Inspiring Adolescent Readers: A Middle School Literacy Project

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Inspiring Adolescent Readers A Middle School
Literacy Project

• A Proposal to the Verizon Foundation

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What is Adolescent Literacy?

• the set of skills and abilities that students
  need in grades four through 12 to read, write,
  and think about the text materials they
  encounter1
• 1 Reading to Achieve A Governors Guide to
  Adolescent Literacy. National Governors
  Association Center For Best Practices. 2005. 12
  June 2007.

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Taking Stock The Adolescent Literacy Challenge

• 40 of high school graduates lack appropriate
  literacy skills for work
• 25 fastest growing professions have greater than
  average literacy demands1
• U.S. 11th graders placed near bottom of
  international comparison of reading assessment2
• 1 Adolescent Literacy. (Fact Sheet). Alliance
  for Excellent Education. Feb 2006. 11 June 2007.
  lthttp//www.all4ed.org/publications/Reading
  Next/AdolescentLiteracyFactSheet.pdfgt.
• 2 Kamil, Michael L. Adolescents and Literacy
  Readings for the 21st Century. Allicance for
  Excellent Education. Nov. 2003. 13 June 2007.
  lthttp//www.all4ed.org/publications/AdolescentsAnd
  Literacy.pdfgt.

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Adolescent Literacy ChallengeHow Did We Get
Here?

• Loss of student interest in reading after 4th
  grade
• Students must transition from learning to read to
  reading to learn
• Middle high school teachers lack training or
  feel responsibility to teach reading skills

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Adolescent Literacy ChallengeA 21st Century
Necessity

• 21st century society demands advanced reading,
  writing, and analysis skills
• Economic concerns resulting from legions of
  undereducated workers remedial costs and lower
  productivity
• Literature is an essential tool for adolescent
  emotional, social, and cultural maturity

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Adolescent Literacy Challenge Making A
Difference At One School

• Parents and educators at Randolph Middle School
  partner to celebrate reading and the benefits of
  lifelong literacy
• Implement a school-wide literacy enrichment
  program that includes an academically rich,
  stimulating exploration into the work of a
  specific author

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Primary Objective

• Stimulate the reading motivation and engagement
  of students at Randolph Middle School

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Secondary Objectives

• Involve multiple segments of the school and
  Randolph community in an effort to promote
  lifelong literacy
• Encourage positive partnerships between adult
  stakeholders in the school community
• Foster student peer relations in an academic
  environment
• Provide students a successful, inspirational role
  model who demonstrates an enthusiastic commitment
  to lifelong literacy and the writing process
• Encourage students to bring reading and writing
  outside the language arts classroom

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Project Specifications

• A Model For Meeting Objectives

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Project SpecificationsProgram Highlights

• Multi-day author residency
• All students encouraged, through incentives, to
  read multiple books by visiting author
• Reading, writing, discussion, and multimedia
  activities focused on visiting author
• 7th Grade writing workshops
• Alignment with NJ Core Curriculum Standards

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Project SpecificationsImplementation Schedule

• Phase Duration
• One Before the Author Residency 8 Months
• Two Author Residency 3 Days
• Three Post Residency 1 Month

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Project SpecificationsStrategic Guidelines

• Form a committee of key stakeholders
• Ensure a connection between the author and school
  goals
• Develop the program based on specific thematic
  structure
• Motivate students to read authors books ahead of
  time to ensure adequate preparation for visit
• Carefully consider scheduling of residency and
  program activities
• Conduct an evaluation and present recommendations
  for future programs

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Project SpecificationsAuthor Selection Criteria

• Both male and female characters represented
• Stories explore thought provoking issues that
  impact todays youth
• Themes correlate with school character education
  program will stimulate personal reflection and
  group discussion
• Experienced in conducting school presentations
  and small group workshops
• Enjoys engaging middle school students in
  discussion

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Project SpecificationsAuthor Recommendation

• Todd Strasser
• Over 100 books and for teen and middle readers1
• Very experienced school speaker
• Diverse themes including self-esteem, bullying,
  and prejudice
• 1 Todd Strasser.com. 20 June 2007.
  lthttp//www.toddstrasser.comgt.

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Project SpecificationsProgramming Detail All
Students

• Grade level assemblies with author
• Reading incentive program
• Opportunity for lunch with author
• Opportunities for visual arts, web design, and
  journalism projects

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Project SpecificationsProgramming Detail 7th
Grade

• Class reading requirement
• Class discussion on theme
• Write essays relating theme to personal
  experience
• Group skits based on character analysis
• Writing workshop with author (select students)

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AssessmentDid We Meet Our Objectives?

• Student focus groups
• Staff and project team online survey
• Final report including recommendations for future
  programs

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The Project Team

• Lisa Mercurio, RMS PTA President
• Paula Some, RMS PTA Vice President
• Mr. Lee Nittell, RMS Vice Principal
• Mrs. Diane Auerbach, Guidance
• Mrs. Edie Klink, Librarian
• Language Arts Teacher (TBD)
• Language Arts Teacher (TBD)

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Budget

• Total Project Cost 6880
• Includes
• Author honorarium expenses
• Books for classrooms and library
• Assessment
• Faculty/author reception
• Rewards for reading incentive program
• Materials for visual displays by students

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Project Time LineOne Academic Year

• Date Milestone
• September 1, 2007 Assemble project team
• September 10, 2007 Finalize program components
• October 1, 2007 Formalize author visit with
  contract
• October 15, 2007 Kick-off program at RMS
• October 15, 2007 Phase one programming
• May 1, 2008
• May 2008 Phase two author residency
• June 2008 Phase three complete assessment

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Summary

• Implementing a comprehensive school-wide literacy
  project that includes participatory activities
  and an author residency will increase adolescent
  reading motivation and engagement
• Students will gain an appreciation for literature
  outside the classroom
• All stakeholders will benefit from the
  partnerships created during this community
  building experience