FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL STUDIES SUPERVISORS STATEMENT ON LITERACY

 

 

The Florida Association of Social Studies Supervisors applauds state and local efforts to improve literacy and to close the academic achievement gap among our students.  Reading is a gateway to the acquisition of knowledge and the attainment of student success; the major emphasis placed on literacy is vitally necessary.  There is no doubt reading instruction has improved in Florida over the last several years and reading scores at the elementary level show commendable gains.  

 

Despite the best efforts of Florida educators and policy makers, the reading gains made at the elementary level are not seen in student FCAT scores at the middle and high school levels.  In fact, a striking downward trend in reading achievement is evident starting at the middle school level (this is a nationwide phenomenon cataloged by various educational researchers).  When comparing FCAT statistics on the numbers of students earning scores of 3 and above in fifth grade to the numbers of students earning 3 and above in tenth grade, the decline is dramatic.  72% of fifth grade students tested at level 3 and above while only 34% of tenth graders are at or above level 3. 

 

 

2006-2007 FCAT Reading Score Data Confirms Nationwide Trends

 

                            Note:  Informational text accounts for 50% of fifth grade readings, 60% of seventh grade readings,

                                       70% of ninth grade readings; cognitive complexity also increases with each grade level.

 

One of the contributing factors in the decrease of student reading performance can be attributed to the escalation of expository text and cognitive complexity in the reading passages from the fifth to tenth grade exams (informational text accounts for 50% of fifth grade readings, 60% of seventh grade readings, and 70% of tenth grade readings; cognitive complexity also increases with each grade level).  Studies of basal texts and other teaching resources have revealed that much of the reading elementary students engage in at school is narrative and how the transition to more informational text requiring increasing amounts of academic knowledge is very difficult for middle and high schoolers.  

 

In 2006, the Koret Task Force, charged by Governor Bush to review Florida’s K-12 educational system, determined that our state’s reading program, Just Read, Florida!:

 

“has done much to enhance reading instruction, first in the elementary grades and then at the middle school level.  It now

requires that any students in grades 6 through 12 who have phonological problems enroll in an intensive reading course.  As it continues to implement these policies, it should both seek student mastery of phonological skills (through 12th grade, if needed) and the acquisition of appropriate knowledge at each grade level, an aim that is not currently emphasized in the “Just Read, Florida!” guidelines but is an essential element in enabling students to read at grade level as they advance to middle school and high school.” (emphasis added)

 

FASSS believes the missing link in reading comprehension and academic achievement can be found in a proper emphasis on academic background knowledge.  Formal literacy strategies involving decoding, etc, are essential for younger readers and older struggling learners, but these formal strategies can only take students so far down the path to high-level literacy.   As educational researchers such as E.D. Hirsch and others confirm, reading requires knowledge of ‘words’ and the ‘world’ which means students, starting in the elementary grades, need solid instruction in core academic content that includes the arts, history and the other social studies, literature, mathematics, science, etc. 

 

Based on a recent FASSS survey of approximately 1,800 elementary teachers in school districts throughout Florida, 68% of teachers spend two hours or less on Social Studies instruction (history, civics, economics, and geography) each week.  It should go without saying that history and civics are uniquely important to the vitality of our state’s and nation’s social fabric and the fact that they are neglected by most primary and intermediate teachers does not bode well for our society.  Until recently, the direct connection between Social Studies content and literacy gains has been a non-issue in many academic circles.  Thanks to E.D. Hirsch’s recent work, The Knowledge Deficit: Closing the Shocking Education Gap for American Children, and Robert Marzano’s Building Background Knowledge for Academic Achievement, it is apparent why Florida’s elementary teachers must teach Social Studies, and other content, on a daily basis and for adequate lengths of time each day.  Imparting content knowledge leads to improved literacy and in the case of Social Studies content, in particular, students’ civic awareness and growth is fostered.

 

Recognizing the difficulties elementary teachers have in providing daily instruction in each of the content areas due, in part, to being locked into required instructional blocks of time (7.5 hours per week for Reading, 5 hours for Writing, etc), FASSS makes the following recommendations to improve literacy for Florida’s students:

 

  1. The Sunshine State Standards should be revised to emphasize the importance of academic knowledge, especially but not limited to the elementary grades (versus a top-heavy skills based approach to standards).
  2. Targeted professional development for elementary teachers should be provided in core areas such as civics and history, literature, and the sciences.
  3. School districts should develop curriculum maps or similar curricular documents that provide teachers with a clear roadmap for delivery of essential knowledge and skills.
  4. Teachers must ensure a proper balance between content instruction and formal literacy strategies with the latter emphasis declining in later grades (students should ‘learn to read’ in the primary years and progressively ‘read to learn’).
  5. Literacy strategies, including the use of graphic organizers, should be utilized by intermediate and secondary teachers to help deliver content.
  6. Integration is absolutely necessary for elementary teachers to effectively deliver the essential content and teach students required reading skills; some educators talk about using reading to teach content but instead the content (arts, history, literature, science, etc) should be seen as the vehicle to teach reading.  Educators need more professional development on integration.  For instance, history and civics or science could be taught for three hours in a given day if taught during the reading and writing blocks and delineated content time (in an integrated environment students would learn the necessary reading and writing skills while learning important content knowledge).   
  7. Students must be taught and then tested on general knowledge that leads to improved reading comprehension. 

 

Florida must continue to focus on improving reading comprehension, and closing the achievement gap, but must also work in earnest to improve civic literacy and close another damaging gap – THE CIVICS ACHIEVEMENT GAP.  This is an issue that goes beyond Florida but is of national concern.

 

FASSS has prepared a PowerPoint presentation entitled “Academic Background Knowledge: The Missing Link in Reading Comprehension and Academic Achievement” that provides research findings on the importance of academic background knowledge from E.D.Hirsch, Robert Marzano and others. To view the presentation click on the following web link:

 

Academic Background Knowledge Presentation

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FASSS Homepage