Learning to Read and Write in One Elementary School - Hardcover

Juel, Connie

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0387940383 ISBN 13: 9780387940380

Publisher: Springer-Verlag New York Inc., 1993

Synopsis

When a fourth-grade student, Jenny, was asked about reading, she stated: "I love to read, you get real neat ideas. I really like books about animals and biographies. I'm writing my autobiography now. Oh, I also really like Judy Blume books. " Her enthusiasm for reading is evident as she tells you about the Judy Blume book she just read, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret (1970). Jenny reads almost every night at home. Jenny's classmate through 4 years of elementary school, Anna. responds, when asked about reading: "I hate to read; it's boring. " Anna says she never reads at home. She says she'd rather watch television or play with friends. Anna would even rather clean her room than read. She explains, "I'd rather clean my room because it makes the room look neat. Reading makes my head hurt because it's so boring and no fun. " Jenny and Anna attended a large neighborhood elementary school in Austin, Texas. The school is located in a lower socioeconomic status (SES) area of small houses, duplexes, mld apartments. About 45% of the children at the school are Hispanic, 35% are African-American, and 20% are Anglo. The school consistently ranks mnong the lowest schools in the district on standardized reading achievement tests. Upon entering first grade, neither Jenny nor Anna could read the words that were to appear in their first preprimer reader.

About this title

Synopsis

This unique book presents a four-year longitudinal study of the literacy development of children attending an Austin, Texas area elementary school. The reading and writing development of this microcosm of "at-risk" children was followed as they progressed from first through fourth grade. The author poses the question, "What skills and abilities of the child, and what classroom factors, appear to foster literacy development?" Included here are the author's models of reading and writing acquisition, and application of these models to six children: three with literacy problems and three with successful literacy development. Interviews with the children are presented along with measures of their cognitive development and skills, samples of their reading and writing from and throughout the four year study, and an examination of their successes and failures in relations to the models presented in earlier chapters. Additionally, one chapter examines school-related factors that may play a role in the children's reading development.

The book is intended for graduate students at all levels and literacy researchers who are interested in the process of literacy acquisition as it occurs in the school setting.

Edition details

• Publisher: Springer-Verlag New York Inc.
• Publication date: 1993
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0387940383
• ISBN 13: 9780387940380
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 158