Literacy In Education Essay

All students deserve the opportunity to reach their full potential. However, research shows that the numerous challenges faced by today’s urban schools prevent many students from achieving this goal. Therefore, preparing teachers to effectively teach literacy in diverse urban populations in ways that students find engaging and relevant must be a top priority of teacher education programs. This paper will seek to explore how the decline of literacy in urban schools can be improved.

Scott and Teale (2009) identified three significant needs of children in an urban learning environment. Those needs consisted of the following: (1) emotional support, (2) exposure, and (3) changes in attitude toward education. Most urban learners come from families of low economic status, tend to have several siblings, and may live in single parent households. Many come to school hungry and tired from a disheartening evening, often entering school with a defeated spirit.

Teachers can “show support by being compassionate enough to look at each child realistically, to communicate genuine concern for the student, and to help the students move past emotional issues being dealt with at home (p. 339).” Students should be exposed to another side of life through positive environments. Emotional support and exposure soon become the catalysts for changing some children’s misconceptions into more positive attitudes towards education. It is also important that teachers avoid labeling these students as lazy or unmotivated, but rather know who their students are “linguistically, ethically, and economically (p. 339).”

Walker-Dalhouse and Risko (2008) examined the practices of urban schools in which students are succeeding in literacy development. They add...

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...oaches, common planning time and federal funds available for use to implement literacy intervention programs). Urban schools may also have to restructure their professional development sessions in order to enhance the quality of literacy instruction for all students.

Research suggests that high-performing schools begin with a shared philosophy about learning and teaching that unifies stakeholders and guides instructional decisions. Literacy program reforms will only succeed when members of a school’s community take collective responsibility for student success. Teachers, administrators, parents and even community members should be empowered to take active roles in the reform process. Schools need to move beyond policy talk and create their visions based on effective classroom practices and collectively organize to accomplish the goal of literacy achievement.