Reading in “Purgatory”: Tactical Literacies in a Remedial Reading Class

Abstract

I detail findings from an ethnographic study of a high school remedial reading class, with a particular focus on students’ perceptions of what it means to be literate and how their mandatory enrollment in the course impacted their identities. Compounding students’ experiences was the existence of a high‐stakes reading examination that all students in the district must pass to graduate high school. Findings describe the contrast between school literacies that students learn in class and their own literate practices, which neither youth nor their teacher recognized as literacies, as well as the functioning of the remedial reading class as a sort of “purgatory” that holds and segregates students, the majority of whom are students of color and/or from marginalized socioeconomic backgrounds, for semesters on end. Still, students employed tactical literacies to subvert the teacher’s directives and reclaim their time. These findings suggest that common approaches to remediation may be a cause of youth disinterest in reading and that youth literacies may be leveraged in service of broader literacy goals, although the school must first acknowledge them.

A Meta-Synthesis of Qualitative Research on Reading Intervention Classes in Secondary Schools

“…Despite being placed in RICs, youth rarely described themselves holistically as "bad" readers or writers. Rather, in the 17 (out of 21 total) studies where students talked about themselves in relation to reading, most students articulated a detailed awareness of their own literacy practices and abilities, including the conditions under which they were more or less capable and engaged (Cantrell & Rintamaa, 2020;Cantrell et al, 2017;Frankel, 2016;Gerber et al, 2014;Ginsberg, 2020;Goering & Baker, 2010;Gomez et al, 2004;Greenleaf et al, 2001;Harmon et al, 2016;Learned, 2016;Masterson, 2020;O'Brien et al, 2007;Paterson & Elliott, 2006;Sarroub & Pernicek, 2014;Skerrett, 2012;Wexler et al, 2015;Wissman et al, 2012). For example, a student in Cantrell et al's (2017) study discussed the interconnections between his feelings of self-efficacy as a reader, engagement, and the context of instruction:…”

“…But now, it's important to actually do my work and do the work that I know how to do. (p. 65) One of the students in Masterson's (2020) study provided a similarly nuanced answer to a question about whether she saw herself as a reader, explaining, "No. I mean, yeah, I like to read, but it depends what it is" (p. 15).…”

“…When invited to talk about their literacy histories, particularly those histories related to past literacy instruction, students were similarly reflective. Students within and across 13 studies described their histories with literacy learning in school as variable, and in many cases as distinctly negative (Frankel, 2016;Ginsberg, 2020;Goering & Baker, 2010;Gomez et al, 2004;Greenleaf et al, 2001;Harmon et al, 2016;Houchen, 2013;Masterson, 2020;O'Brien et al, 2007;Sarroub & Pernicek, 2014;Skerrett, 2012;Wexler et al, 2015;Wissman et al, 2012). When students described their disenchantment with previous instruction, a common theme was feeling a lack of agency in their classrooms, which manifested in two ways.…”

“…Complex and variable placement policies and practices, and related assessments, also contributed to how students experienced and perceived their RICs. In the 12 studies in which young people experienced and made reference to placement, they overwhelmingly expressed negative perceptions (Brooks & Rodela, 2018;Frankel, 2016;Ginsberg, 2020;Goering & Baker, 2010;Gomez et al, 2004;Harmon et al, 2016;Houchen, 2013;Learned, 2016;Masterson, 2020;O'Brien et al, 2007;Paterson & Elliott, 2006;Skerrett, 2012). Some students felt confused about unclear assessments and placement criteria and, at times, misunderstood by educators.…”

“…Twenty studies included data about students' experiences of curriculum and instruction in RICs (Bippert, 2019;Cantrell & Rintamaa, 2020;Cantrell et al, 2017;Frankel, 2016;Gerber et al, 2014;Ginsberg, 2020;Goering & Baker, 2010;Gomez et al, 2004;Greenleaf et al, 2001;Harmon et al, 2016;Houchen, 2013;Learned, 2016;Masterson, 2020;O'Brien et al, 2007;Paterson & Elliott, 2006;Patterson et al, 2010;Sarroub & Pernicek, 2014;Skerrett, 2012;Wexler et al, 2015;Wissman et al, 2012). The majority of studies reported on students' highly variable experiences in RICs, with many students responding in different ways, even when using the same program or approach, within the same school, or within the same classroom.…”