientist at Haskins Laboratories and president of Literacy How, Inc., describes her “passionate purpose” as “empowering teachers” and their “excellence.” She was introduced by Cheryl Manciero, who writes a monthly “Reading Along” column for the New Haven Register and is a member of the Literacy Coalition board. Another Coalition board member, Curtis Hill, also made welcoming remarks.

Capecod%20and%20Literacy%20CoalOct2009%20064.JPG He is the founder and volunteer executive director of Concepts for Adaptive Learning, which—along with the Coalition, New Haven Reads, Literacy Volunteers of Greater New Haven, and the Economic Development Corporation—created the Literacy Resource Center in space donated by Science Park Development Corporation.

Capecod%20and%20Literacy%20CoalOct2009%20062.JPG Describing daunting reading skill deficits and resulting achievement gaps as “a public health issue,” presenter Gillis characterized her goal: “to build knowledge and provide expert support so teachers become method-proof masters of evidence-based literacy practices.” Because specific reading texts and techniques are often transient, she contended, teachers should have the versatility and confidence to “master” reading instruction whatever “method” is in vogue. To dispel what she perceives as common “myths” about learning to read (for example, that it is natural), she spoke to its difficulty and sought to bridge the simplistic dichotomy between “phonics” and “whole language” instruction, as other experts such as Jeanne Chall have done. Praising the Connecticut Blueprint for Reading Achievement (http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2618&q=320850), Margie Gillis emphasized the particular role of teachers from pre-K through grade 1, citing discouraging data about the odds against children who don’t learn to read by the end of first grade (just one in eight, according to a study by Juel, Shaywitz and Clay that she cited, will likely learn to read on grade level).

Fortunately, despite this troubling evidence, there are promising, calibrated interventions for readers in grades 2, 3, and beyond—including for the adult literacy learners who are the focus of Literacy Volunteers. (Teachers at New Haven’s Davis Street School offer one example of a local team of colleagues considering and applying data for each student in an effort to get every first-grader reading, before such special interventions may be necessary http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2009/10/goal_set_90_in.php.) But aside from being no guarantee, these interventions are costly not only financially—for example, sometimes requiring additional small-group or individual instruction by reading specialists—but also taxing of students who may sacrifice art or other classes in order to receive supplementary reading instruction. If students do not learn to read by middle school, their prospects may be especially challenging; school dropout, unemployment, and incarceration data reveal correlations with reading proficiency. (For example, more than half of individuals who are incarcerated have “very limited literacy skills,” according to www.literacypowerline.com.)

This is a matter of justice; a movement recognizes a “right to literacy.” From a 1988 Modern Language Association conference to a June 2009 National Community Literacy convention with this theme, momentum is growing. Every community can mobilize awareness and action. Margie Gillis herself talked about how all of us can become more informed and participate in this cause.

Among other matters that arose in her presentation and in the subsequent question and discussion period at the October 29 forum were:

*Preschool teachers’ role in preparing students for literacy (an early education consultant for the State of Connecticut, Gerri Rowell, was on hand along with preschool educators themselves);

Capecod%20and%20Literacy%20CoalOct2009%20093.JPG *Reading in the home, promoted by libraries such as the New Haven Free Public Library—and involving grandparents as well as parents, and free books from sources including Read to Grow and the New Haven Reads Book Bank;
*Volunteer tutoring and mentoring, including through New Haven Reads, Literacy Volunteers of Greater New Haven, the New Haven Public School Foundation, and the Jewish Coalition for Literacy;

*Supporting literacy in other ways, such as through donations of money—whether directly, via the Community Foundation or the United Way—or of books and by voting.

Waiting lists among learners at popular providers including Junta for Progressive Action, New Haven Reads, and Literacy Volunteers are evidence of the excess of demand for their services, in relation to the supply of services they are currently able to offer, due to a scarcity of volunteers and/or of dollars for professional staff.

Capecod%20and%20Literacy%20CoalOct2009%20061.JPG Members of the Literacy Coalition’s board briefly spoke about its public awareness campaign. That effort includes Cheryl Manciero’s monthly series of “Reading Along” columns in the New Haven Register as well as articles like this one.

One upcoming New Haven event is a workshop for parents to be led by Susan Monroe, who teaches writing at Southern Connecticut State University and Housatonic Community College and is a Coalition board member.

Capecod%20and%20Literacy%20CoalOct2009%20078.JPG (Tomas Miranda, standing at left, and Susan Monroe—seated at left—both Literacy Coalition board members, among others.)

Participants in the October 29 forum came from New Haven public schools as well as a wide range of other organizations. Here is a partial list, including some already mentioned:

* Concepts for Adaptive Learning (http://www.eachchildlearns.org), which equips and trains New Haven parents to use computers to support their and their children’s learning;
* Casa Otonal (http://www.casaotonal.org/);
*Jewish Coalition for Literacy, a project of the Jewish Community Relations Council, which brings volunteer tutors into several New Haven public schools;
* Junta for Progressive Action (http://www.juntainc.org/en/);
* Literacy Volunteers of Greater New Haven (http://www.lvagnh.org/);
* New Haven Reads and its Book Bank (http://www.newhavenreads.org)—which offers free books and tutoring;
* Workforce Alliance (http://www.workforcealliance.biz)
* Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute (www.yale.edu/ynhti), a partnership between Yale and the New Haven Public Schools that offers professional development to district teachers in a collegial setting and whose resulting curricular resources are available online.

The Greater New Haven Literacy Coalition is a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization whose mission is to serve as a clearinghouse to promote, support and advance literacy for people of all ages in our region.

An evolving “book blog”: http://gnhliteracy.blogspot.com

Contact: info@gnhliteracy.org

Earlier articles on the Coalition:

http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2009/10/26/life/announcements/doc4ae5849ac2e15633638488.txt

http://newhavenindependent.org/archives/2008/11/literacy_coalit.php

http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2008/04/post_357.php

http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2007/05/a_day_for_liter.php

http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2006/10/their_second_ch.php