Fwd: New in Rethinking Schools

[Susan Harman <susanharman@igc.org>]

Begin forwarded message:

  From: James Crawford <jwcrawford@COMPUSERVE.COM>

  Date: Wed Apr 9, 2008 11:36:30 AM US/Pacific

  To: ELLADVOC@ASU.EDU

  Subject: New in Rethinking Schools

  Reply-To: James Crawford <jwcrawford@COMPUSERVE.COM>

  Among several interesting articles in the latest Rethinking Schools (now
  online at http://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/22_03/22_03.shtml0000,0000,0000),
  here is one by Steve Krashen ...

  Bogus Claims About Reading First

  Spring 2008

  By Stephen Krashen

  Careful observers will note that the administration has been changing its
  claims about the success of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and Reading First,
  first making a claim and then quietly dropping it when counterevidence is
  published, then going on to make another claim, which is refuted and again
  quietly dropped. As contrasted with the use of the same strategy in
  justifying the war in Iraq, most of the media hasn't caught on, and it
  dutifully repeats the claims without examining them carefully, and without
  reading what critics have said.

  What 'No Improvement' Means

  Let's look at tests at the state level, national level, and tests that are
  part of international comparisons. Reading First fails at all three levels,
  producing no improvement.

  "No improvement" really means failure: According to the Center for Education
  Policy, students in Reading First get an extra 100 minutes per week of
  reading instruction, or an extra semester every two years.

  If Reading First were only mildly effective, there would be obvious
  improvement. In other words, we are comparing extra reading instruction to
  not teaching reading at all. (See Gerald Coles' book Reading the Naked Truth
  for a discussion of the importance of considering the question "compared with
  what"?) Of course, not all children are involved in Reading First, but this
  massive extra instruction should make a noticeable difference if it is
  effective.

  [Read on]

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