The 4th grade slump and the 8th grade cliff: A literacy epidemic

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OK, so maybe it is not an epidemic but it is an old problem- fourth grade students typically experience decreased fluency and eventually reading comprehension scores suffer a decline; there is documented proof dating back to over 50 years.

Why is that?

Not only does this happen to many students, it is most prevalent in students from low-income families, notice that Socio-Economic Status (SES) is a factor.

Why is that?

Well, I have been reading upon the problem and several things have come to light, but the main ones seem to be that third grade students don’t get to read expository text – facts, real word information, you know the stuff that is in textbooks. Instead they read smooth flowing stories; reading changes from learning to read to reading to learn both of which required different skills; and most kids from low income families don’t have access to expository material for any of several reasons.

Then when they get to fourth grade they are expected to know a lot more than they learned in the third grade and don’t get me started on the stuff they forgot during the summer (that’s for a different time).

Every time a politician opens his or her mouth about education, they spout off about “closing the achievement gap.” What the heck is the achievement gap?

According to noted research scientist, Dr. Keith Stanovich, Canada Research Chair of Applied Cognitive Science at the Department of Human Development and Applied Psychology, University of Toronto, it is effectively described as the “Matthew Effect” in reference to the biblical verse at Matthew 13: 12 “For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away” (English Standard Version).

Here him discuss it here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lF6VKmMVWEc

Visit Website Children of the Code to learn more: http://www.childrenofthecode.org/

Essentially, with fourth grade students if they don’t effectively crack the reading code they will have problems when the type of reading material changes. They can bluff their way through but only for so long. If they don’t build a vast vocabulary of words and their meaning or have the reading skills to figure out what new words mean, they will struggle. Poor kids have the added challenge because they are typically not exposed to a vocabulary rich environment and TV and conversations do not provide the amount of rare words required to build the large vocabulary required, they need informational text for that.  Good sources are specialty magazines such as National Geographic for Kids, Kids Discover, Zoobooks, Times, Newsweek, Odyssey, newspapers, and other informational magazines and text. These cost money and often children from poor families don’t have the money to purchase magazines, or expository books and local community and school libraries are often under budgetary constraints, so these and other reading material of interest to  kids are not available.

Several researchers have pointed out that fourth grade and above teachers don’t have time to teach reading. Other research have shown that reading is essential across the curriculum for student success and many content areas require specialized reading skills such as that needed to read math and science with their unique vocabulary. Hence, we have a dilemma. Students need continued reading through all the grades – teachers don’t have the time necessary to teach content specific reading. Or do they?

As for the fourth grade slump, well… the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) says that across the country 4th grade scores are up, but the same data says that both 8th grade and 11th grade scores are lower than 4th grade scores and is on the decline. Does it seem we are taking one step forward and two steps back?

Remember I said that teachers don’t have time to teach reading, that’s because they have to “cover the standards” which leave no time to actually teach science, social studies, and other subjects that grab students’ attention and have the added benefit of academic vocabulary –those specialized and rare words.  Plus the world is much bigger than the classroom and a whole lot more exciting; kids are digitally connected via iPods, iPads, smartphones, social media, and a host of video and other digital content and schools just have not kept up.

The bottom line, if left unchecked (it has been going on for over 50 years) the “4th grade slump” morphs into the “8th grade cliff” or full blown achievement gap.

In 2007 or somewhere thereabouts, the National Institutes of Health handed out $30 million to fund five years of research devoted to studying questions related to reading disabilities as well as the “4th grade slump”. The institutions leading the charge: University of Colorado at Boulder, Florida State University, University of Houston, and Baltimore’s Kennedy Krieger Institute. Kennedy Krieger Institute is charged with delving into the “4th grade slump.”

As my graduate thesis is on the “4th grade slump” and if they got the money in 2007 then we should have some preliminary results trickling out beginning hopefully this year (keeping my fingers cross) but chances are it will be at least two years before we hear anything thing. But as I have noted, researchers have been going on about this for neigh going on 50 years, so what’s another year or two.

Teachers don’t  have time, but tutors do and can make a difference in the 4th grade slump and avert the 8th grade cliff by providing one-on-one learning opportunities that extends the classroom instruction with lessons specifically tailored to your child’s needs: http://www.wyzant.com/Tutors/TutoringByGail

New Tutoring Job

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There are a few old sayings that have been floating around my head lately : Can’t beat them, join them. When life hands you lemons make lemonade. Well, all that is fine and dandy but what happens when you can’t find a job?

Well do what countless entrepreneurs have done time and time again: Start Your Own Business.

That is what I have done, in a round-a-bout sort of way. I joined a company that links tutors and students for mutual benefit, pay for the tutor and knowledge for the student.

Why not, I am a certified teacher, granted positions in my field, Business Education, are exceedingly rare, that does not mean I can’t still teach, just not in a traditional school setting.

So, I have decided that teaching is teaching and tutoring is one way to satisfy my passion for the profession. True, it does not pay as well as a contract teaching job, but hey I won’t have all the headaches either.

http://www.wyzant.com/Tutors/TutoringByGail

Caveat emptor

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I read an article that drew the following conclusion:

“The authors looked at 431 performance-enhancing claims for 104 different products. Here’s what they found:

141 references existed for those claims, but only 74 (52 percent) were actual original studies of a product using human beings

None of the references included systematic reviews of randomized control trials of the product, the kind of examination necessary for evidence-based medical claims

Only three of the referenced studies were judged “high quality and at low risk of bias,” and all three of these studies found the products in question unsuccessful.” (Smart Plant; Heneghan)

Caveat emptor is always true when one is a consumer and even more so when we consider using the procured items in our health and fitness regime. I am always curious as to the evidence that support the many claims, so recently when I came across a weight loss product that uses a Piperaceae extract as an ingredient I had to find out more. I mean black pepper and kava belong to the same family.  Further reading about the product revealed that the extract was taken specifically from the Piper betel.

I remembered reading somewhere that betel chewing was associated with mouth cancer. So naturally I double checked my memory by consulting several sources.  One of my sources say:

“At the time of the last review by the International Agency for Research on Cancer in 1985 information available on the carcinogenic role of areca was limited. New information from several population studies, however, suggest that areca on its own may play an aetiological role in the causation of oral cancer” (Trivedy).

We know that tobacco is a carcinogen and the evidence confirms that the areca nut wrapped in the leaf to form the “betel nut,” plays a role in the cause of oral cancers, but my sources did not rule out the Piper betel leaf as a contributor. (Seem there is room for further detailed study.)

So, considering that the product in question is endorsed by a “physician” one can see the dilemma faced by the consumer. Granted there is no evidentiary proof that Piper betel is a carcinogenic, there is also no proof that it is not.

Hence, most consumers believe that ‘truth in advertising’ is sufficient protection against questionable ingredients and spurious claims. But what many consumers are unaware of is that how an advertisement is worded allows the promoters to circumvent the law.

They do not tell outright lies which are violations of the law; instead they use convincers and suggestive words to help the consumer make the ‘logical’ leap. Now if the product is endorsed by a ‘reputable institution,’ a ‘leading physician,’ or a celebrity, well then it must be true because all these people who swear by the product cannot all be lying or mislead.

It is illegal for any product to make specific claims about a specific benefit of a product. To circumvent this, promoters use suggestive words and phrases, such as “lose up to X pounds in X days” or “you could” see some potential benefit, or “using X product may…”  The qualifiers, up to, could, may, might, etc. are important to product promotion because (1) the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) takes a dim view of concrete claims and (2) protects the product promoters/manufacturers from lawsuits when the product fails to live up to its claims. Even pharmaceutical companies are bound by this principle. Next time you see a commercial or read an advertisement, pay close attention the phrasing of the claims and for further protection there it the ubiquitous fine print.

It is true that the FDA does not regulate just about everything available in the health and fitness industry. The sheer amount of products available in that market makes it virtually impossible for the FDA to test every claim so it usually does not bother unless the products becomes a problem, causes harm, have known or later shown to have harmful ingredients, and or promoters make unsubstantiated concrete medical or specific benefits claims.

I think the entire Fitness/Diet/Weight Loss industry need some regulatory guidelines at the very least their studies need to conform to accepted scientific standards of proof as discussed by Heneghan, et al.

Consumers often act under the assumption that supplements are either food or if they are pills, they are drugs and are regulated by the FDA, unfortunately that is not so, beyond required labeling regulations, none of the many products on the market get the FDAs’ once over.

Still with or without regulations, consumers need to be proactive, become educated about consumer goods, and adhere to the principle that the buyer alone is responsible for checking the quality and suitability of goods before a purchase is made.

Just for the record, Piper betel is a stimulant estimated to have low addictive potential. It is uncontrolled in the United States.  Despite the claims in the advertisement (logical and persuasive they were too, in fact that video would make an excellent teaching tool in marketing) and the assurances by the ‘doctor,’ my research said buyer beware.

 Sources:

Heneghan, C., Howick, J., O’Neill, B., et al. The evidence underpinning sports performance products: a systematic assessment. BMJ Open 2012;2:e001702. doi:10.1136/ bmjopen-2012-001702. Retrieved August 24, 2012 from: http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/2/4/e001702.full.pdf+html?sid=cc4b5c8d-2fda-4654-9667-aa3884f32bb6

Smart Plant – http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/rethinking-healthcare/which-performance-enhancing-fitness-products-stand-up-to-science/9599?tag=content;siu-container

Trivedy, C. R., Craig, G., & Warnakulasuriya, S. (2002). Areca Nut Symposium: the oral health consequences of chewing areca nut. Addiction Biology (7) 115-125.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition – http://www.ajcn.org/content/87/5/1204.full

My classmates used drugs

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“Almost 1 in 5 teens smokes or uses drugs at school, US students report. Most high school students say teen use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs occurs during the school day, often on campus, according to an annual survey. They estimate that about 17 percent of their classmates do so.”

See original article here: http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Education/2012/0822/Almost-1-in-5-teens-smokes-or-uses-drugs-at-school-US-students-report (or click the Link of the Day tab on the menu bar)

The report is all fine and dandy. The numbers may come as a surprise, but I don’t think anyone who work with high school kids are the least bit surprised that some of them are drug (including alcohol) users.

The fact that kids use drugs is genuine cause for concern. What is more important is identifying the underlying causes; the reasons why kids turn to drugs as escape mechanisms.

Like adult users, kids use for essentially the same reasons, as a means of escape from pressure because they do not have adequate coping skills or effective support to help them deal with the issues they face on a daily basis, such as abuse and neglect.
The article has a good point, neglect or lack of attention, is one of the major driving force behind kids drug use. “”We are trying to get parents, and other adults who have influence in kids’ lives, to look at the world as teens see it, and identify the circumstances that increase or decrease the likelihood that they will use drugs.””

Most adults are too busy with their own problems to recognize that their kids have problems of their own also. Some parents fail to see the tell-tale signs of drug use in their kids and in some cases the parents are not even around to notice. On the other hand many parents cannot imagine that their kids could possibly have any problems much less use drugs. The very suggestion is outrageous and positively appalling.

Parents, especially of teens, sometimes expect them to fend for themselves and often give them too much freedom to do as they please usually under the misguided impression that their kids are “mature” enough to make certain decisions. In reality, most kids can’t reason on a high enough level to see alternatives to troubling issues or to truly understand on a concrete level the dangers of drug use. (It’s that whole sense of invincibility that is natural to youth coupled with a still developing brain.)

“”Parental engagement is the No. 1 way for parents to confront drug use in schools and in their teenagers’ lives, says Califano”” If the adults in the kids lives were to talk candidly with them they would find that their child associates, with a child who is a drug user or that their child may have used drugs, was offered drugs or indulge in under-age drinking.
Some kids do use in order to fit in, because they are under the impression that the “cool” kids are users also. Kids will lie to elevate their status. Nonetheless, drug abuse in our kids is a serious matter.

Does talking to your kids work? Yes it does, if you listen. I talk to my sons, more important they talk to me and I listen. This talking is something that we have always done since they began to talk.

OK, so many kids don’t have that luxury. I tell my sons, if any of their friends need someone to talk to, I am willing to listen. Why? Because sometimes kids just need to talk it out and not get yelled at, criticized, or belittled. It can and does make a world of difference when kids know that an adult truly cares.

My classmates used drugs, drank, had sex behind the gym, in the bathrooms; in fact our senior prom was raided by the police and many spent the night in the local jail for drug use, under age drinking, and a host of other offenses. I did not go to my prom because I refused to socialize with those who used and drank. The morning after prom I sat on my couch, drank my tea, and read about the bust in the local paper. I have a teacher to thank for explaining to me what it meant to “get high” as well as the dangers inherent in drug use and alcohol consumption. Thanks Mr. Hopper.

-Gail Dennis

 

“I see plans within plans”

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This is comment I originally entered in response to the NY Times article below. Now call me a cynic, but with all the chatter about “broken school system” I can’t help but wonder, not if, but when will be the next cry that school should be in the hands of private corporations because it is ‘obvious that the current governance is not working.’
“”The issue is how teachers who are accused of sexually motivated misbehavior should be handled.” In Texas, we take them out of the schools or even suspend them, check out the facts. If the facts hold true, haul them up before disciplining committees, fire them, take their license, bar them from teaching, and where appropriate file criminal charges. So what’s the question again, “how such behavior should be handled?”
OK, so NY is not TX, still what is so hard about doing the right thing, which apparently the State of NY did and the teacher in question is now retired. So this begs the question, why bring up, for all intent and purposes, old news (cause I am sure this man is not the only teacher in NY’s vast school system against whom those or similar charges have been brought).
Now, I see “plans within plans.” And based on what certain parties have been hinting at, I see this as testing the waters and possible fodder for the drive toward privatization of public schools. “Ms. Brown said in an interview, “It is impossible to not see that we have a broken system that is in need of change.”

Like I said, “a broken system that is in need of change.” Rhetoric, the fist note in the call for revolutionary actions.”"

Campbell Brown Wades Into Debate Over Teachers Unions
www.nytimes.com
Campbell Brown has become a vocal participant in the debate over the role of unions in disciplinary actions against teachers accused of sexual misconduct.

A Word of Thanks

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I was looking for some space to call  my own so naturally I turned to a person whom I trust very much, Dr. Jan Seiter, my former professor. Dr. Seiter has a blog here and and recommended the site to me. His recommendation was endorsed by another of his former students, Perrianne Phelan,who also has a blog on the site. (I did not include a link to their blogs because I am not sure if they are both public). So this first post is dedicated to them, a way of saying thanks for the recommendation. I have much to say about education and I am glad to find some space to call my own.

 

 

-Gail Dennis