K-12 Teaching Methods Linked to College-Level Reading and Writing Challenges
High-stakes testing and the pandemic have left students struggling with essential academic skills.
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College students excelling in high school suddenly found themselves unprepared for college-level essays and readings. This is due to K-12 education focusing on standardized tests instead of advancing in topics that could help shape skills she would apply in college.
Schools often sacrifice meaningful learning for the sake of short-term test performance to secure funding and impress donors. High-stakes testing shaped what was taught and how. For example, untested subjects like history were de-emphasized, and even tested topics like algebra were narrowly taught to improve scores.
K-12 and COVID-19 Pandemic's Effect on College Skills
Chronicle shared that this leaves students underprepared for the challenges of higher education with the COVID-19 pandemic complicating their academic journey. The transition to emergency online learning meant that teachers focused on helping students pass their classes with leniency. This adjustment created expectations for flexibility and detailed guidance, which professors in college often do not provide.
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Many students now struggle with independent learning, reading comprehension, and completing assignments without step-by-step instructions or rubrics.
Policies such as No Child Left Behind focused on test results; tools such as apps and digital resources changed the nature of how students interact with learning. University Herald reported that these shifts also contributed to the decline in reading for pleasure, an activity important for building vocabulary, critical thinking, and comprehension skills. This, in addition to the rise of social media and changing leisure habits, further pushed students away from reading deeply.
Ultimately, this illustrates the unforeseen impact of test-driven education. What was originally designed to be an instrument for accountability and equity has, in reality, created a generation of students conditioned to believe that performance is more important than process. This can only be resolved by changing teaching approaches toward long-term learning and independence, while also equipping the student with academic and practical challenges.
