[MOSAIC] ELA time being cut at my school

[Diana Triplett]

>From: "Barbara Punchak" <bpunchak at verizon.net>
>Pat,
>There's also a "buzz in the air" here in my Florida district that VERY SOON
>students will have only LA in middle school.  Teaching reading will be a
>'thing of the past,' much like it is in high school.  Yes, high schoolers
>read literature---but they aren't "taught" reading.  They're supposed to
>"know how" to read.  *Duh* Of course, we find this very bizarre, not only
>since we know there are kids with reading deficits sitting in every high
>school in the district, but schools that show improvement in reading 
>receive
>huge state dollar amounts.  We are doing a huge disservice to our kids and
>our profession by eliminating reading from the course list.

I find this very interesting since the Middle Grades Reform Act which was 
passed in FL 3 years ago REQUIRES intensive reading classes for students who 
score level 1 or 2 on the FCAT.  For most FL middle schools, that would be 
close to 1/2 of the student body.

My own middle school in Central Florida requires reading as a core course 
for all students in grades 6-8.  This year we scheduled reading and language 
arts classes back-to-back with the same teacher to allow for 90 minutes of 
integrated instruction in both subjects.

Diana

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