Joanna Weiss
The answer: Zero in on reading
The Boston Globe
August 30, 2011
http://archive.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2011/08/30/the_answer_zero_in_on_reading/
The importance of reading is highlighted in Joanna Weiss’s article, “The answer: Zero in on reading.” She begins with an appeal to pathos as she describes the stress that parents face when school starts. Some parents worry that their children are being overworked and do not have enough free time, while others fear that their children are receiving a good education. The author includes this achievement gap to display the urgency for a different way to test other than standardized testing. The solution is a reading proficiency test by third grade. Weiss backs her claim with ample evidence, including her appeal to logos. A person’s reading skill level by third grade affects the decisions a person makes long term. For example, Weiss states, “inadequate third-grade reading skills are linked to behavior troubles, depression, high dropout rates, teen pregnancy, and crime.” She appeals to logos as she includes the percentages of third-graders who are proficient in reading in Massachusetts. In addition to the achievement gap, Weiss claims that colleges and universities are not focused on reading enough. She appeals to ethos by using quotes from Margaret Blood and Kelly Kulsrud from Strategies for Children, to support the idea that reading should be taught more in-depth. Weiss maintains a formal, informing, yet persuasive tone that stresses the urgency of the situation and encourages others to get involved in righting education.
http://archive.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2011/08/30/the_answer_zero_in_on_reading/
The importance of reading is highlighted in Joanna Weiss’s article, “The answer: Zero in on reading.” She begins with an appeal to pathos as she describes the stress that parents face when school starts. Some parents worry that their children are being overworked and do not have enough free time, while others fear that their children are receiving a good education. The author includes this achievement gap to display the urgency for a different way to test other than standardized testing. The solution is a reading proficiency test by third grade. Weiss backs her claim with ample evidence, including her appeal to logos. A person’s reading skill level by third grade affects the decisions a person makes long term. For example, Weiss states, “inadequate third-grade reading skills are linked to behavior troubles, depression, high dropout rates, teen pregnancy, and crime.” She appeals to logos as she includes the percentages of third-graders who are proficient in reading in Massachusetts. In addition to the achievement gap, Weiss claims that colleges and universities are not focused on reading enough. She appeals to ethos by using quotes from Margaret Blood and Kelly Kulsrud from Strategies for Children, to support the idea that reading should be taught more in-depth. Weiss maintains a formal, informing, yet persuasive tone that stresses the urgency of the situation and encourages others to get involved in righting education.
I agree with Weiss, as reading is a crucial way to better educate children. I was an avid reader in middle school, learning new vocabulary, symbolism, and the styles of many different authors. Reading has most certainly made me a more intelligent, well-rounded individual. Standardized testing should not be a determining factor of one's intelligence, as it evaluates one's ability to test under pressure. Reading tests comprehension. Weiss appears to rely heavily on facts, appealing mostly to logos and also presenting an instructive tone.
ReplyDeleteComment for the author: If the new proficiency reading test is instituted, will this eventually eliminate standardized testing such as the SAT? If so, how will these scores compare to current SAT scores? Finally, what exactly is the testing and how does it predict a person's likelihood to commit crimes?
ReplyDelete