Study Raises Questions About Reading Program in US

Study Raises Questions About Reading Program in US
In schools using Reading First, researchers find more time being spent on skills, but without higher test scores on average. Also, a look at the book reading habits of students in American schools. Transcript of radio broadcast:
14 May 2008

This is the VOA Special English Education Report.

A federal program in the United States called Reading First has received one billion dollars a year for the past several years. The money has gone to school systems to get them to use scientifically based ways to teach reading. The goal is to help all children read at or above grade level by the end of third grade.

The Bush administration's education law, the No Child Left Behind Act of Two Thousand One, established Reading First. Now, the Department of Education has released findings from a study of the program.

On average, teachers using it increased the time they taught reading skills like phonics and vocabulary. But the study also found, on average, little or no effect on test scores in reading comprehension.

Government researchers say they are not sure how to explain the results.

Critics call the program a failure and want Congress to end it. The program also came under attack after Education Department officials were accused of conflicts of interest with reading publishers.

Congress cut the billion-dollar budget by almost two-thirds this year. But federal officials want to continue the program. The study did find improvements in some cases.

The report examined the effects of Reading First grants in seventeen school districts across twelve states and one statewide program. The findings are for two thousand four to two thousand six. A final report with an additional year of research is expected early next year.

Another new report listed the books read most often last year by students in American schools. The Renaissance Learning company based the report on its reading programs used in many schools. Students read books and then take computer quizzes to see if they understood them. There are tests for more than one hundred fifteen thousand books.

The book read most often by first graders was "Green Eggs and Ham" by Doctor Seuss. In fourth grade the top book was, not surprisingly, "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing" by Judy Blume.

Three of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books were among the top ten in grades nine through twelve. But the book read most often was "To Kill A Mockingbird" by Harper Lee. Others included John Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men," "A Child Called 'It'" by Dave Pelzer and "Holes" by Louis Sachar.

Also in the top ten were "Night" by Elie Wiesel, "The Outsiders" by S.E. Hinton and "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer.

And that's the VOA Special English Education Report, written by Nancy Steinbach. I'm Steve Ember.


----------------------------Google Translate

研究提出了质疑阅读计划在美国
在学校使用读首先，研究人员发现更多时间花在对技能，但没有更高的测验分数的平均值。此外，看看这本书的阅读习惯的学生在美国的学校。全文电台广播：
2008年5月14日

这是美国之音特别英语教育的报告。

一个联邦计划在美国的所谓读第一已收到10.0亿美元，今年在过去的几年里。钱去了学校系统，让他们使用以科学为基础的方式，教导读。目标是要帮助所有儿童在阅读或以上级别，由去年底三年级。

布什政府的教育法，不让一个孩子掉队法案的2000一，成立读第一。现在，教育署已发布的调查结果从一个研究计划。

平均来说，教师使用资讯科技的时间增加了他们学习阅读技巧，像语音和词汇。但这项研究还发现，平均而言，很少或根本没有影响，考试成绩在阅读理解能力。

政府研究人员说，他们是不知道如何解释的结果。

批评者称关塔那摩计划失败，并希望国会结束。该计划也遭到攻击后，教育署官员被指控的利益冲突与读出版商。

国会削减10亿美元的预算几乎有三分之二今年。但联邦官员希望能够继续这一计划。这项研究并找到改善在某些情况下。

报告审查的影响，读第一赠款，在17学区横跨12个国家和一个州的计划。结果为2000 1时56 thousand 6 。一份最后报告，与额外一年的研究，预计在明年年初。

另一项新的报告中列出的书籍阅读最常去年由学生在美国的学校。文艺复兴时期的学习，基于公司的报告就其读程序中使用的许多学校。学生看书，然后以电脑问答游戏，看他们是否理解他们。有测试以上的11.50万的书籍。

这本书阅读最常见的由一年级是“绿色蛋和火腿” ，由医生seuss 。在四年级的顶端这本书，而不是奇怪的是， “故事，一个四年级的什么”由朱迪布卢姆。

三个j.k.罗琳的哈利波特书籍之间的十大职等9通过12 。不过，阅读这本书最常见的是“杀死一只知更鸟”哈珀李。其他包括杨过的“小鼠和男人” ， “儿童的所谓'它”由Dave pelzer和“漏洞”由Louis查尔。

此外，在十大“之夜”由伊利威塞尔， “外人”本身寒春和“曙光” stephenie迈耶。

这是该美国之音特别英语教育的报告，写的南希斯坦巴克。我史蒂夫ember 。