Teachers Around The Country Get Creative To Improve Student Literacy

The emphasis on standardized testing in schools across the country has many educators worried that some students aren’t learning the basics of reading and writing. That’s leading some districts to try creative methods to increase literacy, particularly for young students in low-income and minority neighborhoods.

Stella Chavez of KERA reports from Dallas, where teachers have young students express themselves in full sentences in an effort to improve literacy.

In Baltimore, Maryland, third grade students in Baltimore Schools receive a copy of “My Baltimore Book.” The idea is to engage students in familiar topics to help them with reading comprehension. Jonna McKone at WYPR reports.

And in New York, Beth Fertig of WNYC looks at a school district which is trying different techniques of teaching vocabulary for reading success.

Reporters

• Stella Chavez, education reporter for KERA in Dallas. She tweets @stellamchavez.
• Jonna McKone, reporter covering education, youth and housing for WYPR in Baltimore. She tweets @jemckone.
• Beth Fertig is the contributing editor for education for WNYC. She tweets @bethfertig.

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