More Reading Strategies for Secondary Classrooms

So, I'm continuing my research on reading strategies in the secondary classroom.  As part of my research, I interviewed Heather Cornelius - an 11th grade Language Arts teacher at a Jefferson County high school.  She told me that reading comprehension is the area her students seem to struggle with the most, and that it is also the lowest scoring area on all Alabama standardized tests - including math.

I asked her how she feels about independent reading and the programs associated with it (such as DEAR and USS).  She said that the programs are definitely better than those that simply instruct the reader to look for the WHO, WHAT, WHERE, and WHEN of a novel (like Accelerated Reader).  However, Mrs. Cornelius offered another suggestion that she finds helpful with her students.

"Struggling readers - even if they can decode the words on the page - often can't tell how the dialogue is supposed to be delivered.  In other words, they can read the words a protagonist is saying, but they don't know if the protagonist is angry, joking, being sarcastic, etc."

Mrs. Cornelius goes on to say, "Many novels are now available on audio CD - even the classics.  So, I usually have my students read along in their book as they listen to the CD.  This way, they're able to pick up on the tone of the novel.  They're hearing and reading it, so it gets more of their senses involved."

Mrs. Cornelius also assigns reading for homework, in which case the students have to establish tone (and other aspects) on their own.  She says she usually only plays one (or, at the most, two) chapters on CD at a time.

In a frank admission, Mrs. Cornelius also stresses that, though reading programs can certainly help struggling readers, it may never convert them into a superb reader.

"As cynical as it sounds," says Mrs. Cornelius, "reading comprehension is similar to mathematics in that you either get it or you don't.  Can someone who struggles with math become better with lots of practice?  Sure.  But they're probably never going to be great at math.  In the same way, a struggling reader may improve with lots of practice and independent reading time, but their probably never going to be an amazing reader."

Notwithstanding, Mrs. Cornelius emphasizes the importance of never giving up on struggling students.  "Even if they never end up enjoying reading, and even if they never read another book once they graduate high school, you still can get them through the 11th grade.  Just be willing to work with them."

Mrs. Cornelius says she stays after school most days to work with students who are struggling with a text.  "If they're willing to stick around after school in order to get help, then I'm willing to stick around in order to help them.  If they'll put forth the effort, I'll get them through my class - even if they never learn to enjoy reading."