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| SKN Students Score
High in Reading |
| By Sheena Brooks |
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Ajani Davis
reads for officials
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Twenty-five of the federation's primary
schools participated in an OAS-sponsored reading assessment
project in order for educators to better evaluate the
reading skills of the nation's students.
The six-part training course was conducted by the Curriculum
Development Unit from October to December 2009 in St.
Kitts, and from January to March in 2010 on Nevis. It
was carried out with a view to train teachers how to
administer, grade and interpret the MICO Diagnostic
Reading Test, thus developing their ability to assess
students of different reading levels, then to identify
and address those with difficulties.
Project Coordinator Eleanor Phillip explained that the
course not only trained teachers, but also ascertained
the present reading levels of students in grades 1 to
6 and evaluated early intervention programs.
"Part of the objective was to analyze reading errors
so as to pinpoint the areas of focus for future training
and to have available empirical data for future research,"
she said.
Phillip noted that in St. Kitts and Nevis more than
4500 students had their reading skills assessed and
a large majority were reading above their grade level.
"Of the pupils in St. Kitts 3342 were tested and
1216 were assessed in Nevis. Statistics revealed that
80 percent of pupils in St. Kitts were reading at and
above their grade level and 89% in Nevis."
Results for St. Kitts were that in grade one, 63% could
read at and above their grade level; grade two - 80%;
grade three - 86%; grade four - 83%; grade 5 - 83%;
and grade six - 83%.
On Nevis, in grade one, 94% read at and above their
grade level; grade 2 - 90%; grade three - 85%; grade
four- 90%; grade five - 87%; and grade six - 89%.
Phillip informed that in grade one in St. Kitts, it
was revealed that there were students reading far beyond
their grade level, as high as the grade 6 level in some
cases.
"Tests also showed that about 600 students are
reading at the grade 8 level (2nd form at high school)
in St. Kitts and 34 of them are in grades 2 and 3. In
Nevis there are 265 students reading at the grade 8
level and 28 of them are in grades 2 and 3.
Statistics show that 152 or 4.5% of the students assessed
in St. Kitts were recorded at the phonics level, which
means they were unable to read anything and most were
in grade 1. In Nevis, the number of students unable
to read anything was 13 or 1.2% of those assessed."
Students reading below grade level exhibited three main
areas of weakness - phonics, reading fluency, and reading
comprehension - and as part of the analysis recommendations
were made as to how teachers could strengthen the pupils'
reading skills.
"The data also identified particular schools and
grades where much attention should be focused, especially
the kindergarten and grade one levels," said Phillip
She informed that three early intervention programs
were implemented in public schools on both islands -
phonics, dyslexia and reading recovery. Through the
programs about 70 % of students went from level 0 to
being able to read at their appropriate grade levels,
and a smaller percentage could read above their grade
level.
It was recommended that teachers conduct regular assessments
of students' reading and use the educational and resource
materials provided through the project to improve weak
areas. Another recommendation arising from the course
was for teachers to take extra time with weaker readers.
OAS St. Kitts-Nevis Director Starret Greene said there
was a sense of satisfaction in that the OAS had stepped
in at a critical moment and given assistance to a project
that supported an important policy subscription contained
in the Education White Paper.
"The White Paper speaks to the fact that reading
is the basis for all subjects across the board and it
sets a goal of achieving a 95% reading competency by
2014 for children transferring from every grade level
in primary schools in the Federation. The idea of formulation
a reading assessment project emerged from a series of
discussions among education professionals, particularly
within the CDU. I wish to applaud the visionaries of
this project for its conception and implementation.
It is especially heartening to see that this project
spans both islands and the OAS is pleased with this
outreach as it fosters collective development,"
he said. The OAS provided the US$46,835 needed to execute
the project.
Minister of Education and Information Hon. Nigel Carty
thanked Greene and the OAS for the financial and technical
support in such an important undertaking. He also underscored
the importance of reading to the education of children
and overall advancement of society. |
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