Constructing a Social Problem: The Press and the Environment

The U. S. daily press might seem to be in a strategic position to function as a claims-maker in the early construction of a social problem. But in the case of the manufacture of environmentalism as a social reality in the 1960\u27s and 70\u27s, the press was fairly slow to adopt a holistic environmental lexicon. Its reporting of environmental news even now only partially reflects concepts promoted by positive environmental claims-makers, such as planet-wide interdependence, and the threats to it by destructive technologies. The movement of environmental claims seems to have started with interest-group entrepreneurship using interpersonal communication and independent publication, gone on to attention in government, then finally--and incompletely--been put on the agenda of the daily press. Once on the press agenda, coverage of environmental issues may have improved. But there are some constraints, possibly inherent in the press as an institution, that limit its role in the incipient construction of some social problems

Socially Distant but Digitally Connected: How One Online Literacy Teacher Educator Responded to the COVID-19 Pandemic

In this perspectives piece, the author, a literacy education teacher educator, discusses his struggles several years earlier to adapt and transfer a conceptually dense face-to-face course to an online format—a struggle with which many of his colleagues who were faced with transferring their courses to an online format in light of the COVID-19 and institutional closings could identify. He describes how he organized his online course, including the design of the modules and assignments along a scaffolded, simple-to-complex structure. The challenges during this pandemic are especially pronounced for teacher educators who have less experience with online teaching. The author envisions the experiences he describes serving as a model for how others can work to transfer their courses online without sacrificing rigor or quality. He also envisions this piece serving as an impetus for those colleagues who already have extensive backgrounds in online teaching and learning to reach out to their less-initiated colleagues to actively support them during these challenging times

A Comprehensive Literacy Approach: Integrating the Science and Art of Reading for Adolescents

This paper explores the effectiveness of a comprehensive approach to literacy instruction that integrates both the science and art of reading for adolescents. Drawing on a range of research and educational practices, this paper emphasizes the importance of merging explicit, structured instruction in the foundations of reading with student choice, engagement, and collaborative learning opportunities. Scaffolding comprehension and vocabulary development, integrating technology and multimodal literacy, and prioritizing professional development and teacher preparation programs are also discussed. A case study of a middle school language arts teacher and her student illustrates the practical implications of a comprehensive approach to literacy instruction. The findings suggest that a comprehensive approach to literacy instruction can enhance students’ reading skills and overall engagement, leading to improved academic outcomes. By empowering educators to address the complexities of reading, the comprehensive approach to literacy instruction fosters a new generation of skilled, passionate readers

A Balanced Approach to Literacy Instruction and Support for Diverse Learners

In this article, the authors explore various theories to inform educators and educational leaders who are looking for ways to better meet the literacy needs of all of their diverse students, including striving readers, culturally and linguistically diverse readers, and proficient and excelling readers. They call on educators to embrace a balanced approach that is informed by multiple bottom-up and top-down theories to better meet the needs of all their students. Focus is first given to Gough’s and LaBerge and Samuels’ information processing models (bottom-up models) followed by the psycholinguistic, schema, and transactional reader response top-down theories. Discussion of both the bottom-up and top-down theoretical approaches includes background information on notable theorists and explanations of specific theories that are instrumental in enriching the teaching of reading in a variety of classroom settings to a variety of students. Literature relevant to these theories is reviewed, and practical classroom implications of implementing these theories are explored to provide educators with hands-on tools and suggestions they can use to improve and enrich literacy instruction for all their students. Finally, a case is made for why educators should call upon multiple theories when making instructional decisions

Public Perceptions of the Midwest\u27s Pavements - Iowa - Executive Summary

This report summarizes Iowa results of a five year, Pooled Fund study involving the Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota DOTs designed to 1) assess the public\u27s perceptions of the departments’ pavement improvement strategies and 2) to develop customer-based thresholds of satisfaction with pavements on rural two lane highways in each state as related to the Departments’ physical indices, such as pavement ride and condition. The primary objective was to seek systematic customer input to improve the Departments’ pavement improvement policies by 1) determining how drivers perceive the departments’ pavements in terms of comfort and convenience but also in terms of other tradeoffs departments had not previously considered, 2) determining relationships between perceptions and measured pavement condition thresholds (including a general level of tolerance of winter ride conditions in two of the states), and 3) identifying important attributes and issues that may not have been considered in the past. Secondary objectives were 1) to provide a tool for systematic customer input in the future and 2) provide information which can help structure public information programs. A University of Wisconsin-Extension survey lab conducted the surveys under the direction of a multi-disciplinary team from Marquette University. Approximately 4500 drivers in the three states participated in the three phases of the project. Researchers conducted six focus groups in each state, approximately 400 statewide telephone interviews in each state and 700-800 targeted telephone interviews in each state. Approximately 400 winter ride interviews were conducted in Wisconsin and Minnesota. A summary of the method for each survey is included. In Phase I, focus groups were conducted with drivers to get an initial indication of what the driving public believes in regards to pavements and to frame issues for inclusion in the more representative state-wide surveys of drivers conducted in Phase II of the project. Phase II interviews gathered information about improvement policy trade-off issues and about preliminary thresholds of improvement in terms of physical pavement indices. In Phase III, a two step recruitment and post-drive interview procedure yielded thresholds of ride and condition index summarized for each state. Results show that, in general, the driving public wants longer lasting pavements and are willing to pay for them. They want to minimize construction delay, improve entire sections of highway at one time but they dislike detours, and prefer construction under traffic even if it stretches out construction time. Satisfaction with pavements does not correlate directly to a high degree with physical pavement indices, but was found instead to be a complex, multi-faceted phenomenon. A psychological model (after Fishbein/Ajzen) was applied to explain satisfaction to a respectable degree (R2 of .7) for the social sciences. Results also indicate a high degree of trust in the three DOTs which is enhanced when the public is asked for input on specific highway segments. Conclusions and recommendations include a three-step methodology for other state studies. Physical data thresholds based on both public satisfaction and the agreement to improve are presented for each state\u27s physical pavement indices (ride and condition). Recommendations for changes to the quality ranges of the physical indices where appropriate are also made

Reconsidering the Reading Motivation of Adolescent Latinx Multilingual Learners

In this article, the authors reconsider traditional concepts of reading motivation to arrive at practical teaching approaches to enhance the reading motivation, engagement, and achievement of adolescent Latinx multilingual leanrers in both traditonal and online learning environments. Focusing on the bioecological Process-Person-Context-Time Model and Expectancy-Value Theory, specific factors that influence the reading motivation of Latinx multilingual learners are discussed along with practical instructional strategies for both traditional and online/virtual classrooms. They also highlight the utility of a strengths-based pedagogy vis-a-vis the growing inequities that surround Latinx multilingual leaners. The paper concludes by offering recommendations for reading motivation practice

A Structured Literacy Approach to Support Striving Readers in Secondary Grades: Meaningful Transactions through Morphological Awareness and Fluency Building

A high school English teacher and a university literacy professor provide secondary teachers with structured literacy strategies to support striving readers in the middle and high school grades. The authors present strategies that can be utilized with diverse texts across learning contexts. As a structured literacy approach, morphological awareness and prosodic fluency are emphasized to foster deeper, more meaningful transactions between students and texts. An example of a full structured literacy lesson is also provided that includes multiple strategies and is based on a gradual release model with guided and independent reading cycles. Applicable strategies for delivery of these skills for in-person, digital, or concurrent teaching are also discussed

Supporting the Literacy Development of Striving Readers through Competing Theoretical Perspectives

Abstract In this paper, we present educators with the theoretical underpinnings of competing pedagogical approaches to literacy instruction. Given the recent push by many states to universally screen students in the early grades for dyslexia and institute phonics-only standards, we seek to reiterate the importance of a balanced approach. Our purpose is to explain how two contrasting orientations regarding the reading process can together form a framework for providing the best literacy education possible for all students, especially striving readers. We explore both the cognitive information-processing and constructivist perspectives and examine prominent models and theories that inform each approach. Recent research showcasing effective instructional strategies that have emerged from both perspectives is presented, and practical ways that both perspectives find expression in effective classroom practice, including meaningful use of technology, are also delineated. Last, we provide explicit case studies illustrating what literacy support looks like when competing information-processing and constructivist perspectives are blended and how teachers can practically utilize dual approaches to support their most vulnerable students. We join our voices with those of other scholars who call on educators to embrace a holistic, balanced approach to literacy instruction that is informed by various perspectives in their effort to reach striving readers. Keywords: balanced literacy, effective literacy instruction, striving reader

TEACHER PERCEPTIONS OF CRITICAL MEDIA LITERACY

Critical media literacy (CML) is vital for students to navigate the current proliferation of misinformation and disinformation. Despite what is known about the influence of teacher beliefs on classroom practice, little research to date has looked at what teachers perceive about the importance of CML. The researchers administered a survey to teachers throughout the U.S. (N = 362) on their perceptions of the importance of teaching CML as part of their instruction. Using quantitative methods, the researchers found CML as the primary factor underlying the survey data and a strong awareness of the importance of teaching CML to students. While years of teaching experience, subject areas, being a primary, elementary, or middle school teacher, geographic area, and being politically conservative or progressive were not significant predictors of CML factor scores, three covariates showed significant differences—gender, educational level, and being a high school teacher. Implications for teacher education programs and professional learning initiatives and other suggestions for improvement are included in the discussion