Saturday, April 26, 2014

Stephen Krashen Blog 4-26-14

SKrashen:



Incentives for Reading Aloud to Children?
Published in the School Library Journal, 2014.Introduction by the editors of the School Library Journal: In School Library Journal‘s January 2014 print issue, Suffolk Cooperative Library System’s youth services coordinator Lisa G. Kropp wrote the article “Vivacious Vocabulary” about how in the interest of building students into critical thinkers and strong readers, libraries are embracing the “1,0

‘Bribes’ for Read-Alouds?
Published in the School Library Journal, 2014. Introduction by the editors of the School Library Journal:  In School Library Journal‘s January 2014 print issue, Suffolk Cooperative Library System’s youth services coordinator Lisa G. Kropp wrote the article “Vivacious Vocabulary” about how in the interest of building students into critical thinkers and strong readers, libraries are embracing the “1

APR 24

Expert Opinion on the Common Core
Re:  Common Core demonized as Obamacare: Our View (April 23, 2014)USA Today does not mention the real opposition to the common core, criticisms from professional educators and scholars. The common core does not deal with the real reason for unspectacular performance by American students. The US has the second highest level of child poverty among all 34 economically advanced countries (now over 23%
Most Biased Poll Ever
The AP reported that according to a recent poll, 7 out of 10 Californians support the common core.  Those who took the poll first read a description of the common core: “The Common Core State Standards are a single set of K–12 English language arts and math standards that most states, including California, have voluntarily adopted. The state leaders who developed the standards say they are desig

APR 22

The brave new technology
Sent to the Wall Street Journal, April 22, 2014I do not share the enthusiasm about new digital technology in education ("Founding principles in the digital age," April 22). There is no evidence that the brave new online tests that promise "real time testing" will be any better than those we have now. In fact, we have not even seen them in action: According to Fair Test (fairtes

APR 11

A weapon of mass distraction
Sent to the New York Times, April 11, 2014Yes, there's a big problem with the tests ("We need to talk about the tests," April 10). but there's a bigger problem: The whole idea of the common core. Accurately described by Susan Ohanian as  “a radical untried curriculum overhaul and ... nonstop national testing," the common core is an outrageous scheme with no justification and no empi