New focus on reading, writing

The discussion that followed, directed by teacher Ken Mills, exploring intercepts, slopes, and variables might cramp the minds of many readers who are happily years removed from algebra.

But then, about halfway through the 40-minute morning period at Woburn’s Daniel L. Joyce Middle School, the class moved away from the algebraic dialect and began conversing in plain English.

Jotting notes in columns, the students explicitly outlined every step required to solve the equation.

This new system of note-taking, introduced in January, is part of a comprehensive effort across the state to improve literacy among older students — and not just in English class.

There’s a wide-sweeping perception that only “English teachers teach literacy,’’ noted Gary Reese, assistant superintendent for curriculum in the Woburn school district. But, he stressed, “Kids also need to know how to read in science and social studies and math.’’

It’s a startling statistic: Two-thirds of all eighth- and 12th-graders aren’t proficient readers, according to the Alliance for Excellent Education. Similarly, only slightly more than half of high school graduates who took the ACT college-preparation test last year were ready for college-level reading.

This has spurred a radical change in how schools across the region teach reading and writing.

Contrary to the past, when the expectation was that students would be proficient readers midway through elementary school and no longer need separate lessons, these days literacy is strategically being woven through all subjects in all grades. Meanwhile, students who don’t meet reading standards for their age are receiving a more targeted intervention.

It’s a shift boosted by the state and federal governments. In December, Massachusetts announced $3.3 million in grants for reading and writing programs in kindergarten through Grade 12 in more than 100 school districts.

And Congress is considering the LEARN Act (standing for Literacy Education for All, Results for the Nation), which would set aside $2.35 billion for reading and writing programs across all grades and disciplines.

“Generally, the public has believed that once you exit elementary school, you know how to read,’’ said Eric Juli, director of secondary curriculum for the Lawrence school system, which received $90,000 from the state for its initiatives.

But “all of us evolve as readers,’’ he said. “We have to learn how to use what we read, how to synthesize, how to analyze, how to connect what we’re reading to real life.’’

In many districts, the focus is, “How can teachers utilize writing in a foreign language class, in an art class, in a math class?’’ explained Telena Imel, curriculum director for Amesbury’s public schools.

Here’s one way it’s being done: Students convert math into everyday English, breaking equations down into manageable parts, then translating standard English back into math problems, as in the Woburn algebra class.

Educators are also hoping to see fewer students fall behind.

Chelsea, for instance, categorizes students who need a little extra help (usually comprising 30 additional minutes of instruction), or a lot of extra help (encompassing individualized tutoring and after-school programs), according to Mary Bourque, the school district’s deputy superintendent for curriculum, instruction, and assessment.

Below-level readers in Lawrence, meanwhile, use Scholastic READ 180, which intermingles reading with Internet content, according to Juli. Those who are further struggling — usually new immigrants or students with learning disabilities — use Scholastic System 44, which coaches them on English’s 44 sounds and 26 letters.

The district is also trying to instill an overall passion in reading by introducing more contemporary books with adolescent or ethnic characters.

In the end, such initiatives are crucial, according to Joan Sedita, founder of a Danvers-based teacher training program, Keys to Literacy.

After fourth grade, students are no longer learning to read, they’re reading to learn, she said. But if they aren’t reading at their grade level they can’t keep up, and the problem spirals. She pointed out that many dropouts are highly lacking in reading and writing skills.