Dr. Kevin Gericke Professor, Economics & Statistics West Kentucky Community & Technical College Inspiring Students to Better Reading Comprehension

INTRODUCTION How many of you read books for pleasure as a child or young adult?

INTRODUCTION How many of you read a book for pleasure last year?

INTRODUCTION Approximately what percent of adults don’t read a single book in a year? – 10%? – 25%? – 50%?

One in Four Read No Books Last Year Tue Aug 21, :58 PM EDT Alan Fram, AP Writer WASHINGTONWASHINGTON — There it sits on your night stand, that book you've meant to read for who knows how long but haven't yet cracked open. Tonight, as you feel its stare from beneath that teetering pile of magazines, know one thing — you are not alone. One in four adults read no books at all in the past year, according to an Associated Press-Ipsos poll released Tuesday. Of those who did read, women and older people were most avid, and religious works and popular fiction were the top choices. The survey reveals a nation whose book readers, on the whole, can hardly be called ravenous. The typical person claimed to have read four books in the last year — half read more and half read fewer. Excluding those who hadn't read any, the usual number read was seven.

THE ESSENTIAL QUESTION How can I help my students improve their reading comprehension of the material in my class?

Introduction How did West KY Comm. & Tech. College arrive at a project to improve reading comprehension? What are some easy classroom strategies to improve reading comprehension?

Do I Have to?

READING AT WKCTC Focus on Reading Quality Enhancement Plan required for accreditation National scores indicate not all students entering college have adequate reading skills for college-level courses.

“Fully 31% of all graduates did not meet any of the College Readiness Benchmarks... Twenty-six percent of ACT-tested high-school graduates met all four benchmarks.” ACT College Readiness Report, 2013

“In reading, 44% of graduates met the Reading Benchmark.” ACT College Readiness Report, 2013

FOCUS ON READING Professional Development activities for faculty/staff Faculty Learning Circle Campus-wide PD training Website of resources for faculty and students

FOCUS ON READING Creating a culture of literacy through activities for college community Increased library collections Outdoor furniture and displays One Book reading & author events

FOCUS ON READING Our role as teachers of a discipline has required some “adjustment”

FOCUS ON READING Not everyone reads the same way we did in college

ANTICIPATION: WHAT DO YOU THINK? ACT College and Career Readiness Report, August U.S. students becoming more prepared for college, based on ACT benchmarks Students are most prepared for the Math subject area

CLASSROOM STRATEGIES Informal 5 strategies Formal 3 strategies

INFORMAL CLASSROOM STRATEGIES #1 Just talk about reading! Model good reading behavior Let students know what you’re reading. Post a discussion board forum Newspapers in Education

INFORMAL CLASSROOM STRATEGIES #2 Show them how to use the textbook Students need to quickly become familiar with the author’s style Show them the features!

All textbooks have certain elements to add to the reading. We just need to point them out. What features do authors typically use to help students?

INFORMAL CLASSROOM STRATEGIES #3 MAKE them read! If they ask a question and the answer is in front of them, MAKE them find it!

Syllabus Crossword Teach them to skim headings to find answers

INFORMAL CLASSROOM STRATEGIES #4 Remind them to FOCUS!

INFORMAL CLASSROOM STRATEGIES # activity

USE “POPULAR” LITERATURE

USE THE COMICS!

FORMAL CLASSROOM STRATEGIES Some require very little time to create and implement Some require more time and creativity

FORMAL CLASSROOM STRATEGIES #1 GUIDED READING STRATEGIES Anticipation Guide Identify the main issue in the reading Consider what the students are likely to believe about the topic. Write general statements about their beliefs Have students respond to those statements

FORMAL CLASSROOM STRATEGIES #1 GUIDED READING STRATEGIES Before/During/After Before reading questions During reading questions After reading questions

Before Reading Questions Do you remember what you were doing April 22, 1970? (Maybe you weren’t born, or were very young) Environmental issues have been in the news fairly frequently in the last couple of years. What are some of the key issues you may have heard about? Formal Classroom Strategies #1 Guided Reading Strategies

During Reading Questions When did the idea for Earth Day originate? Why did it take so long from the original idea to the first Earth Day? Formal Classroom Strategies #1 Guided Reading Strategies

After Reading Questions Have environmental issues become a more “main-stream” topic in our political world? Why? If college “teach-ins” worked so well to bring information to college campuses, with what other issues could we successfully use the same strategies? Why aren’t we? Formal Classroom Strategies #1 Guided Reading Strategies

Topic, Restriction, Illustration Skim to find the topic Find “restrictions” to the topic Provide illustrations to strengthen the topic Formal Classroom Strategies #1 Guided Reading Strategies

Skim to find the topic impact of unemployment on human lives Formal Classroom Strategies #1 Guided Reading Strategies

What information narrows or restricts the general statement or topic? “the unemployment rate by itself doesn’t measure the full impact” Other data shows more of an impact than just the number Formal Classroom Strategies #1 Guided Reading Strategies

What examples provide an illustration of the topic or restriction? Millions were discouraged workers Increased murders, strokes, heart disease, and suicides Formal Classroom Strategies #1 Guided Reading Strategies

Summarize the reading While the unemployment rate provides a measure of the health of our nation’s economy, the number, but itself, doesn’t show the full picture. When there is increased unemployment, lives are impacted on a personal level, resulting in health consequences and psychological effects. Formal Classroom Strategies #1 Guided Reading Strategies

Venn Diagrams Find differences and similarities between the three types of memory Formal Classroom Strategies #2 Graphic Organizers

Scarcity: Resources are limited and we always want more

Classification Notes Find main topics and write short notes from each main topic Formal Classroom Strategies #2 Graphic Organizers

China’s economy has been growing Formal Classroom Strategies #2 Graphic Organizers

China’s economy has been growing GDP grew at 7.9% Up from 6.9% Gov’t had a goal of 8.1% Formal Classroom Strategies #2 Graphic Organizers

China’s economy has been growing Government has helped GDP grew at 7.9% Up from 6.9% Gov’t had a goal of 8.1% Building high-speed rails Gov’t directs state bank to make loans Formal Classroom Strategies #2 Graphic Organizers

China’s economy has been growing Government has helpedThere are concerns GDP grew at 7.9% Up from 6.1% Gov’t had a goal of 8.1% Building high-speed rails Gov’t directs state bank to make loans Concern about quality of the data Country grew, but electricity use was lower? Formal Classroom Strategies #2 Graphic Organizers

Problem from front side Solution What is the concept or principle?Where is it located? Chapter? Page? Write the problem.Right side: explain Write each step of the problem.(How, what, why) Solution 2 nd problem on back.

Carousel Each group gets a short amount of time to write down the information they know about the topic on the handout. Then it is passed to the next group to add to it. As the easier pieces of information are placed on the paper, give a little more time for groups to add their knowledge. Formal Classroom Strategies #3 Intensive activities

What is required to be a successful cook at home? Formal Classroom Strategies #3 Intensive activities

What is required to be a successful cook at home? Equipment used Measurements Ingredients Recipes Formal Classroom Strategies #3 Intensive activities

Do I Have to?

READING AT WKCTC Focus on Reading Increased reading comprehension scores Measured by Nelson Denny Test of Reading Comprehension Students becoming more aware across campus of importance of reading Increased library use and increased use of reading strategies in classes