Study: Reading key to college success
"In the United States, reading is largely treated as an elementary school subject, with diminishing focus in later grades. But with each alarming report on college readiness, adolescent literacy is gaining attention."
By Ben Feller, AP Education Writer March 1, 2006
WASHINGTON --The ability to handle complex reading is the major factor separating high school students who are ready for college reading from those who are not, according to a new report.
The study by ACT, a nonprofit company that tests students, found that most states contribute to the lack of college preparedness by not requiring complex reading comprehension in high school. In fact, ACT found that most states don't have any standards at all for high school reading achievement.
"If you're not asking for it, you're not going to get it," said Cynthia Schmeiser, senior vice president for research and development at ACT, formerly known as American College Testing.
In complex reading passages, organization may be elaborate, messages may be implicit, interactions among ideas or characters may be subtle and the vocabulary is demanding and intricate.
The ACT isolated reading complexity as a critical factor by analyzing the results of the 1.2 million high school seniors in 2005 who took the well-known ACT college entrance test. Based on that test, only 51 percent of students showed they were ready to handle the reading requirements of a typical first-year college course.
The literacy of today's high school graduates has become an enormous concern for colleges and employers.
full text of article available here.
By Ben Feller, AP Education Writer March 1, 2006
WASHINGTON --The ability to handle complex reading is the major factor separating high school students who are ready for college reading from those who are not, according to a new report.
The study by ACT, a nonprofit company that tests students, found that most states contribute to the lack of college preparedness by not requiring complex reading comprehension in high school. In fact, ACT found that most states don't have any standards at all for high school reading achievement.
"If you're not asking for it, you're not going to get it," said Cynthia Schmeiser, senior vice president for research and development at ACT, formerly known as American College Testing.
In complex reading passages, organization may be elaborate, messages may be implicit, interactions among ideas or characters may be subtle and the vocabulary is demanding and intricate.
The ACT isolated reading complexity as a critical factor by analyzing the results of the 1.2 million high school seniors in 2005 who took the well-known ACT college entrance test. Based on that test, only 51 percent of students showed they were ready to handle the reading requirements of a typical first-year college course.
The literacy of today's high school graduates has become an enormous concern for colleges and employers.
full text of article available here.
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