The development of reading skills is one of the most important goals of education, and Dr. Stephen Krashen of the University of Southern California is one of the foremost experts on this subject in the world. This podcast is a recording of Dr. Krashen’s third presentation at the 2006 Encyclo-Media Conference, hosted by the Oklahoma Department of Education on 31 August and 1 September 2006 in Oklahoma City. Dr. Krashen addressed a wide range of issues and questions relating to reading development, focusing on the importance of students having access to text along with safe, comfortable environments where they can spend time reading and getting lost in books. From the value of Accelerated Reader testing and reward programs, to comic books, to the current politically-charged literacy debates in the United States over the fabricated “crisis in literacy,” Dr. Krashen cited the relevant research studies and distilled the academic findings for each issue into practical recommendations for teachers, librarians, parents, administrators and politicians. Students need to read more, and we need to do more to provide them with access to texts. He concludes that we need to focus less on testing in the United States. Based on research indicating dollars spent on computer technology have had little impact on student learning and student achievement, we should spend less on technology and more on books for libraries as well as salaries for credentialed librarians and library assistants who can free librarians to do their vital work: Helping readers connect with texts which engage them and thereby transform their personal learning landscapes forever.
(Click here to listen to this podcast) – via Internet Archive
Program Length: 1 hr, 0 min, 47 sec
File size: 14.6 MB
Show notes for this podcast include:
- This audio podcast is directly available on Archive.org
- Website of Stephen D Krashen
- The Power of Reading by Stephen Krashen
- Every Person a Reader by Stephen Krashen
- Writing, Research, Theory and Applications by Stephen Krashen
- Jim Trelease on Reading
- The Literacy Crisis: False Claims, Real Solutions by Jeff McQuillan
- FairTest: The National Center for Fair & Open Testing
- Susan Ohanian Speaks Out
- What Happened to Recess and Why Are Our Children Struggling in Kindergarten? by Susan Ohanian
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Comments
7 responses to “Podcast80: Encouraging Reading by Stephen Krashen”
Krashen is fantastic. I couldn’t deny what he said is untrue. Actually, everybody has to notice that when you read, you write better. Unfortunately, here in brazil, the students from Public School don’t have access the books or they are not stimulated to read by pleasure. Every teacher should read The Power of Reading by Stephen Krashen. I am doing my job. And you?
Dr. Krashen’s presentation was very engaging. I think we’ll continue to hear the call for less technology and more books as long as we continue to use computers in the classroom as if it were still mid-20th century. A report from the eMints project showed a connection between the use of technology and student achievement, but only when the teachers changed their instructional strategies – what does that tell us?
I hope so, Josivaldo! I just ordered “The Power of Reading” last night and look forward to hearing more of Dr Krashen’s ideas. I’m wondering if students in Brazil get laptops as part of the OLPC (laptop.org) project, will that result in greater reading and engagement? I suspect it would.
The ‘Krashen Podcast’ is excellent. Please let me know if you obtain any others with him. I was educated by his Protégée (Dr. Constantino) at Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education.
River Powell, MA
river.c.powell@pepperdine.edu