Recently, I have been reading about standardized testing, including reviews of the Reading First program. There are some studies reporting it does not improve reading in early elementary school children any better than regular programs. Other studies report that it does positively effect early reading test scores. There is so much controversy about the program, that I wonder why we are forgetting about the children. I continually read that the teacher is the one who makes the difference in children’s learning, nearly regardless of the material used. I think that the important feature of early education is how carefully the teacher monitors students’ progress – not how well they have been prepped to take a test. If the test has validity, meaning it is aligned to the skills/standards/objectives of the curriculum, the results will show how well they know the material.
What about early school testing? I think that it can show what children have learned from instruction as well as show where they need review or further instruction. Most early school testing is designed so that the few who need additional work are diagnosed and can be assisted.
What do you think?
May 19, 2008 at 4:44 pm |
I agree with you a good teacher can make all the difference!
From what I understand, Reading First isn’t a reading program per say but really an initiative designed to give money to districts who promise to uphold to standards that have been set under the Reading First guidelines. There are some problems with the study and Reading First as I note in a link on my own blog entry: http://ldtc.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?action=edit&post=20 .
Either way if nothing else what Reading First has done is to set up a competition to give money to schools. This means that even the schools who don’t get the money are at least taking a closer look at what they need to provide for students to succeed. In that sense Reading First is a good idea because it puts everyone in the mindset of improving what they have to offer. Reading First at least helps to raise the bar and establishes a benchmark for what a successful reading program should have.