Literacy Now

by Julie Coiro

In 2011, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) published Students Online: Digital Technologies and Performance (Volume VI). This paper summarizes the results of the 2009 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which evaluates educational outcomes in school systems in some 70 countries that, together, make up nine-tenths of the world economy. 

The PISA 2009 report details and compares student performance in digital and print reading, especially in relation to family background and socio-economic status; student engagement and attitudes; use of computers at home and at school; navigational patterns; online reading practices; and learning strategies (e.g., the awareness of strategies to understand and summarize information).

For classroom teachers and researchers, some of the most interesting findings include the following:

• With respect to the benefits of using the Internet at school, the report indicates, "Within countries, the digital divide is often linked to students’ socio-economic background. Students from socioeconomically advantaged backgrounds have higher levels of computer and Internet access at home; however, in some countries, the inequalities in the level of computer use at home is narrowed when disadvantaged students are given more opportunities to use a computer at school" (p. 20). This finding highlights the importance of making time available during the school day for students to use the Internet as part of their academic learning experiences.
• However, the report also suggests, "After accounting for students’ academic abilities, the frequency of computer use at home, particularly computer use for leisure, is positively associated with navigation skills and digital reading performance, while the frequency of
  computer use at school is not. These findings suggest that students are developing digital reading literacy mainly by using computers at home to pursue their interests." (p. 21). Consequently, it appears that access to computers and the Internet for academic learning tasks is not enough.  More needs to be done to ensure that students have opportunities to learning experiences driven by their own questions as opposed to only investigating questions posed by teachers or researchers. Self-directed tasks and authentic contexts for conducting personal online inquiries are critical for capturing students’ true capabilities in a digital reading environment. 
• A third finding highlights particular practices that appear to increase student performance on measures of online reading comprehension. For instance, “in each of the 19 countries that took part in the digital reading assessment, the more frequently students search for information on line, the better their performance in digital reading. Being unfamiliar with online social practices, such as e-mailing and chatting, seems to be associated with low digital reading proficiency; but students who frequently e-mail and chat on line also perform less well than students who are only moderately involved in these activities" (p. 21). These findings remind us that familiarity with a range of communication tools is important, but the use of these tools may foster better online reading performance when linked to purposeful opportunities to search for and summarize personally relevant online information that can be shared with others. 

Findings from this report deserve the attention of literacy educators and researchers for at least three reasons. First, more needs to be done to help students develop skills in reading digital texts. Teaching effective strategies such as efficient navigation, critical evaluation, and text integration play a critical role in online reading performance.  Second, the use of online texts may begin to address the underperformance of boys in reading. The PISA report indicates, “when we compare boys and girls who have similar levels of print reading proficiency, boys tend to perform better than girls in digital reading” (p. 207). These findings suggest that one way to promote better reading proficiency among boys lies in encouraging them to read digital texts. 

Third, these findings help us understand that while strategies to promote wider access to the Internet at school can help lessen the gap between socio-economically advantaged and disadvantaged youth, access and increased use, by itself, is not enough. To foster the thinking required in today’s digital world, efforts need to focus on fostering the effective use of ICT in schools through project-based activities, formative student-centered assessments, and specific instructional practices that improve students’ ability to navigate, critically evaluate, and synthesize online information. 

Julie Coiro is assistant professor in the School of Education at the University of Rhode Island. 

This article is part of a series from the Technology in Literacy Education Special Interest Group (TILE-SIG). 

 

The final set of reviews in this series about animals features books for grades seven through twelve. We'd like to thank members of the Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) of the International Reading Association (IRA) for contributing these fantastic reviews!

Grades 4-6 

Bial, Raymond. (2011). Rescuing Rover: Saving America’s dogs. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Clearly, Bial wants readers to be mindful of the responsibility of pet ownership, but he also wants to publicize the ever-increasing numbers of dogs who end up in animal shelters. Countless unwanted litters of puppies are born each year since their owners fail to have their dogs spayed or neutered, and those puppies often have nowhere to go. As part of his research for this nonfiction book, Bial visits several local animal shelters in Illinois to report on the dogs living there and the men and women who care for them. In his usual carefully detailed style, he describes the cost of caring for these unwanted animals and tells some of their stories. The book is filled with photographs that tug at the heart, including one on the cover that practically begs readers to take this dog home. - Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University

MacLachlan, Patricia. (2011). Waiting for the magic. Illus. by Amy June Bates. New York: Athenenum. 

When their college professor father leaves the family in order to write, the three children left behind are as confused about his motivation for leaving as their mother is. But Mama doesn't take his desertion lightly, and she decides to replace her husband with a pet. After a trip to the animal shelter, they have five new pets, four dogs and a cat. The dogs range in size from a terrier to a Great Pyrenees. When their father finishes sewing his wild oats and trying to write in solitude, and returns home, the children have all come to recognize that these animals are able to talk to those who will listen to them. Along with Mama’s own surprise, the four dogs and a cat work to reunite a family that has come adrift. With the magic of love that only animals can weave, all find their way to forgiveness, if not understanding. - Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University

Wagner, Hilary. (2011). The White Assassin. New York: Holiday House. 

Fans of last year’s Nightshade City will be delighted with this follow-up story. Three years have passed since the Catacombs were rescued from the dictatorial control of Killdeer and the viciously cruel Billycan. Since the white rat has disappeared into the swamps, all should be safe; however, Billycan now leads a group of swamp rats who are eager to help him wreak vengeance on Nightshade City. Juniper and his band of democratic rats thwart Billycan’s plans and bring him back to Nightshade City where he is given a truth serum so the rats can learn the identity of the traitor among them. But the truth serum is actually an antidote for the drugs Billycan was given as a lab rat.  Slowly, in a series of flashbacks, Billycan remembers poignant details about his time in the laboratory.  As evidence of treachery mounts, some old alliances threaten to crack while others form. This touching story about rat society also makes astute observations about the nature of humans, animal experiments, and the power of family and forgiveness. As in the previous title, the characters are complex with even Billycan garnering some empathy. The author has crafted a story that somehow romanticizes rats and leaves readers wanting even more. - Barbara A. Ward, Washington State University

Animals! Book Review Series Number 2

CL/R SIG's Previous Book Review Series

Choices Reading Lists 

IRA Special Interest Groups 

ONE IS A FEAST FOR A MOUSE: A THANKSGIVING TALE (Scholastic, 2008) Pre-K through Third Grade

ONE IS A FEAST FOR A MOUSE: A THANKSGIVING TALE is a story about the aftermath of a Thanksgiving dinner from the mouse’s point of view. The mouse comes out of his hiding place and surveys the left-overs from the family’s dinner. He chooses one green pea to be his feast and decides to give thanks for what he has to enjoy. He then looks further across the table and spots cranberries that look like jewels.

Of course he has to have one of those as well and balances it on top of the green pea. He then spots an olive and adds it to the pile and then a carrot stick. By the time he gets done crossing the table, he has a balanced mountain of food that is enough for several feasts. He turns to make his way back to his hiding place and meets face to face with the cat. Chaos ensues and the mouse gets safely to his hiding place.

In choosing to be greedy, the mouse nearly lost everything he had collected and his life. He, however, was pleasantly surprised when peeking out of his hiding place at the end of the story and was able to give thanks for a feast after all.

Cross-curricular Connections: Social Studies, Science, Reading, Art

Ideas for Classroom Use:

Balancing Objects (Pre-K through Third Grade)

The purpose of this activity is to encourage students to use mathematical and physics skills to balance a number of objects. After reading the story, the teacher will go back through the book and lead a discussion based on the illustrations for the food the mouse has balanced. Lead a discussion about the reality of the mouse’s ability to balance these specific objects. Talk about gravity and center of balance to the level applicable to your student’s grade.

Encourage the students to use objects to find a number of items that will balance on each other and a number of items that will not. Some suggestions for available items are plastic cups, bowls, silverware, balls, small cars, small blocks, etc. After the experimental phase of balancing, have students discuss their findings about what is balanceable and what is not. Record findings on chart paper or in journals.

Feast of Imagination (PreK through Third Grade)

The purpose of this activity is to engage students’ imaginations in designing a feast for themselves. Have students focus on what would be a “just enough” feast. Review the story after reading to discuss how much the mouse thought was enough for a feast and then how much he attempted to collect. Discuss the differences between “needs” and “wants.” As a closing activity, have students design a multi-part picture by folding a paper in half. On one side of the paper, draw a picture of a “feast” that would be enough to be thankful for and meet the needs of a student. On the opposing side, have the students draw a picture of a feast of everything they would “want” like the mouse chose. Have the student dictate or write their thoughts on the pictures as appropriate to the grade level.

Feasts Around the World (Second through Third Grade)

After reading the story, discuss the traditional feast the family ate and compare it to the meager feast of the mouse. Discuss the difference between traditional American feasts and feasts of other cultures. In small groups assign the students to research different feasts from around the world online or in library books. Some suggestions for searching are Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, St. Lucia Day, Sukkot, La Posados, Diwali, etc. After the children have researched the feast day, have them illustrate and write information explaining their holiday. Have students present their findings to each other or to family, friends, and guests as part of a school feast.

Additional Resources and Activities:

Christmas Around the World

This website lists holiday celebrations by country and gives an explanation of each celebration. The site also includes links to activities, songs, and many other topics specific to Christmas around the world. The countries included here range from Japan to Croatia. The site has easy to understand explanations for how Christmas has been accepted or changed in different parts of the world.

Celebrate Winter Holidays

This is a Scholastic web resource for many holidays around the world. The focus of the page is on Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. The site provides activities, links to book lists, and explanations for each holiday. For each holiday, there is a teacher guide, links to online content, and student activities. This page would be a good starting place for learning about many different holidays.

Celebrations Around the World: A Multicultural Handbook (Fulcrum Publishing, 1996)

This book is a 236 page reference book for festivals and celebrations from countries around the world. The book begins with celebrations in January and looks at celebrations for each month in countries in all parts of the world. This book would be a great resource to help build multicultural understanding all year long and boost acceptance for student differences.

Kathy Prater is a Reading Specialist and Pre-Kindergarten teacher in Starkville, Mississippi. She tutors students with dyslexia and teaches as an Adjunct Professor at Mississippi University for Women in Columbus, Mississippi. Her passions include reading, writing, and helping students at all levels to find motivation for lifelong reading and learning. She believes that every child can become a successful reader if given the right tools and encouragement. She has been teaching Christmas Around the World for multi-grade students for the past 18 years.

WANT TO WRITE FOR ENGAGE? Send your name, the grade level(s) you teach, the title of book that you put to work, and a line or two about how you use it in your classroom to engage-membership@/.

The United States Government, represented by the Agency for International Development (USAID), Bureau for Economic Growth, Agriculture, and Trade (EGAT), Office of Education (ED), the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), World Vision, Inc. (WVUS), and World Vision Australia (WVA) (collectively herein “World Vision”), is seeking innovative applications from eligible institutions as defined in the Request for Applications (RFA) to support the program entitled “All Children Reading Competition” (RFA No. SOL-OAA-12-000010). All awards under this RFA will be issued as grants not to exceed US $300,000.

All questions from interested applicants must be submitted to allchildrenreading@usaid.gov no later than 2:00 p.m. EST on December 9, 2011. Applications are due no later than 2:00 p.m. EST on January 31, 2012.

Through a multiyear initiative called All Children Reading: A Grand Challenge for Development (ACR), the Founding Partners will collaborate to achieve the goal of global action to improve child literacy. While recognizing that there are many factors required to improve student learning outcomes in primary grade reading, the Founding Partners have established the All Children Reading Competition to focus on two needs that are both important and largely unmet in low- and lower-middle-income countries: teaching and learning materials and education data: Innovations in Teaching and Learning Materials to Improve Student Reading and Innovations in Education Data to Improve Student Reading.

Visit the Grants.gov website for more information about All Children Reading. You can also go to www.grants.gov and search by the grant title or number.

 

The Kids In Need Foundation, a national, non-profit organization dedicated to providing free school supplies to economically disadvantaged school children and under-funded teachers, announces its third year partnering with LOFT, to support the Kids In Need Teacher Grants program. LOFT, known for feminine, versatile, stylish and affordable fashion, will provide the grant from the company’s LOFT Loves Teachers program for approximately 100 teachers, so they may purchase supplies needed to conduct innovative projects in their classrooms.

Funding from $100 to $500 is available for original classroom projects. Grant requests may be submitted online at www.kinf.org through December 9, 2011.

“The Teacher Grants program recognizes the creativity of teachers, as well as alleviating the need for teachers to reach into their own pockets to pay for materials to do special projects,” said Dave Smith, executive director of the Kids In Need Foundation. “We are proud to partner with LOFT Loves Teachers on this Best In Class Grants program, which allows teachers to create innovative experiences in their own classrooms.”

LOFT Loves Teachers is dedicated to honoring the daily commitment teachers make in and out of the classroom and the intricate role they play in children’s lives. To further teachers’ efforts, LOFT has pledged $50,000 to the Kids In Need Foundation in support of the LOFT Best In Class Grants.

“Our brand is committed to supporting educators in their efforts to enrich the lives of our nation's children. LOFT is proud to continue our dynamic partnership with the Kids in Need Foundation through the LOFT Best In Class Grants, dedicated to providing teachers with necessary classroom tools.” said Deborah Cavanagh, SVP, LOFT Brand Marketing.

Kids In Need is encouraging teachers to register for LOFT’s teacher appreciation program at LOFTLovesTeachers.com and learn about all the perks LOFT offers educators, including an everyday 15% discount on full price merchandise, exclusive sweepstakes, style guides just for teachers, and more. For official rules and to enter, visit LOFT on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LOFT.

“The purpose of the Kids In Need Foundation is to get free school supplies into the hands of kids who need them,” said Dave Smith. “The materials necessary to do these exceptional projects would not be available to students if it were not for the Kids In Need Teacher Grants program and the companies that sponsor it, so we are greatly appreciative of  LOFT’s participation.”

For more information, visit www.kinf.org.

 

Articles about Teaching Literacy on Reading Today Online