Lia (pseudonym) is a fourteen year old first former (7th grade), who wears an over sized dirty school shirt, a skirt that extends past her ankles and sports an unkempt head of naturally curly dark brown hair. Hailing from a low socio- economic geographical location, Lia lives with her mother and six siblings in a one-room house. In relation to her peers she is at the bottom and groans are heard when she attempts to read or speak. During class Lia ‘writes’ quietly and diligently, but frequently attempts to leave the class on various pretences, after approximately twelve minutes she places her head on her desk and goes to sleep. The school library has no literature for her reading level.
Learning to read and reading to learn are two of the most important missions of education. In a comprehensive review of research on reading instruction for students with significant developmental disabilities, Browder, Wakeman, and Algozzine (2006) found that the majority of reading instruction for this population focused on remediation instruction, which as later research suggests, does not lead to enhanced reading ability. Research suggests that the science of reading dealt primarily with emerging readers and those at risk for reading failure-students with significant developmental disabilities are bypassed; additionally, research reveals a consistent lack of focus on reading instruction for this population-who are probably the least likely to read without carefully planned, explicit instruction.
How do we as educators address this national issue? What are effective instructional reading methods for failing students? Developmentally delayed students will continue to fail unless we as educators develop research based instruction methods matched adequately to students’ needs. Predominantly, there is a virtual absence of scientific research based reading teaching methods and strategies which can create specified attainment benchmarks to guide teaching and learning, and promote the necessary diagnostic, remedial and preventative interventions critical to the development of an effective, inclusive and efficient education system. We will do whatever we can, going beyond our capacities, as most of us already but the questions asks will it be enough to save all the Lia's?
"Lia" is sadly too common a sight in most of our nation's schools in one form or another. Lia could have been me......what made the difference in my life? I always feel that I had the very best teachers on the planet! There are many instances I can recall that my teachers especially at primary school took time to ensure that they provided opportunities for each child to participate and contribute. The wonderful skits, poetry recitals, choir practice, reading for morning worship and other subliminal literacy activities undoubtedly shaped my response to literacy and reading. The key factor I believe to assist in our efforts with struggling readers is motivation. We must assess the individual needs of students and carefully plan how to motivate our students to become independent readers. We must accept the challenge of working with the challenged. I sometimes feel that our education system does not allow enough room for this but we are not to be daunted as sometimes we are all students like Lia have to offer some hope. With sound pedagogical knowledge and appropriate instruction all students can learn, albeit at different rates. This is why we need to network to share ideas and strategies, to benefit the nation's students. We have a great opportunity to set the standard and raise the bar to ensure we meet the needs of all students. Individually saving Lia is a gigantic task but with collaboration and support we can make a difference. Let us commit to be problem solvers not problem seekers.
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