KAT Promotes Literacy for Democracy

Reflections on Literacy

Addressing Your Concerns:
Literacy: Necessary but NOT Sufficient

Gleanings from the Field:
From Vocabulary Exercises to KAT Applications

Notes about the Centerfold Lesson
Using KAT to Enhance Literacy, Comprehension & Civic Action

CenterFold Lesson
Aspects of the Literacy Issue for KAT Study

Adding to Your Resource Base

BreakOut Lesson
Literacy for Democray

A “Centerfold” Reproducible KAT Lesson

ASPECTS of the LITERACY ISSUE for KAT STUDY  

A. Possible Partners to Work With, Learn From, & Assist

Which groups and individuals are already working on the issue of literacy?

• Can you invite a Reference Librarian from your community to come to your class and talk about literacy?
• Is there a prominent author living in or near your community? Invite that person to speak with your class about what literacy means to him/her, OR write to an author or publisher of your choice, explaining your research, and requesting a written answer to your question.
• What can you find out about America Reads?
• The Internet is full of literacy programs. Find three that sound promising, and find out how to contact their representatives closest to you.

B. How High Level Literacy Helps You

Maybe I want to be an athlete or a rock singer. Why do I need to be able to read and discuss books like Homer’s The Odyssey ?

• Find out what the average earnings are for Americans who have low literacy levels, compared to those with college/graduate degrees.
• What statistics can you find about the literacy level among Americans who are in prison, in contrast to those who do not have arrest records?
• Research the factors that put youth “at risk” for drug addiction, gang-related violence, teen pregnancy, etc.
• What has J.K. Rowling sold that makes her wealthier than the Queen of England?
• Make a list with as many numbers as your age. For each number, write life choices that you would have if you were highly literate, that wouldn’t be options if you were weakly literate. [For example: “(1) I could read the stock market information, or become an investment advisor.” Or, “(13) I could become a news reporter or a publisher.”]  

C. Community Assessment: Literacy Strengths and Needs Inventory

• What are the literacy needs in our community?
• Maybe you are already very literate. Are there groups of individuals in your community who need your help reading or writing? What groups of people tend to need such help? (School students? Senior citizens with disabilities? Immigrants? Etc.)
• Develop a list of professionals who might know other people who need literacy help. [For example, police chief, county children & youth services director, school guidance counselors, clergy, social workers at human services organizations, etc.] Create a short page explaining that you’re studying this issue, and need information. Ask several questions to which they can reply. [For example: Do you know of children in this area who need/want books at home, but cannot afford them?] Then phone each person, using the letter as your prompt. If you cannot reach the person, leave a message, and also mail and/or email the letter as well.

D. Literacy-relevant Laws and Regulations

• What public policies have to do with literacy?
• Find out about the laws that compel children to attend school.
• Describe the purposes of state and federal laws re: student testing. How do these work?
• What federal/state initiatives fund student and family literacy programs?
• Why is literacy important to self-governance? (What important civic skills can poorly literate citizens NOT perform? ) (Go beyond voting!)

 E. Effective Practices and Solutions

What’s working well to prevent illiteracy and to boost the level of literacy in our community ?

Some possible programs might include local chapters of:

• America Reads Challenge
• Literacy Volunteers of America
• Reach Out and Read
• First Book
• professional organizations
• ??????????????????????????

· Also consider:

• tutoring programs
• homework & book clubs
• mentorship programs
• parenting programs
• child development programs (preschool, developmental nursery school programs)
• library programs
• summer reading camps
• university-based “lab” schools and day care centers
• ?????????????????????????

What do educators and specialists in child development see as “Best Practices” ?

• Reduce TV time, reduce video game time
• Add more reading time
• Read out loud with children, every day from birth
• Don’t stop reading aloud with children, just because they are learning to read or can read by themselves
• ?????????????????????????

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