Helping minorities read better: Problems and promises

Abstract

Abstract Students from ethnic and racial minorities are over‐represented in remedial reading programs. The authors advance the thesis that this over‐representation is based on cultural discontinuity between the home and school rather than on environmental or cognitive deficits. Reading instruction in non‐English languages is discussed, and the use of reading materials and methods based on the students’ cultural background is described. Three exemplary reading programs for minority students are described: The Los Lunas program for students from Pueblo Indian, Hispanic, and white cultures; the Kamehameha program for students from Native Hawaiian (Polynesian) culture; and the Rock Point program for students from the Nava‐jo Indian culture. Finally, a model of a responsive reading teacher is described who meets the needs of minority background students through locally appropriate reading materials.