Short Assign 2

In Read Naturally, Scientific Research, and Reading First, Davidson begins by explaining the No Child Left Behind Act, which is an education bill that was passed in 2002. This act is attempting to improve reading skills of students in grades K through 3. This article discusses how reading and fluency can effect a child, and how, scientifically, we can change that outcome. This blog seems to be a citizen’s explanatory genre because it is explaining a concept that is important but has not been reported on very much. Other than the fact that this concept of improving reading skills in children is being explained, Davidson gives research to back up her beliefs and ideas. “Blogs provide a means of publishing and distributing that is cheap and simple enough for everyone with access to the internet to use directly, whether from home, school, the library or even a mobile phone” (Rettberg 91). With this type of publication, anyone can access this article to further his or her knowledge of the subject. I believe that although this article was published on “White Paper,” it is scientifically sound and can be used to increase reading comprehension in students.

In this article, Davidson states that, “The National Reading Panel report identifies the essential elements of reading instruction: alphabetics, fluency and comprehension” (Davidson 3). By starting out with these facts, Davidson is giving the reader the overall information of the subject. She also states, “The National Reading Panel defines reading fluency as “the immediate result of word recognition proficiency” (Davidson 4). The article then goes on to say, “While fluency includes automatic word recognition, the ability to read words rapidly is not enough. Readers also need to be able to read with expression, chunking words into phrases and using pauses appropriately” (Davidson 4).

These small facts and examples give the author credibility. I don’t believe that it matters whether this author is a journalist or not because the facts are given and the ethos is presented. “You don’t need a particular degree or license to call yourself a journalist as you would to call yourself a doctor or a psychologist” (Rettberg 94). This article is explanatory because other than stating the facts, it gives ways to achieve these goals. Davidson gives the step-by-step process of the READ NATURALLY procedure. “In the last step, the student retells the story either orally or by writing sentences. Students must either include a certain number of ideas or write for a certain length of time” (Davidson 7).

           This article, to me, would be considered citizen’s genre because a person who is concerned with this subject published it. This article did not come from a journal or newspaper, but from this “White Paper” site. Davidson is giving examples of how this can be achieved and what the outcome would be. The way the article is ended justifies all that I said in this assignment, “READ NATURALLY can provide the tools to move the reader stalled at a slow word-by-word reading stage into comfortable fluent reading where attention can be focused on meaning. After all, the goal of reading is to gain meaning from what is read. Thus, READ NATURALLY can be a critical bridge to meaning and ultimately, to reading success” (Davidson 11).