BY: Beanie Geoghegan
According to The National Literacy Institute, “54% of U.S. adults read below the equivalent of a sixth-grade level, and 64% of our country’s fourth graders do not read proficiently. The reality is that millions of students who struggle with basic literacy skills are moved through the K-12 school system, then are issued diplomas and sent out on their own to try to navigate college or the workforce. In a recent “Letter From the President”, Melissa Jackson highlighted her personal encounter with students and data showing how widespread the literacy crisis is.
Many classroom teachers are also painfully aware of this travesty, but often feel helpless to remediate it. One key reason is that, ironically, teaching students the fundamentals of literacy using research-backed methods wasn’t part of their teacher-training programs. Recent surveys found that most teachers were still being taught discredited methods in reading instruction. Unfortunately, the professional development they’re often subjected to upon entering the classroom does nothing to mitigate the problem.
Teachers from previous generations could juxtapose their experience as students learning to read with the new “progressive” methods they were taught in their education courses and see that something was palpably amiss. While those teachers may not have been trained in proper methods or familiar with the research supporting them, they intuitively knew what worked, so many dismissed what they were taught and implemented what was effective.
Those teachers had an advantage over the current group, who may or may not have been exposed to phonics, decoding, grammar, and spelling instruction as students. Educated in the 1990s or early 2000s, newer teachers were likely taught using “whole language” or “balanced literacy” methods; therefore, they can’t draw on their experience to help their students. Until college and university teacher training programs shift gears (which could take years), it is imperative that professional development (PD) opportunities for educators are grounded in proven, effective, and research-backed methods that teachers can immediately apply to their classrooms. Fortunately, these opportunities are becoming much more ubiquitous.
One such PD opportunity was the topic of a recent Freedom In Education blog. A fresh wave of indignation about the inadequate training teachers are given came over me after attending the Teach Like a Champion: Science of Reading Workshop. This two-day workshop helped bridge the gap between classroom application and the research on the importance of attention, fluency, vocabulary, and background knowledge.
The sessions weren’t full of lofty ideas that promised miraculous results. Rather, they outlined concrete practices and provided video clips of real classroom teachers demonstrating them. Upon returning to the classroom the following week, I was able to put what I learned into practice and witness the difference for myself. The accompanying book and support resources ensure that attendees can continue honing their skills.
Other research-backed, evidence-led PD to help educators teach literacy more effectively is offered through the University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI). They are “focused on deepening teachers’ knowledge and enhancing their classroom application of evidence-based instructional methods.” Aside from in-person training, UFLI also offers online webinars, support, and resources.
Some educators aren’t waiting for their states or districts to bring the research-led PD to them. Organizations like The Wyoming Science of Teaching and Learning Collaborative (WSTLC) are bringing the research to the states and districts. WSTLC is bringing “together educators from all content areas, PreK–12, along with administrators, researchers, and education stakeholders. A defining feature of this conference is that teachers will be presenting, sharing how they have implemented research-informed instructional practices in real classrooms.” While not specifically focused on literacy, the research presented will equip and strengthen teachers to teach literacy skills more effectively.
Much like UFLI and TLAC, Freedom In Education (FIE) isn’t waiting for the government to swoop in and solve this problem. Our organization doesn’t just expose and harp on the issues surrounding K-12 education; we seek out and create real, practical solutions to help mitigate them. We’ve heard from teachers that they need more PD opportunities to improve their literacy instruction, so we’re responding to their request.
Inspired by the success of Nick Gibb, the UK Minister of State for Education, FIE will host the first of many researchED conferences in the southern U.S. The goal of this grassroots initiative is to “bridge the gap between research and practice in education.” Since its start in 2013 in England, it has brought researchers, teachers, and policy makers together in cities around the world “for a day of information-sharing and myth-busting.” On June 6th, we will bring people from those groups to Atlanta, GA, with a specific focus on bridging the gap between research and practice. On June 13, we will do the same in Houston.
Aside from the amazing teachers who will share how they’ve successfully applied the research in their classrooms during the many breakout sessions, these conferences will feature special guests such as Carl Hendrick, Nick Gibb, Tom Bennett, and Doug Lemov. The combined decades of experience working in K-12 education that these speakers bring to the table are remarkable, and attendees will certainly glean much wisdom from them.
These are just a few of the PD opportunities that provide hope and optimism for teachers and the future of literacy instruction, but it’s just scratching the surface of the desperate need for this type of training. Students can’t wait for colleges of education to change the way they prepare teachers to teach literacy. We need quality PD, grounded in evidence and easily implemented in the classroom, available to every teacher, so all students can learn to read, write, and communicate proficiently.
