Realizing that about 30 percent of Indiana students who enter the ninth grade do not graduate from high school in four years, that 31 percent of Americans have college degrees while only 25 percent of Indiana citizens have college degrees, and that Indiana fourth graders ranked 16th on the 2003 National Assessment of Educational Progress reading test while its eighth graders ranked 30th, more Indiana middle grades schools are offering reading courses 0480-06, 0480-07, and 0480-08. 

      As Indiana middle grades schools start new reading classes, they should carefully consider how this is to be done.  This process is more difficult than it might seem.  Principals, superintendents, and curriculum directors want strong programs, and the following should be considered

       A total of 251 Indiana middle grades schools now offer reading courses 0480-06, 0480-07, or 0480-08.  For a list of these schools to consider for visitation, contact the Middle Grades Reading Network.  The list is not available online, but it can be faxed or mailed.  Principals without reading teachers might wish to include someone from their central office as part of their visitation team.

        Some schools use the 19-page Middle Grades Reading Assessment that can be printed by going to     /assreading.htm>.  This assessment covers the eight areas listed in the Reading Bill of Rights for Indiana’s Young Adolescents.  As the plan is developed, the assessment results, ISTEP scores, and specific needs of the school should be highlighted.  The most effective way to provide reading classes is through a concentration of personnel and resources.  For a typical middle grades school with three grade levels and 500 students, three reading teachers can each provide reading instruction for most of the students at a particular grade level.  Thus materials bought for one grade level can be used by one teacher for class after class, allowing scarce funds to be used in the most effective manner.

       Teachers selected to teach reading courses should have an Indiana reading endorsement, early adolescence reading license, or reading specialist license.  Some questions that you might wish to ask prospective middle grades reading teachers are:

 What book are you reading?  Reading teachers are important reading role models and should be readers.  The discussion may involve book titles, favorite authors, or other reading materials, such as newspapers and magazines.

 

To what professional organizations do you belong?  Reading teachers should be  aware of effective reading instruction practices and current research.  The Indiana State Reading Association, local reading councils, and the International Reading Association are    the three important professional organizations for reading teachers.  The discussion may involve attendance at conferences and subscriptions to professional journals.

 

Do you believe all middle grades students can read?  Many students in the middle grades still need strong teacher support to help them improve their reading skills, and they need encouragement to read voluntarily.  What they do not need is a teacher who feels that it is  too late to help students who are labeled as being incapable of reading at their middle grades class level.

 

What kind of in-service training do you want from the school corporation?  The answer will help the interviewer understand the candidate’s interest in useful professional development and may help decide future programs that the corporation should offer.

 

How would you encourage parents to be supportive to the reading program? Many families are not connected to school activities, especially those involving academics.  It is important that reading teachers believe that it is possible to maintain continuing parental involvement.  Look for creative suggestions.

 

What evidence of progress will you seek from your students?  In addition to standardized test results, candidates may discuss means such as teacher observation checklists, informal reading tests, library circulation rates, and observations.

 

Name three of your favorite young adolescent books or authors.  There is no correct answer, for there are many books available.  A follow-up question for those unable to provide an answer might be, How would you become familiar with quality young adolescent books and authors? 

Do you have a public library card?  Because it is important to help students become lifelong readers, teachers themselves need to become familiar with their public library.  Teachers who do not have public library cards obviously are not using the public library.

 

 As one of our reading teachers, in what ways would you promote reading throughout the  school and community?  Young adults need reading teachers who are advocates and action-takers.  The candidate might discuss ways to get the entire school and community into reading.  Ideas might include using posters and displays, connecting students with their  school and public libraries, involving the school in the Young Hoosier Book Award Program, starting a Student-Operated Paperback Bookshop or a Teachers Under Cover book group for teachers, promoting reading aloud to students, and supporting the Newspaper in Education Program.

      The reading course descriptions that can be found at /middlelevelreading.htm> make it clear that reading teachers are responsible for literature, word recognition skills, vocabulary, comprehension, and independent reading.  Therefore, they will need textbooks for literature as well as a wide variety of supplementary reading materials to cover the wide range in reading abilities found in typical classes.  Because there are so many titles available, they should be reserved for various grade levels.  Supplementary middle grades reading materials are available from companies such as Continental Press, Curriculum Associates, Globe Fearon, Jamestown Education, Modern Curriculum Press, New Readers Press, Options, Phoenix Learning, Sopris West, SRA/McGraw-Hill, Steck-Vaughn, and Teachers College Press. Catalogs from these companies are usually sent to schools.  Displays of publications from these companies can be found at the annual meeting of the Indiana State Reading Association.  Newspaper in Education Programs are available from local newspaper.