"A child's learning is the function more of the characteristics of his classmates than those of the teacher." James Coleman, 1972

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Vancouver Sun gives me too much credit

Credit where credit is due.

I am quoted in “Raise a Reader” (Vancouver Sun, Sept 17) as follows:
“University of Southern California linguist, professor emeritus and literacy activist Stephen Krashen said … research suggests that a single “home run” book or series can create a voluntary reader.
A study done by Krashen involving 214 fourth graders from three Los Angeles elementary schools found that over half of the students could identify the particular book that first interested them in reading.”

Jim Trelease, the author of the Read Aloud Handbook, came up with the idea of the “home run book,” the idea that a single reading experience can create a lifetime reader.

I am given credit for research confirming that the home run idea is right, but I was not the primary researcher in any of the studies. Most of the credit should go to Jiyoung Kim, Debra Von Sprecken and Joanne Ujiie. Here are the studies (all three are available at http://www.sdkrashen.com/index.php?cat=2).

Von Sprecken, D., Kim, J. and Krashen, S. 2000. The home run book: Can one positive reading experience create a reader? California School Library Journal 23 (2): 8-9.
Kim, J. and Krashen, S. 2000. Another home run. California English 6(2): 25.
Ujiie, J. and Krashen, S. 2002. Home run books and reading enjoyment. Knowledge Quest 31(1): 36-37.

Original article: http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Raise+reader+Popular+teen+books+develop+lifelong+passion+prose/7256386/story.html#ixzz26nQ1Qei0

No comments:

Post a Comment