Is Reading No Longer a Stand-Alone Subject?

Reading is fundamental, but should it be taught as a standalone subject? One county school system in Maryland is proposing no. But the importance of reading in academic achievement has been well-documented, making the school system's proposal seem somewhat ill-advised. Will, and should, reading survive to stand on its own?

Find available tutors

reading howard county

Class Dismissed

The Howard County school system recently announced changes it is considering making to its middle school schedule. The proposal includes removing one period per day, so instead of eight 45-minute classes students would attend seven 50-minutes classes.

The odd class out? Reading.

Separate reading classes began in the Howard County school system about 20 years ago. Though that 'served us very well in the past' Linda Wise, county chief academic officer, told The Baltimore Sun in November 2011, it is believed that a curriculum geared for college and career readiness now needs to be implemented.

Reading = Academic Success

Though Howard County is not proposing to do away with reading entirely (those who are not reading at their grade levels, for instance, will still get the attention they need in separate reading classes), some opposition has been heard regarding the suggested change.

One argument against the idea is that reading is a necessity for educational success in all subjects. Advocates of reading aloud to children, for instance, point to advanced vocabulary and comprehension skills of children who are read to as opposed to those who are not. It is these children, studies show, who display higher academic achievement.

Other studies have shown that students who fall behind in reading have more difficulty catching up, and sometimes never do.

'We Still Need Reading'

The '10 Research-Based Principles' regarding the improvement of reading comprehension in children as published by the Center for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement (CIERA) indicates that reading should be taught separately. Number one on the list is: 'Effective comprehension instruction requires purposeful and explicit teaching.'

True, reading comprehension can and should be addressed in all subjects, but it's hard to make an argument, no matter how hard Howard County schools might try, to remove reading as a standalone subject. Howard County would do well to heed the advice of Paul Lemle, president of the Howard County Education Association, when he told The Baltimore Sun in November 2011: 'We still need reading as a subject area and educational focus at the middle school level.'

Why? Well, despite the 93% proficiency rate of Howard County students in state reading assessment testing, comprehension tends to decrease as reading materials become more difficult. So some see a potential problem down the road if reading is removed from the curriculum.

As Howard County school board member Brian Meshkin asked in a recent ColumbiaPatch.com article, 'Are we forsaking some of the basic education foundation building blocks if we do this?' Many researchers and reading organizations would likely believe so.

Did you find this useful? If so, please let others know!

Other Articles You May Be Interested In

  • More Blog Articles
    Can Reading Bridge Racial, Socioeconomic Gaps?

    Study after study shows the achievement gap in education between students of different cultures and economic backgrounds. Recently, two New Jersey schools successfully used literature to show students how 'the other half lives'. Can this experiment be a model for other schools to use books to bridge racial and socioeconomic...

  • More Blog Articles
    Too Much Emphasis on Reading and Math?

    According to a large number of surveyed educators who teach grades 3-12, U.S. public schools are spending too much time on reading and math and not enough on other subjects. Yes, math and reading are important. But what about science, foreign languages and social studies?

We Found 7 Tutors You Might Be Interested In

Huntington Learning

  • What Huntington Learning offers:
  • Online and in-center tutoring
  • One on one tutoring
  • Every Huntington tutor is certified and trained extensively on the most effective teaching methods
In-Center and Online

K12

  • What K12 offers:
  • Online tutoring
  • Has a strong and effective partnership with public and private schools
  • AdvancED-accredited corporation meeting the highest standards of educational management
Online Only

Kaplan Kids

  • What Kaplan Kids offers:
  • Online tutoring
  • Customized learning plans
  • Real-Time Progress Reports track your child's progress
Online Only

Kumon

  • What Kumon offers:
  • In-center tutoring
  • Individualized programs for your child
  • Helps your child develop the skills and study habits needed to improve their academic performance
In-Center and Online

Sylvan Learning

  • What Sylvan Learning offers:
  • Online and in-center tutoring
  • Sylvan tutors are certified teachers who provide personalized instruction
  • Regular assessment and progress reports
In-Home, In-Center and Online

Tutor Doctor

  • What Tutor Doctor offers:
  • In-Home tutoring
  • One on one attention by the tutor
  • Develops personlized programs by working with your child's existing homework
In-Home Only

TutorVista

  • What TutorVista offers:
  • Online tutoring
  • Student works one-on-one with a professional tutor
  • Using the virtual whiteboard workspace to share problems, solutions and explanations
Online Only

Our Commitment to You

  • Free Help from Teachers

  • Free Learning Materials

  • Helping Disadvantaged Youth