The Forgotten Rural Reader: A Review of Literacy Intervention Research in Rural Elementary Schools

• In Event: 51.079 - MTCC Roundtable Session 22
  In Roundtable Session: 51.079-6 - Teaching, Leading, and Learning in Rural Schools

Abstract

A child who grows up in a rural area is more likely to grow up in poverty, which also results in an increased likelihood of being a struggling reader. Thus, rural readers are currently performing below the national average. Reading intervention practices are often used in hopes of increasing achievement. Comparing the effectiveness of interventions in rural schools, though, is surprisingly difficult. Additionally, interventions that have been tested in rural schools do not address the unique challenges these schools face. A recommended greater focus on the characteristics of rural contexts, and a more concerted effort to publish data necessary for comparisons, can help researchers begin to unravel just how rural readers can catch up to their urban and suburban peers.

Author

• Matthew Hurt, University of Maryland - College Park