Improving Reading Instruction For Children

The future of literacy in America is playing ingraduating from what would be the United States
sandboxes across the country. We often debateequivalent of high school go on to earn four year
over what is the best way to teach children howdegrees. Students who do not make the grade,
to read. The answer is simple, watch the childrenby the time they are 12, are enrolled in technical
and pay the teachers. Luxembourg boasts acourses.
100% literacy rate and pays their teachers moreIn Luxembourg, children are actively engaged in
than any other country in the world. There is noreading books. They read, discuss, write, role play,
question in my mind that there is an undeniableor do other activities. Every lesson includes
link between the two. You get what you pay for.language experiences in listening, speaking, reading,
Over fifty years ago John F. Kennedy lamented,and writing. In addition, because of the great
"Plumbers, plasterers and steamfitters are paidnumber of foreign immigrants to the country,
more for improving our homes than we payteachers are relying more than ever on a
teachers for improving the minds of our children."language experience approach, building lessons
This remains true today. The United States ranksaround the children's interests. In other words,
number 19 in overall literacy throughout the world.their children are actively engaged in their own
Look around your neighborhood or your houseeducation.
and observe the things that those educated in theIn the United States, the majority of our public
US have created. In my shower I have shampooschools use core reading programs, better known
and conditioner. They are both the same brand.as the "one size fits all approach." Core reading
They look exactly alike except for the little wordsprograms are much easier for our underpaid,
in black at the bottom which say "shampoo" orundereducated teachers to navigate through.
"conditioner". This means that each time I need toThose that make educational decisions in the
use one or the other I have a fifty-fifty chanceUnited States are unintentionally cheating our
of choosing the right bottle! How did this projectchildren because they, too, apparently have not
ever make it onto store shelves without somebeen educated well enough to recognize a
brilliant marketing executive picking up on thatmarketing flaw when they see one either. A
flaw? Why is it, in the recent recall by Toyota, formarketer's main objective is for the consumer to
sticky gas pedals, that all were recalled exceptbuy their product. They {the marketers}
those made in Japan?apparently don't care if it only has a fifty-fifty
Children start school at the age of four inchance of working.
Luxembourg. This is mandatory. They attend aLuxembourg has clearly studied how their young
two year pre-elementary program. At the age ofchildren learn best. In addition, they pay their
six these children begin their primary educationteachers more than any other country in the
provided they are ready to proceed. They areworld. It is just that simple, careful observation of
also taught two other foreign languages at ageschildren and higher pay for teachers, equals a
six and seven. In almost all cases students100% literacy rate.