Pioneer Press Sat, 15 Mar 2008 21:17:02 -0600
Moving around improves kids' literacy scores
Farmington students never knew reading books and solving math problems could leave them huffing and puffing. But exercising between multiplication drills also leads to improved test scores. Educators in the district believe programs that incorporate students throwing basketballs and running across the gym bump up scores on heavily tested subjects like reading and math. At Farmington Middle School East, staff members this year have implemented the "Literacy Education in the Active Domain" to help students who struggle with reading. The LEAD program models a district study last year that showed students' reading scores improved significantly after they completed physical activities. "I think this is the new frontier for physical education and academics," said Jack Olwell, a North Trail Elementary PE teacher who conducted the study. "The two areas have not been connected like this before." The school is using similar methods to work with students lagging in math. Schools across the nation face scrutiny each year on high-stakes reading and math tests under the federal No Child Left Behind law. Under the legislation, states set their own benchmarks for proficiency in the two subjects, and schools that fall short are tagged as not making "adequate yearly progress."
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