SKrashen:
A bad solution to a non-existent problem
Sent to the New York Times, Feb. 14, 2014"The common core in New York" (Feb. 14) neglects to say that:The standards are untested. There were no pilot studies. They come with a substantial increase in testing; research has indicated that increasing testing does not mean greater achievement.The new tests will cost a fortune because they must be delivered online. This requires internet acc
FEB 12
Why Invest in Libraries
WHY INVEST IN LIBRARIESStephen KrashenPresentation at LAUSD Board of Education meeting, Febuary 11, 2014To discuss libraries, several important results from educational research will be of use.POVERTY COUNTSThe impact of poverty on educational achievement has been documented again and again. Poverty means, among other things, inadequate diet, lack of health care, and lack of access to books. Eac
California's public libraries do poorly in national rankings. LA is 69th out of 77 cities.
California cities captured six of the bottom ten places in the public library category of the most recent "America's Most Literate Cities report" (2013). Los Angeles public libraries ranked 69thout of 77.The report analyzes data from 77 cities with populations of 250,000 and above. The bottom ten: 68. Anaheim, CA69. Los Angeles, CA70. Anchorage, AK71. Bakersfield, CA72. Sacramento, CA
FEB 08
No child left without basic resources
Published in the Washington Post, Feb. 7. 2014 Before we worry about no child left unconnected to the Internet [“Broadband in schools gets FCC push,” news, Feb. 3], how about no child left unfed, no child without adequate health care and no child without easy access to a good library? The rate of child poverty in the United States is 23 percent, the second-highest of all economically advanced co
FEB 07
The Star Method: A Brilliant, No-Cost, Idea
Letter Published in the School Library Journal, 2010. LaDuska Adriance's idea of students putting a star in the inside corner of library books they like might be one of the great ideas of the century: Simple, no-cost, with the potential of substantially increasing interest in reading by creating a community of readers, what Frank Smith calls a "literacy club." I hope others try the Star