“It’s summer vacation! Do I have to read?”

by Lynn K. McMullin


The answer is an unqualified "YES!"

Summer Reading as part of the daily routine is the best antidote for what is called the ‘summer slide’ in children’s reading achievement. A set schedule for reading, as well as access to books and to library programs which promote reading, result in more reading.  More reading in turn results in improved reading skills and wards off the predictable slide in skills that comes from two summer months without reading 'exercise.'

In a meta-ananlysis study of 39 other reading research projects, the University of Missouri found that most students lose an average of one month of school learning over summer vacation.  Some students lose up to three months of learning in that same time period. 

A research report titled, "Lost Summers: For Some Children, Few Books and Few Opportunities to Read," created by The Center for Summer Learning at Johns Hopkins University showed that for elementary school children who do not read during the summer, “Reading skill loss during the three summer months accumulates to become a learning gap of 18 months by the end of sixth grade.  By the end of middle school, summer reading loss produces a cumulative lag of two or more years in reading achievement even when effective reading instruction is present during the year.”

Furthermore, the research shows that the more a student struggles the more he or she stands to lose over the summer.  Reading works in a sort of "rich-get-richer, poor-get-poorer" pattern of development.   Both successful aqnd unsuccessful early reading experiences have cascading effects that can benefit or deter students success in other areas.  The same study also found that an increased volume of reading was an important factor in building language and vocabulary skills.

Another study revealed that children who engage in leisure reading of a variety of books have more 'background' knowledge.  Developing extensive background information is a key success factor in making difficult texts easier to read and understand in future years. Children who enjoy reading will read more and become proficient at the same time.  A report from the National Institute of Education concluded that, “… the amount of reading done out of school is consistently related to gains in reading achievement.”


OK, so I don't want to "research study" you to death!  We, of course, find all of this fascinating, but I know that not the general case. So, to skip to the bottom line:

Summer Reading Matters!  And, parents can help their children avoid the 'slide.'  Help us help your student by making reading part of the summer routine, free from television and distractions.  Bring books to the beach or pool... or, to the doctor's waiting room.

P.S. Just, one more study:  Educational researchers from the University of Florida found that children who read as few as six books over the summer break can maintain their reading skills at the level they achieved in the preceding school year.  It's not that difficult!

CLICK HERE for Reading Resources.

See you here in September!  All new topics!

Background Information and Survey Results for the World Language Question

by Lynn K. McMullin

As many of you know, we are facing a significant crossroads in World Language.  Of major concern is this question: What World Language offering, in addition to Spanish, is of most interest to the community? 

In Canton, French has seen a significant decline similar to the nation's.  Next year at the high school, the senior class will have 12 French students and the junior class will have 10.  The students in these two classes began French in 7th grade with 37 and 34 students respectively.  This year's 7th grade enrollment for French was only 17 students, half the number that enrolled four years ago.  At out current attrition rate in French (based on 6 years of data), we could expect those 17 students to decrease to 5 or 6 students by their junior and senior year.   That is why, for 2010 - 2011, we did not offer French in grade 7.   By the way, attrition in Spanish parallels the attrrition in French, but the Spanish program begins with a significantly larger population of students.

Thus, two questions arise: First, what can we do to improve attrition rates?  Second, are we offering the right program?  It is my responsibility to be aware of trends and provide the Board and the school community with the facts.  I have been wrestling with this issue for several years now, and recently I presented the Board of Education with the following:

"The recommendation below is made after three years of various data collections, many conversations with the Middle and High School administrators, in-house and state and national research, and meetings with parents and world language teachers. The key factors considered when making this proposal are:
1. Budget implications for the future
2. Attrition rates in French
3. Educational trends for a 21st century education

RECOMMENDATION:
1. Phase out French beginning in 2010 – 2011, but continuing the program for all current students
2. Teach only Spanish in the Middle School
3. Reintroduce a second language study in Grade 9; possibly Chinese, but also consider French, Latin, Russian, and others
4. Develop a plan to introduce Spanish in Grade 4 enabling students to study Spanish grades 4 - 8.

RATIONALE:
First, research shows that the acquisition of a second language:
a. Enhances higher order, abstract and creative thinking
b. Fosters a thinking process that benefits academic progress in other content areas
c. Develops basic skills, such as listening, speaking, etc.
d. Promotes cultural awareness and competency
e. Improves college acceptance, college achievement, and attainment of future jobs
f. Benefits understanding of and a sense of security in own and other communities

However, while the research supports the benefits of second language study, it does not support the acquisition of one World Language over another, i.e. there are no research reports which distinguish the acquisition of French is more beneficial than the acquisition of Spanish, Italian, German, and vice versa.

Second, current World Language trends show that Spanish study has increased steadily since 1991; 68% of all World Language students take Spanish.  At the same time, French has decreased, but not at a rate as high as Canton's, and it still remains the second most commonly taught language.  Nationally, 16% of WL students take French.  In Canton, 21% of WL students take French.

Third, Chinese language study is very different from the study of French and Spanish, which in terms of skills development are more similar than they are dissimilar.  Chinese has no verb conjugations, no gender, no noun-adjective agreement, no articles (the, a, an), no number agreement (i.e. one book / three books), and has 1000 commonly used characters which make up 90% of the characters in a Chinese newspaper.  Chinese offers a different skill set and the study of an Asian culture.  But, it is difficult.

Additional Factors:
1.  Currently there is no WL in grades 4 - 6.
2.  Currently, students have one opportunity to choose a WL, at the end of grade 6.  They choose between two similar romance languages as has been done for at least the past 25 years. 
3.  No other WL choice is offered, except to begin Spanish I in Grade 9.  Past attempts to offer French I in Grade 9 attracted fewer than 5 students.
4.  If Canton offered Spanish grades 4 - 8, students who wanted to change from Spanish another WL could do so in 9th grade.
5.  An increased level of fluency in Spanish is possible with a stronger foundation which could begin in Intermediate School.
6.   A stronger foundation in one language [grades 4 – 8], makes the possibility of students successfully taking two languages much greater.

CLICK HERE to view the WL survey results. 
There were 244 respondents to our survey between May 18th and June 2nd.  The survey was publicized through AlertNow's email server, backpack notices, and on our webpages.  Thank you very much if you participated.

Since the comments are not included with the survey summary linked above, and since they total 10 pages of text, I collated and shortened the comments that were offered by 4 or more respondents below:

2. If no program change is made, which WL would your children be more likely to take?
(62 comments)
Don’t limit our choices - 4
Teach WL earlier - 4
Depends on the teacher - 7
Want to continue with French - 6
Spanish is more useful today - 11
Make Spanish mandatory - 5

3.  When you think about a 21st Century education, which is 1st (most important) to 5th (least important)?
Arabic - 7
Japanese - 6
Chinese – 4 (wrote a comment supporting Chinese as a choice within the question)

4.  Thinking of the future which of the following is important to you?
French should not be eliminated – 7
Start both French and Spanish earlier - 7
Offer Spanish earlier - 30
Offer Spanish from CBPS on - 10
Offer both Spanish and Chinese earlier - 9
Offer Latin in HS - 4

We also took a survey in the high school in which students included their names (i.e. not a count of hands) with these results:
Would you take Chinese if it was offered next year?
Yes  -- 39
Maybe  -- 65
No  -- 186
If you answered yes to taking Chinese, would you continue in your current WL in addition to Chinese?
Yes  -- 15
No  -- 21

Among the Middle Schoolers
7th grade   -- 40 would like to take Chinese; 108 would not
8th grade -- 45 would like to take Chinese; 96 would not

Improving Teaching and Learning Through Professional Rounds

This Friday's BLOG was written by Superintendent, Kevin Case

During the course of this school year, all of our District’s Administrators have been involved in professional development work known as Professional Rounds.  The major focus of the teachers and administrators in our District has been the establishment and implementation of the data team process, where teachers collect and analyze student achievement data to improve their instruction in the classroom.  Each administrator is involved in reviewing grade level/department data for each school and in setting goals collaboratively with you based on the collected data.

The administrators have the responsibility for writing and implementing each school’s Continuous Improvement Plan.  In order to do this effectively, a high level of knowledge is required regarding effective, high-quality instruction because classroom instruction is the single largest factor in student achievement.  To enhance and build upon our knowledge of the K-12 curriculum and the instructional strategies being implemented in our School District, the administrative team conducted what we called “professional rounds”, where we visited each school.  This process required a full day in each building as the administrators visited most classrooms.  A shared understanding of highly effective, rigorous instruction is essential if our students are to continue to make dramatic gains in achievement.

Patterned after rounds in the medical profession, the purpose is to examine what is actually happening in the classrooms and to work together purposefully and systematically to improve classroom instruction and provide high quality instruction for all students.  The 'Rounds' process begins with the host administrator sharing background information about the school and the professional development focus of the school.  This information sets the stage for the focus of the visits.  The team spent time discussing the strategies they might see employed in the high performing classrooms, what teachers might be saying and doing, and what students might be saying and doing. 

Our administrative team then visited classrooms for approximately 15 to 20 minutes to record evidence of what is being observed.  Following the visits, the team gathered to debrief their observations with the host administrator.  Here, based upon the evidence collected, the administrators discussed what they determined students were learning from the classes observed. The question the observers answered was, “If I was a student at this school, and did everything I was expected to, what would I know or be able to do?”  The final step in the process is to identify the next level of work: what supports and resources will be needed to move teaching and learning to the next level at the school?

Many Connecticut administrators are learning what some of the most respected names in the education profession have said about instructional rounds.  Michael Fullen stated, “This is a powerful, specific, accessible treatment of what it means to get in the classroom in order to make a difference in the daily lives of teachers and their students.”  And Douglas Reeves said, “Instructional rounds in education will have a profound influence on educational leaders who are willing to invest the time to observe, listen, and learn.” These results have proven to be invaluable to the visited school in developing specific professional development activities that will lead to improved teaching and learning throughout the Canton Public School District.