NeedsAssessment

According to Rogers High School’s annual report for 2008, the 7th grade reading scores for current Rogers’ students is far below that of both Spokane Public Schools (District 81) and Washington state. This means that students entering Rogers from the various feeder schools in the area are not prepared for the language arts classroom. The following graph shows the percentage of students meeting reading standards at the school, district, and state level based on 7th grade test scores: Based on the data provided I feel that this issue qualifies as a Problem-Finding, Problem-Solving Model of the Needs Assessment. One possibility for these low test scores is a lack of reading both in and outside of school. In an article on the recreational reading habits of secondary students Wilson, professor and head of the department of secondary education at Jacksonville State University, and Casey, a middle school teacher in Cartersville, Georgia, (2005) write,” It is widely known by theorists, researchers, and practitioners that reading is learned by reading. It is also common knowledge, based on hundreds of studies, that the best readers read the most and the poor readers read the least” (p. 41). In other words, educators must find ways to motivate their students to read in order for them to become better readers. There are a host of non-instructional needs associated with low reading motivation. One of the biggest obstacles teachers must overcome at Rogers is the low socio-economic status (SES) of a majority of the student population. Although low SES doesn’t necessarily mean that students do not like to read or that they are poor readers, studies suggest that these students are at a marked disadvantage. Paul E. Barton (2004), a leading researcher on the Achievement Gap, argues that students of low SES are read to less frequently than students of higher income brackets. This means that they are less likely to have the early reading basis critical for later reading success. To solve the problem of low reading motivation at Rogers High School I will create a specialized reading program using research-based promising practices. The program will give students the chance to read both in and out of school. This additional practice reading will in turn improve their reading ability. Rogers High School has recently undergone a multi-million dollar renovation. Classrooms are now equipped with new technological equipment such as Avervisions, projectors, DVD and VHS players, and internet connections. My current classroom has two computers available for student use. In addition, a computer lab located in the library is available by appointment. A majority of the staff at Rogers High School are young, under the age of 35. Approximately half of the educators in the language arts department have been in the teaching profession for 5 years or less. New teachers such as these would undoubtedly be interested in techniques to motivate their students to read. The student body of Rogers High School is one of the most racially diverse and economically disadvantaged in Spokane Public Schools. The learners are therefore equally diverse in learning styles, so a variety of approaches must be used. A majority of students come from low-income homes and many have jobs outside of school. Assigning homework is not a typical practice at Rogers. If homework is assigned teachers must take into consideration the students’ SES and stray away from assignments that require technology used in the home, as many students do not have immediate access to computers and/or the internet.
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