The Reading to Learn Process
Scaffolded Reading Strategies: RtL Methodology
The Reading to Learn classroom programme is a set of
carefully designed strategies that enable teachers to integrate reading and writing skills into their normal curriculum teaching, across all year levels and subject areas. Rose’s (2005) RtL methodology is based on a clear understanding of the complexity of the reading process, clearly described in Halliday’s (1996) stratified model of language and illustrated in the diagram
left (Martin and Rose 2005: 257).
This model illustrates that reading and writing are hugely
complex tasks that involve recognising and using patterns of language at three levels:
At the level of text
(discourse) readers must recognise what a text is about and how it is organised, for example, as sequences of events in stories, or as chunks of information in factual texts;
At the level of sentences
(lexicogrammar) readers must recognise how words are arranged in phrases, and what each phrase means, such as, who or what the sentence is about, what they are doing, where and when.
At the level of words,
readers must recognise what each word means and how letters are arranged into patterns that spell the word.
To read with fluency and comprehension, all these patterns must be recognized and interpreted simultaneously. Likewise, to write successfully, writers must have all these language patterns at their disposal.
Given this complexity of the reading process, the six-stage Reading to Learn curriculum cycle simplifies the task and involves learners in working across all three levels in the process of reading and writing a text. This is represented below (Martin and Rose 2005: 263).
The Reading to Learn classroom programme is a set of
carefully designed strategies that enable teachers to integrate reading and writing skills into their normal curriculum teaching, across all year levels and subject areas. Rose’s (2005) RtL methodology is based on a clear understanding of the complexity of the reading process, clearly described in Halliday’s (1996) stratified model of language and illustrated in the diagram
left (Martin and Rose 2005: 257).
This model illustrates that reading and writing are hugely
complex tasks that involve recognising and using patterns of language at three levels:
At the level of text
(discourse) readers must recognise what a text is about and how it is organised, for example, as sequences of events in stories, or as chunks of information in factual texts;
At the level of sentences
(lexicogrammar) readers must recognise how words are arranged in phrases, and what each phrase means, such as, who or what the sentence is about, what they are doing, where and when.
At the level of words,
readers must recognise what each word means and how letters are arranged into patterns that spell the word.
To read with fluency and comprehension, all these patterns must be recognized and interpreted simultaneously. Likewise, to write successfully, writers must have all these language patterns at their disposal.
Given this complexity of the reading process, the six-stage Reading to Learn curriculum cycle simplifies the task and involves learners in working across all three levels in the process of reading and writing a text. This is represented below (Martin and Rose 2005: 263).
Reading to Learn Curriculum Cycle
Differences to other approaches
The differences between the RtL approach and other approaches to reading and writing is that RtL starts at the top with the text (Preparing for Reading) and works down though the sentence to the word (Detailed Reading). Also every reading ends with writing (Preparing for Writing; Joint Construction; and Individual Construction)which is essential to effective reading development. Essentially, by starting at the top, we orient students to the field and how it unfolds through each paragraph of the text, so that the text makes sense as we read it to them. Within this framework we orient students to:
the meaning of each sentence, so that the sentence makes sense as we read it to them;
to the meaning of each word group, so that they read these themselves.
Each of the layers of preparation supports students to recognize and understand each word in each word group, in each sentence, in each text.
Writing then recapitulates this whole process – a text to word return journey.
The differences between the RtL approach and other approaches to reading and writing is that RtL starts at the top with the text (Preparing for Reading) and works down though the sentence to the word (Detailed Reading). Also every reading ends with writing (Preparing for Writing; Joint Construction; and Individual Construction)which is essential to effective reading development. Essentially, by starting at the top, we orient students to the field and how it unfolds through each paragraph of the text, so that the text makes sense as we read it to them. Within this framework we orient students to:
the meaning of each sentence, so that the sentence makes sense as we read it to them;
to the meaning of each word group, so that they read these themselves.
Each of the layers of preparation supports students to recognize and understand each word in each word group, in each sentence, in each text.
Writing then recapitulates this whole process – a text to word return journey.
Evaluations of RtL programmes
RtL has been repeatedly independently evaluated over ten years. For further information on these evaluations go to the Reading to Learn international website: www.readingtolearn.com.au
Key findings in the evaluations include the following:
...the average improvement in reading and writing was 2.5 [National
Literacy Profile] levels...At the same time, teachers have noted a range of
student learning outcomes that are more difficult to measure, like an increased
level of student engagement in their learning. (Australian
Curriculum Studies Association 2000).
…average literacy gains across all schools and classes, and among
students from all backgrounds and ability ranges, was consistently more
than…double the expected rate of literacy development.
Furthermore, 20% of students made gains of…four times the expected rate
of literacy development(Catholic Education Office Melbourne 2006).
The model was seen as superior by practising teachers in relation
to other previous professional development experiences…teachers witnessed a
general improvement level in all students irrespective of reading ability and
literary experience (NSW Board of Studies 2005).
The results of reading and writing assessments show consistent
above average gains for all student cohorts. Crucially, students who started the
year below the standard for their school stage reached an acceptable standard,
while more successful students also accelerated in their reading and writing
development (Association of Independent Schools of Victoria 2009)
Reading to Learn was implemented in 2008 in approximately 90 primary and secondary schools, across most school stages, in four NSW regions.
Teachers assessed the writing of students from the low, mid and top range in their classes. In Stages 1, 2 and 3, students starting at E level accelerated to an average C level. Students who began at D and C levels attained an average B
level, and many students who started in the B range accelerated into A grade ranges.
These results, in the table, were achieved primarily through whole class teaching, using carefully designed classroom strategies to read and write challenging texts in the curriculum
Key findings in the evaluations include the following:
...the average improvement in reading and writing was 2.5 [National
Literacy Profile] levels...At the same time, teachers have noted a range of
student learning outcomes that are more difficult to measure, like an increased
level of student engagement in their learning. (Australian
Curriculum Studies Association 2000).
…average literacy gains across all schools and classes, and among
students from all backgrounds and ability ranges, was consistently more
than…double the expected rate of literacy development.
Furthermore, 20% of students made gains of…four times the expected rate
of literacy development(Catholic Education Office Melbourne 2006).
The model was seen as superior by practising teachers in relation
to other previous professional development experiences…teachers witnessed a
general improvement level in all students irrespective of reading ability and
literary experience (NSW Board of Studies 2005).
The results of reading and writing assessments show consistent
above average gains for all student cohorts. Crucially, students who started the
year below the standard for their school stage reached an acceptable standard,
while more successful students also accelerated in their reading and writing
development (Association of Independent Schools of Victoria 2009)
Reading to Learn was implemented in 2008 in approximately 90 primary and secondary schools, across most school stages, in four NSW regions.
Teachers assessed the writing of students from the low, mid and top range in their classes. In Stages 1, 2 and 3, students starting at E level accelerated to an average C level. Students who began at D and C levels attained an average B
level, and many students who started in the B range accelerated into A grade ranges.
These results, in the table, were achieved primarily through whole class teaching, using carefully designed classroom strategies to read and write challenging texts in the curriculum
