As I was scanning research articles, I came across an article titled Poverty Puts Struggling Readers in Jeopardy, written by Cindy Long. The article talked about when students transition from learning to read to reading to learn. The article suggests experts believe this transformation takes place during third grade. There is a concern because at least two-thirds of these students are not reading at a third grade level; thus reduces the chances for graduating. There is link within the article that directs you to a new study How Third-Grade Reading Skills and Poverty Influence High School Graduation, written by Donald Hernandez. The study identifies poverty as the compounding problem. The study revealed that minority groups with poor reading skills and living in poverty is eight times more likely to become drop outs; thereby, placing these children in double jeopardy.
I found this to be an interesting article because too many children never get the opportunity to rise above poverty due to lack of education. It is imperative that we come together as a community to help educate these children so that they too will gain the necessary tools needed to survive. Poverty is a national epidemic that is rapidly spreading and if we don’t do something as a nation to help these children, our children will continue to suffer and our country will continue to decline. As professionals, we need to empower our children by making sure they are capable of assimilating and understanding texts and apply their understanding of the text to draw conclusions and make evaluations and decisions. The good news is that children’s inability to read has brought about great recognitions due to the number of students dropping out of school; President Bush was committed to ensuring that every child could read by the end of third-grade and now President Obama is campaigning to “Putting Reading First.” With such prestigious investors supporting positive educational outcomes, we are sure to see a decrease in poverty stricken families and an increase in student graduates. Long, C. (2011, April 12). Poverty puts struggling readers in double
jeopardy. National Education Association. Retrieved from
readers-in-double-jeopardy/
jeopardy. National Education Association. Retrieved from
This is such important work! The significance of third grade reading skills is critical. In fact, according to the National Center on Education at least four states are known to use third grade test scores to predict how many prison beds they willl need in years to come. I agree with you that as a community we need to come together to better serve our kids.
ReplyDeletePoverty affects families and their children in various ways. Such in education with their poor reading and writing levels. That is one of the many reason why their is a higher indice of these children continuing in that circle of poverty as they become adults. The lack of resources and opportunities to quality education early in life have a strong impact in te child's ability to overcome poverty. I think this is one of various researches that are worth investing in debt. In ordet to improve the quality of life of may children and families suffereing of poverty.
ReplyDeletePoverty is the same topic I have chosen to talk about. I strongly agree with your research. I see so many children in the 7th and 8th grade who struggle to read on an Elementary school level. I can't help but wonder if poverty had anything to do with this struggle. Recently a High School came to talk to our Junior High kids to give them a wake up call. The information they gave us was shocking. They informed us that so many students are walking across the stage but not graduating because they have not met the guidelines of the standardized test. Due to the fact they are able to walk across the stage, many never pursue trying to retake the test.Only to come back years later realizing the struggle they have without a high school diploma. I feel poverty weighs enormously in this problem.
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