OGT News: OGT and other tests move lit classes from fiction to non-fiction
Increased emphasis on the Ohio Graduation Test and proficiency testing in general is shifting the literature curriculum in one Columbus-area school district from fiction to non-fiction.
According to an article in the Columbus Dispatch (and picked up by other newspapers), students in the suburban South-Western School District are required to read magazines, newspapers and short books along with their regular lessons in order to better prepare them not only for the OGT and other tests, but also the kind of reading they will do in life.
It is hoped this change will help students learn to read and comprehend the kind of informational texts found on the OGT's essay portions and carry them into the kind of necessary reading they will do as adults.
Traditional English and literature classes focused on fiction, including "great" works by mostly American and English masters. But now, the emphasis is shifting to more practical reading in the district. Visits to the school library require students to pick up at least one non-fiction piece of reading material.
In the nearby Hilliard School District, students were not paying enough attention
to captions or subtitles that would help them out while taking proficiency tests.
In the Westerville district, teachers are emphasizing reading to the expense of science and social studies. Consequently, these same teachers are learning to rely on non-fiction books to teach about these subjects.
Whether this newfound accent on practical reading will lead to an ignorance of classic literature and an appreciation of great books and stories remains to be seen.
According to an article in the Columbus Dispatch (and picked up by other newspapers), students in the suburban South-Western School District are required to read magazines, newspapers and short books along with their regular lessons in order to better prepare them not only for the OGT and other tests, but also the kind of reading they will do in life.
It is hoped this change will help students learn to read and comprehend the kind of informational texts found on the OGT's essay portions and carry them into the kind of necessary reading they will do as adults.
Traditional English and literature classes focused on fiction, including "great" works by mostly American and English masters. But now, the emphasis is shifting to more practical reading in the district. Visits to the school library require students to pick up at least one non-fiction piece of reading material.
In the nearby Hilliard School District, students were not paying enough attention
to captions or subtitles that would help them out while taking proficiency tests.
In the Westerville district, teachers are emphasizing reading to the expense of science and social studies. Consequently, these same teachers are learning to rely on non-fiction books to teach about these subjects.
Whether this newfound accent on practical reading will lead to an ignorance of classic literature and an appreciation of great books and stories remains to be seen.
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