Best Practices
Second Shot is designed around research from the areas of at-risk learners, English as a Second Language, and adolescent literacy. More importantly, it is constantly being tested and refined in the classroom.
Giving Frustrated Teens A Second Shot At Success in School... And Life
A High School Reading Intervention
Second Shot was developed in classrooms to meet the individual needs of frustrated high school readers who have given up on reading as a pleasurable and powerful activity. Second Shot recognizes that the affective needs of low-skill readers are just as important as their academic needs. In fact, no learning is possible for teens who have years of experience telling them that reading is hard, boring and not worth the effort. Second Shot uses specific strategies and relationship skills to turn around the negative beliefs, attitudes and habits of the struggling reader.
The Granger High School Story
Created in 1996, Second Shot has spread mostly in the Central Washington State region from the Canadian border to Oregon through the efforts of Bill Roulston. In 2001, he became a classroom teacher at Granger High School in order to create a model Second Shot program that would serve as an exemplar for other schools. In the last three years, Granger High School has gone from having the lowest scores in the Yakima Valley on the Washington Assessment of Student Learning to being named the Model High School for Washington State in 2004 and again in 2006. Although many other reforms have been implemented to make this possible, Second Shot has been credited, along with increased parental involvement, as being the key difference. Now a consultant and documentary producer in New York, Bill is still working with Richard Esparza, the former principal of Granger, who is currently a consultant with a number of districts around the nation.
For More Information
To discuss Second Shot Reading, decide whether it's right for your school, and the process of implementing it in your school, email Bill Roulston at br (at) secondshotreading (dot) org
To discuss the comprehensive Granger High School model, email the principal, Richard Esparza at rche-r [at] hotmail *dot* com.