DATE: Friday, March 21, 1997                TAG: 9703200148

SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON   PAGE: 04   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY BARBARA J. WOERNER, CORRESPONDENT 

                                            LENGTH:  101 lines

COMMUNICATIONS SKILLS TEACHERS HELP STUDENTS UPGRADE THREE RS

Deena Smith, communication skills teacher at Salem High School, admits to playing ``devil's advocate'' when it comes to sparking interest within the confines of a classroom lesson.

``It's a personal victory when a student can no longer keep his head down because he has become so interested in the classroom interaction around him,'' she said.

Although her job description as a communication skills teacher requires her to help upgrade reading, writing and math skills of students who have scored in the bottom quartile nationally on standardized tests, she helps all students regardless of test scores. Often, she is sought out by teachers who have simply run out of ideas or patience in dealing with a class.

``Sometimes it takes more than one teacher to meet the needs of students,'' said Smith as she negotiated the hallways at Salem High School headed for Nancy Kuba's 11th-grade English class one day recently. ``I see myself as an extra pair of hands.''

The citywide program, found in all middle and high schools, targets students who have problems with reading and writing skills.

``The performance of the low scorers are not necessarily in the bottom quarter within their particular grade,'' explained Smith. ``They may even be in honors English classes.''

Smith helped implement some changes in Kuba's English class. Kuba, also an advanced-placement English teacher at Salem, said that she was ready to do something different with one of her English classes.

``I simply model different teaching strategies and sometimes that is accomplished through team teaching,'' Smith said.

Inside Kuba's class, students worked together in groups of five going over ``A Raisin In the Sun'' by Lorraine Hansbury. Each student in the group was responsible for one of the five main characters in the play. In order to draw the students into the play, Smith prepared an anticipation guide she gave them before they started reading. It listed 15 statements students could either agree with or disagree with, but they had to defend their answers.

``The anticipation statement drew them in before they started with `A Raisin In the Sun,' '' she said. ``This exercise helped them in bringing some meaning into what they were reading.''

Many of Kuba's students liked the change in the classroom format.

``I like working at my own pace - this is easier than to try to keep up with all the faster readers,'' said junior James Schroeder.

``I can understand all this better when others say it,'' Jason Ruland said. ``Sometimes I was so bored that I fell asleep.''

Kuba said she liked the way the class was going.

``A lot of students that used to sleep are now participating in a group,'' she said. ``I'm going to try this kind of approach with other things.''

At First Colonial High school, the approach to the communication skills program comes in the form of an oblong-shaped room that is affectionately dubbed, the shoebox.

``We call it that because it basically fits everybody,'' said Sharon Gray, the communication skills teacher there. ``Students can come here and get academic support and help in any subject.''

The room is centrally located near the cafeteria. A hall pass is not required to get there and it is open and staffed by Gray throughout all the lunch bells.

``It's not convenient for kids to stay after school so we give makeup tests here and offer tutoring or help in any subject,'' she said. ``When they come in here, they feel relaxed and in control.''

Gray also team teaches and helps implement strategies for teachers, all in the interest of reaching the students who scored low on the standardized tests. She and Smith both agree that by helping a wide variety of students and assisting teachers, they are helping the targeted students.

``If you can teach skills within the confines of a class then you are not separating them from the other learning skills,'' she added.

Gray said that catering to the academic needs of all students helps those targeted as low scorers avoid labels.

``The broader focus makes it easier for them to either come here or to help them within the classroom,'' she said. ``If I can share an idea with a fellow teacher that works, I can reach 150 kids.''

William Johnson III, a senior at First Colonial, admitted that he was having trouble with more than one of his classes. As he sat typing a paper at a computer keyboard, he said, ``Mrs. Gray has really helped me. The things that I don't understand, I ask her about.'' A communications skills teacher needs problem-solving ability and flexibility for implementing teaching strategies, to train teachers, tutor and oversee peer tutoring, administer literacy passport tests, design individual literacy development plans for all students who fail the literacy passport test and maintain a data base of the targeted at-risk students.

Both Smith and Gray said that they like the variety of it all.

``I really can't tell you what I'll be doing two weeks from now,'' said Smith. ``The teachers here are very receptive and I enjoy working with them and the students.''

Gray said, ``I never know what my day will be like before I walk in the door here. I see myself as someone who facilitates learning for students and effective strategies for teachers.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by BARBARA WOERNER

Deena Smith, communication skills teacher at Salem High School,

checks on students Shane Graser, left, and Thomas Paulo.

Sharon Gray, the communication skills teacher at First Colonial,

helps freshman Paola Castro work on an assignment in the skills

room, nicknamed ``the shoebox.'' ``We call it that because it

basically fits everybody,'' said Gray. ``Students can come here and

get academic support and help in any subject.''

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