Because most states now require that all prospective teachers must have formal instruction in the teaching of reading in order to qualify for certification, the reading teacher must be prepared (1) to justify the requirement and (2) to teach the sort of course which will be valuable to students in a broad diversity of subject areas. In the article which follows. Professor Billie Jo Rieck of West Liberty State College in West Liberty, West Virginia offers a workable method for presenting the required course in the teaching of reading to the broad variety of students who pass through it. Professor Rieck\u27s method is practical and easily workable. It requires no great outlay of money. It involves teacher trainees directly in school experiences related to the teaching of reading. It is the sort of program which many teacher training institutions might adapt to their own purposes

Rieck, Billie Jo

Shuman, R. Baird

English

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Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy andLanguage ArtsVolume 18Issue 2 January 1978 Article 131-1-1978Professional ConcernsR. Baird ShumanUniversity of IllinoisBillie Jo RieckWest Liberty State CollegeFollow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/reading_horizonsPart of the Education CommonsThis Article is brought to you for free and open access by the SpecialEducation and Literacy Studies at ScholarWorks at WMU. It has beenaccepted for inclusion in Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy andLanguage Arts by an authorized editor of ScholarWorks at WMU. For moreinformation, please contact maira.bundza@wmich.edu.Recommended CitationShuman, R. B., & Rieck, B. (1978). Professional Concerns. Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts, 18 (2). Retrievedfrom https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/reading_horizons/vol18/iss2/13^PROFESSIONAL CONCERNS V^R. Baird ShumanEDITOR^X Billie Jo Rieck /^^gy\ CONTRIBUTOR faff*Ihofessional Concerns is a regular column devotedto the interchangeofideas among those interested in reading instruction. Send your commentsand contributions to the editor. If you have questions about reading thatyou wish to have answered, the editor willfind respondents to answer them.Address correspondence to R. Baird Shuman, Department of English, 100English Building, University ofIllinois, Urbana, Illinois 61810.Because most states now require that all prospective teachers must haveformal instruction in the teaching of reading in order to qualify for certification, the reading teacher must be prepared (1) to justify therequirement and (2) to teach the sort of course which will be valuable tostudents in a broad diversity of subject areas. In the article which follows.Professor Billie Jo Rieck of West Liberty State College in West Liberty,West Virginia offers a workable method for presenting the required coursein the teaching of reading to the broad variety of studentswho pass throughit. Professor Rieck's method is practical and easily workable. It requires nogreat outlay of money. It involves teacher trainees directly in school experiences related to the teaching of reading. It isthe sort of program whichmany teacher training institutionsmight adapt to their ownpurposes.TEACHING SECONDARY READING METHODS A DILEMMATeaching a reading methods course in half a semester to all secondaryteacher trainees, including physical education and musicmajors, smacksofgoing into the arena to meet the hungry lions. From the first day, thecomments and complaints and questions begin:1. "Why do / have to take this course?" (Physical Education, Music,Business, Mathematics, Social Studies, Science, Art, English. These arelisted in order of strength of complaint!)2. "Is there really a reading problem?"3. "I'm supposed to teach not reading."4. "Why does the elementary school promote the students when theycan'tread?"PROFESSIONA   . ir   ITOR ill   i  T I T  Pr / l al Oll  l~~    l' ted   z'ntc /Z c j z'd     l'     J'  m e   lO trz1JUu'o   e c(iz"to  .v    h  c(uiz"n   }OU z    .   z F      rn   lO     un-z . t   lz .  glz  . nz' eTSz"t} 0/ lhnOis. h a. hnO   R .            m1           li   · .    st   l               ""               l      .I    vVe  t   lk   t . t \'ir i i                   t        r 's   l  l  .  r s     .       l · s                i i    t    .         i  t   i  l   t r t  ll  t  t  i  ical      f ing i  t   t  t t  ry lions. ro  t  first  t  ts d l i ts d ti s i :  "   I  t  ta  t i  c rse?" (  ti , ic, i ess, ,  t  i  rt,  e re liste  i  rder f strength f l i t!) 2. "Is there really a reading roblem?" 3  'T  supposed to teach t reading." 4  " hy does th  ele entary school pro ote t  st t<; en t  ca 't read?" 146-rhAlthough my teaching background included several years ofhigh schoolEnglish and business subjects as well as elementary teaching, neither myteaching experience, or college course work prepared me for my Reading414 course! In tact, my attitude had been similar to theirs and manysecondary teacher's. Almost by chance, I enrolled in my first reading courseto find out why my high school students didn't enjoy theEnglish textbooks,stories, and reading. Being an excellent reader, I couldn't believe thatmany of my students couldn't read, were reading below grade level,couldn't handle the reading level or concepts in the materials, or worst ofall, didn't like to read. When I became convinced that the reading problemwas real, I enrolled in the doctoral program and discovered myprofessionallove, reading!After eight years of teaching my Reading 414, I haven't completelyeliminated the dilemma, but I have worked out a much more palatableapproach for the studentsand myself! Immediatefailure and commonsensetaught me that telling them about and lecturing on the reading problemwas ineffectual. I had to develop a method to expose them to the readingproblem and to create a positive attitude toward readingand the role of thesecondary teacher in teaching reading skills. Each new semester and eachnew class is a challenge, but the complaints and questions are fewer anddon't continue as long, the interest and acceptance are much higher, andmy student ratings have gone up!I'm sure that most college instructors of a secondaryreading coursehaveexperienced the same reactions and/or problems. My approach is what Iwish to share in this paper. I have structured the course hopefully to answerthe student's questions before they can be asked and to expose them functionally, via discovery, that there is aneed forall teachers to be involved inreading and the teaching of reading skills required for their subjects.IS THERE REALLY A READING PROBLEM?(Translated: Is this just another course to take?)The textbooks, newspapers, journals, TV programs and most educatorssay so! But, unfortunately, most of my students just haven't reacted to thephenomenon of "Johnny can't read."S'i'EP I: AWARENESSOn the first day, I giveeach student a reading surveysheet. I ask abouttheir reading interests, how much they read, how they rate reading as asource for gaining formation, their reading rate if they know it, and anyreading problems or poor habits that they experience. THIS IS IMMEDIATELY SUMMARIZED AND PRESENTED AS A CLASSPROFILE TO ILLUSTRATE THE READING CHARACTERISTICS OFTHEIR AGE GROUP. (I have found it amazingly consistent from semesterto semester.)I then give each student one of four carefully selected articles to readand be prepared to share with three other class members on the following46-rh lthough y teaching background included several years of high school lish a  siness subjects as ell as ele entary teaching, either y teaching ex erience, r college course rk repared  f  y ading  rse! I  t  Illy ttlt    si  t  theirs a   secondary teac r's. l st u  a ce, I lllulled i   first reading rse t  find  y y igh school students i  joy t  lish textbooks, t ries,  r  ing  llent r  I  lieve t  y   tu e ts l 't read, re reading lo   l l,   t  r  l l  ts i  t  i ls,  st  ll. i 't li  t  . en   i  t t t e i  l   ,   i  t     isc ered  i l l , i    s     ,  '  ly  e ,     t   re                                      i  l                                         ,                               r     t       .                     -ll ,        r                                The s, s apers,     st    t, t t l , st   t   't      'Jo  '   tE  :   t  irst ,  ive     rvey et.    t   i t rests,   t  ,  t    s  r  r  t  t    i  t   it,   r i      t  t  ri   IS I -I  I       I   I   I  I I   I   . (I  f  it a i l  sist t f  s est r t  s ester.  I t  i e  st t   f  r f ll  s l t  rti l  t  r  a  e re are  t  s  it  t r  t er class e ers  t  f ll i  r/i-147day. "These articles all deal with some aspect of the secondary readingproblem. They must be short, well written, current and factual!'The next day. the students share their articles in groups of four. THISEXERCISE GETS THEM INTO PROFESSIONAL LITERATURE,STRESSES THE READING PROBLEM, AND DEMONSTRATES THATA READING ASSIGNMENT NEEDN'T BE DISTASTEFUL.The whole class then discusses the four articles, summarizes theproblems, and reacts to them. I let them verbalize and sound off. but I justkeep my reading opinions to myself at this time.STEP IT REALITYOn the third day. I play several taped sections of local high school andjunior high students taking an oral reading test. 'The class is given the testparagraphs and instructed to follow along and mark the errors. Forexample, one of the tapes has a sophomore who reads on the fourth gradelevel. Most ol the class express shock that there are such poorreaders in theschools.STEP III: SELF ANALYSISOn the fourth day. I administer the Nelson Denny Reading "Test forHigh School Students and Adults. The students are instructed to do theirbest so they will have an idea of their reading rate, vocabulary, andcomprehension levels. The test isfor diagnosisand does not affect their classgrade.STEP IV: REALIZATIONOn the fifth day. I give them their individual test results along withinterpretation. I show them the class profile of the total scores as well as theranges of the rate, vocabulary and comprehension. (I have done this forseveral semesters and the results are reasonably constant: of a classof 30, 2or 3 will be 9th grade or lower, 15 will be high school level, and theremaining will be college level.)Week one has ended! The students haven't gotten into a reading textbook or any reading theory, but they are aware of what current literaturesays. Some have discovered that they aren't reading very well! All are talkingabout reading and many are now asking, "What will I do if I get thosestudents in my class who can't and won't read?"WHY DO/ HAVE TO TAKE THIS COURSE?Some of the students have already personally answered this question.Tor those who request it. we supply a self improvement, home study readingcourse. This course is designed to increase rate, comprehension, andreading interest. For the ones who read well, it is now time for theory andpractice.STEP V: READINGIhrough lecture, discussion, reading and media we now analyze howrh-1  day. These articl s al  deal it  so e aspect of the secondar  rea i  proble . The  ust be short, el  ritten, current and factual! The next da\'. the studellts share their articles in groups of four. THIS IS  (~ S 'l"IIEI\1 I  P F SSI  1 'I1J , STRr~I.)S  TIlE I C P OBLE:\1.  EMONSTRATE.I.) THAT  I C SSICNME:\i  '   I . The hole cl  t e  discusses t e f r articles, swn arizes t e r l s. and r t  to t . I l t t  \crhali  and s  off. ut I just  v r i  i i  t  yself t t i  ti   II: I  n t e t ir  \'  I l  \'  t ed t  f l  igh   i r   t ing  ral  t  T  l  i  i  t  t st   i t t  t   l    t  rr rs. r k. e f          rth  I n'l  l\1  f     t r  c  or    l .   - !'\    rt    i   !'\c    Tes   Il      Th   c       \, \v            Inel  T  t   j sis       r .  \'  I !'\ Il  t              bO\v                .         c\c  s              ~)  \)(' ~lth   .     l ,    \v   l e kn'\  vVee   s !  t ts 't te    (ljng t-  T1\' i  .   c    rre t t r t r  . e e isc ercd t t t ey 't ing ry d ! ll  t lking t ing     ing, t ll   i    t se t t  in  l  \'ih  't  't r  Il   I I I  \'    I li   o e f t  students have already ersonally ans ered this stion. F r those ho request it. v·:e supply a self-improvement. o e study reading course. s course is d sif-,TT1ed to increase rat  co rehension, a  reading interest. For t  ones ho rcad ell, it is now time for theory a  practice. S P \': I  T rough lecture, discussion, reading an  edia e now analyze how 148-rhsecondary reading is unique, the general skills required, the specific skillsneeded in different subject areas, andwhy reading skills must betaught andreinforced after the sixth grade.Each student is assigned to a public school classroom to observe andcarry out reading assignments:1. Observe a class or classes and fill out a checklist rating the teacher andstudent involvement in reading skills.2. Interview the teacher and students concerning reading, readingproblems, and attitudes toward reading. (Seejournal ofReading, May1977.)3. Administer a short reading test to oneor morestudentsand analyze theresults.4. Construct and give a teacher-made test; after scoring, have the studentsreact to the directions, type of questions, vocabulary, etc. Could theyread and understand the questions that were written?STEP VI: INTEGRATION AND APPLICATIONAsthe students carry out their classroom assignments and observations,we begin to work.1. Study and analyze the reading process. (I usedto do thisfirst and it wasdisastrous. The students didn't have the background for immediatelyattacking reading theory.)2. Construct reading skill exercises for the different subject areas andreading levels.3. Write, teach, and evaluate lessons in which the reading skills are integrated into the subject lesson.4. Build a personal bibliography forcontinued professional reading.5. Build a bibliography of "good" books and materials which are multilevel, subject-oriented, and can be used for teaching and reinforcingreading skills.6. Design and construct a learning center for use in the student teachingassignment. The center must have exercises which meet the individualneeds of students, including those exceptional students in theclassroom.7. List reading problems and determine methods, techniques, andmaterials for their correction within the regular classroom.THE CLASS IS OVER! The students now can tell me several reasonswhy students in high school can't and won't read; why elementary schoolscan't and shouldn't teach the higher level reading skills required in contentsubjects; why the schools can't keeppoorreaders in sixthgrade forever; andhow they plan to integrate reading skills into each lesson that they teach.(We stress integration rather than direct teaching of reading. Secondaryteachers are responsible for content teaching.)Both verbally and nonverbally, many of these students will becometeachers who go into the classroom and convey that "Reading is important48-rh secondary reading is unique, the general ski ls required, the specific ski ls needed in different Bubject areas, an  hy reading ski ls ust b  taught an  reinforced after the sixth grade. ach student is assigned to a public school classroom to ohserve a n carry out Ir llg a:-.. ... ignnwl1ts: 1. s r  a clas  or classes and fi  out a c  rating the teacher and st e t involve ent in rea i  s ill .  Intervie  the teacher and students concerning reading, reading roble s,  ttitudes to ard reading. (S Journ l f in , y . )  ter   r  t  t   r  t   lyze t  r lt .  r t  i e  t c er- ade t t;  i , e t  t ts  t  t  r tio s, t   ti s, r ,   t       t              r      i  t  . .   1U lyz              .  ts       tt i  i  t .  ~ .                         -     .     r    . il        t    lti-      r i g    . .                     e  s  t t  i  t se ti al t ts i  t  l . . i t r i  r   t r ine et  t i   t ri l  f  t ir rr ti  it i  t  r l r l    I  !  st ts   tell  s ral reaB s  st t  i  igh s l an't  o 't read;  l t  s l  c '  a  s l 't t  t  i  l l r i  skil s r ir  in c t t s j ct ;  t e s l  can't eep oor r r  i  sixth rade f r r; a d h  they plan t  i tegrate reading skills into each less  t at they teach. ( e stres  i te rati  rat er t  direct teaching of reading. ec ar  teac er  are resp si l  for content teaching.) oth verbal y a  nonverball , any of these students il  become teachers ho go int  the classroom an  convey that " eadi  is i portant rh~ 149to me, and in my class we are going to read and develop the readingskillsnecessary for effective learning of the subject!"REFERENCESAlexander, J. Estill and Ronald Claude Filler Attitudes and Reading.Newark, Delaware: International Reading Association, 1976.Rieck. Billie Jo. "How Content Teachers Telegraph Messages AgainstReading,"'Journal ofReading, Vol. 20, No. 8(May 1977), pp. 646-648.rh-149 to (', and in y class (' are going to read and devel  the reading skil s necessar  for effective lear i  of the subject!" EFE E ES lexander, J. still and onal  l  ill r t £   eadi . (' r , daware: I t r ti l eading ssociati , . ie . illi  J . "  ont(' t eac r  el  essa  gai st ea i . m   ea i , l. . .8 (  ), p. - . 

Professional Concerns

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Professional Concerns

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