Page 4 - System 44 EL in Research Paper

INTRODUCTION
More than seven years since the launch of System 44 Enterprise Edition, students are learning to read and write in a time of rapid societal change and continuous education reform. The enactment of the new rigorous standards reflects a pivotal moment in education history.
Although educational professionals and families have worked tirelessly to advance the reading achievement of our students, there is still room for improvement. New standards clearly communicate expectations for all students in English Language Arts & Literacy (ELA) and Mathematics at each grade level from kindergarten through 12th grade. The ELA standards define the knowledge and skills students should have in the areas of Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language –– with the goal of preparing all students for college and career readiness.
In spite of educators’ best efforts, there are still too many students who continue to struggle with literacy. The most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results (2013) revealed little to no change from earlier years in the reading achievement levels of the lowest performing readers. For example, approximately one-third of all fourth and eighth graders scored at or above proficient from 2002 through 2011.
The outlook is particularly dim for those students who do not complete high school. Nationwide, about one in four high school students, or more than one million students a year, drops out before graduating (US DOE, 2011). Lack of readiness for college and the 21st century workforce is an equally serious threat. Among students who do graduate, one-third require remedial courses in one or more subjects at post-secondary schools because they lack certain requisite skills (ACT, 2006).
In an effort to combat the stagnant results in reading proficiency, the new standards begin with mastering the foundational reading skills and place an increased emphasis on informational text, complex text, reading aloud, and inquiry-based learning. However, the new standards leave out an explicit instructional path. This is particularly salient for our most challenged readers who lack foundational reading skills and yet will be held to the same grade-level standard as their reading-proficient peers. The phonics instruction guidelines leave much to interpretation, allowing educators to choose the content and method of delivery (Brady, 2012). Thus, it is up to educators to lead the way for our lowest-performing students to be on track for college and career readiness.
In order for the lowest-proficiency students to be able to succeed in the era of rigorous standards, educators must continue to incorporate research-based programs and evidence-based best practices into the curricula. Explicit, systematic instruction in foundational reading skills remains paramount, along with responding to students’ individual needs. The focus of reading instruction needs to shift away from a particular type of lesson, activity, or instructional material found in a given classroom and toward each student and their individual learning needs. A rotational instructional model that blends face-to-face instruction with online learning technology is an efficient and effective way to support the needs of today’s students. Additionally, students need access to a range of quality texts and multiple opportunities for independent reading. With focused, deliberate assessment and instruction, even the most challenged students can be provided with the tools they need to access grade-level work and to support their journey toward college and career.
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