Discouraging reading scores and a K-3 statewide policy to improve Alaska’s scores is one of the hot topics in Juneau these days. Governor Mike Dunleavy and Senator Tom Begich have joined forces in a nonpartisan goal to put the state on track. Alaska students need to improve reading capacity. It’s a lifelong skill that opens doors to all other portals of information. Without it, citizens suffer.
The legislation, the Alaska Reads Act, is still in the works. Links below will take you to news coverage on the initiative, and details on its recent first hearing in Juneau on Jan. 23.
While the give and take on policy discussions proceed, parents are left with the question: What can they do, now? In this segment of Hometown Alaska, we’ve invited a reading expert, the public library’s youth services coordinator, and a community activist who aims to open a reading lab.
Here is a sample of the kind of information you can find in our links list below:
We’ll offer a bit of background on the national debate over the best way to teach reading, and our experts will offer resources and advice that might help now.
Your questions and comments are always welcome. Join us!
HOST: Kathleen McCoy
GUESTS:
- Elizabeth Nicolai, Anchorage Public Library youth services coordinator
- Posie Boggs, reading specialist
- Jaquisa Oliver, NAACP member working for a community reading lab
LINKS:
- Ready to Read Alaska, kits to borrow website
- Get ready to read, home literacy environment checklist, 2-pg PDF
- Get ready to read, website (includes Transitioning to Kindergarten toolkit)
- 30 Million Words, for parents & caregivers, University of Chicago website
- More on thirty million words, article
- Every child ready to read, website
- Alaska Reads Act: What and Why?, 1-pg downloadable PDF from gov.ak.gov
- Governor proposes new education initiative, The Frontiersman, 1.15.2020
- Capitol Live: Alaska Reads Act gets its first hearing, Juneau Empire, 1.23.2020
- Emily Hanford, American Public Media education reporter. This webpage includes documentary “At a loss for words: What’s wrong with how schools teach reading?” and additional coverage prompted by the documentary.
- How to close Alaska’s literacy gap with other states, Anchorage Daily News commentary, 10.31.2015
- Mindplay, website
- Nessy, help for children with dyslexia, website
- Kids These Days – Summer Reads!, former parenting radio program, archive of their program on reading, featuring two Loussac librarians, 2011.
- Hot Topic: Elementary reading in ASD, by Dr. Deena Bishop, superintendent
PARTICIPATE:
- Call 550-8433 (Anchorage) or 1-888-353-5752 (statewide) during the live broadcast (2:00 – 3:00pm)
- Send e-mail to hometown@alaskapublic.org before, during or after the live broadcast (e-mails may be read on air)
- Post your comment or question below (comments may be read on air
- LIVE: Monday, February 3, 2020 at 2:00 p.m
- RE-AIR: Monday, February 3, 2020 at 8:00 p.m.
