Adolescent Focus Leads 2007 What’s Hot & Not List of Literacy Trends

Newswise — Leading reading experts have selected adolescent literacy as the hottest issue for 2007, according to Jack and Drew Cassidy’s annual review for the International Reading Association. The “What’s Hot, What’s Not” survey, a staple since 1996, draws a distinction between what is “Hot,” meaning the issue is receiving attention, and what is important—the “Should Be Hot” category. In this year’s results, experts agreed that adolescent literacy is both.

The focus on adolescents is a companion piece to concerns expressed by a diverse group. The business community worries about workforce competitiveness, while governors attempt to stem alarming dropout rates at many schools. ACT issued a major report last year, pointing out that too many high school graduates lack the reading skills necessary for college. High school teachers find themselves trying to meet state standards in classrooms where “the range of reading abilities can be enormous,” noted William G. Brozo, one contributor to the survey. He cites the example of one 10th grade biology class where he found a “staggering”15 grade-level spread in reading skills.

Seven other topics were deemed hot: direct instruction, English-language learners, fluency, high-stakes assessment, informational texts, reading coaches, and scientifically-based reading instruction.

One topic moving from “very hot” a few years ago to “not hot” is phonemic awareness, one of the core reading instruction components included in the No Child Left Behind Act. Jack Cassidy points out that, since 2003, most respondents felt this topic received too much attention, especially since the National Reading Panel found that only 18 hours of instruction in phonemic awareness was enough for most children. Cassidy sees the survey as one way to encourage more active advocacy for best practices in school and political arenas.

For more information about the 2007 “What’s Hot, What’s Not” survey, visit http://www.reading.org.