1. Reading Support: Asking the Right Questions, Getting Answers That Matter.
- Author
-
Allen, Elizabeth S.
- Abstract
Increasingly, reading proficiency is being measured in terms of outcomes based data. This drive for accountability supports the growth of National Profiles, Literacy Benchmarks, and statewide assessments such as the Diagnostic Net, which record the numbers of students who fail to make the grade. In the face of widespread concerns about perceived low literacy standards, governments have responded by providing increased funding for students experiencing difficulty, introducing specialized programs and personnel, and revamping syllabus documents. But are these responses based on an authentic assessment of the situation? Outcomes based data cannot adequately reflect the complex issues addressed in school contexts. Perhaps further questions should be asked, including: What is the nature of reading support? How is it planned and provided? What actually happens in support programs? How do students perceive the support they receive? This paper presents the rationale and methodology of current research investigating policies and practices in reading support across years 1-3 in two Queensland schools. The research is designed to identify the critical elements contributing to success in these contexts recognized for their provision of highly effective reading support. It features an emphasis on qualitative methods of investigation, an exploration and analysis of teacher theoretical orientations and their effects on planning and practice, and comprehensive description and analysis of the actual experiences and perceptions of the students receiving various types of reading support. If we want to get answers that matter, we must ask the right questions. (Contains 47 references.) (Author/RS)
- Published
- 1999