| A child's (and a person's for that matter) ability to | | | | readiness, and most two-year-olds, for example, |
| read sets the tone for life success. There is no | | | | are not ready to read. At one time, reading was |
| controversy over this statement. We have all | | | | thought to develop naturally, when a child was |
| seen the literacy rate studies where the US falls | | | | "mature" enough, but this is no longer the belief. |
| behind many other countries. We have all heard | | | | Research now indicates that the 4- to 6-year-old |
| about the No Child Left Behind push from the US | | | | range is the sweet spot for teaching reading. |
| government and the increased pressure on our | | | | Beyond the age of 6 or 7, teaching a child to read |
| school systems to deliver measurable test | | | | is simply a game of catch up. Most children do not |
| improvement scores on basic literacy. We all | | | | learn to read "on their own" - and if a child is |
| agree that Read to Succeed is more than a | | | | struggling to read at age nine, the Council for |
| marketing slogan. It is truth in today's globally | | | | Basic Education maintains there's a 75% chance |
| competitive world for our children. Yet we as | | | | he or she will have difficulties with reading |
| parents still suffer from learning to read myths, | | | | throughout high school. |
| perhaps passed on from our parents, perhaps | | | | MYTH: All kids will learn to read in school. |
| propagated by society. If we as parents truly | | | | FACT: Not necessarily. The range of entering skills |
| want our children to read to succeed, we need to | | | | among young children - regardless of their |
| overcome these myths and help our kids by | | | | background - varies widely, and is extremely |
| supporting what really is proven to work for | | | | challenging to manage even for our best teachers. |
| reading success. | | | | Providing individual attention and interaction based |
| Hard-to-Believe Learning-to-Read Facts: | | | | on each child's unique capabilities, and managing an |
| If we want to make a difference for our children, | | | | entire class at the same time, is a daunting |
| we need to know and accept the learning-to-read | | | | challenge. Yet reading experts say that children |
| facts without hiding our head's in the sand: | | | | need lots of practice with reading fundamentals |
| The following facts give you an idea of the | | | | (phonics, sounding out, blending, etc.). Given the |
| severity of our nation's reading problem: | | | | "facts of life" in a classroom - overall student |
| Nearly 40% of Fourth Graders have not | | | | teacher ratios and general work overload - most |
| mastered basic reading skills. It's nearly 60% in | | | | teachers do the best job they can. However, too |
| California, and almost half of these children live | | | | many children are being left behind. One thing is |
| with college-educated parents. | | | | clear: Too many of our children cannot read or |
| Source: -- Council for Basic Education | | | | have difficulty reading. And, if they don't |
| If a child is a poor reader at the end of First | | | | readfluently, the chances for a fulfilling life - in |
| Grade there is a nearly 90% probability thatthe | | | | terms of job skills, financial stability, or academic |
| child will remain a poor reader at the end of | | | | achievement - are greatly diminished. |
| Fourth Grade. | | | | What Parents Can Do With Your School: |
| Source: -- The Public Library Association | | | | As in all problems parents have to solve, |
| Experts say about 5% of the nation's children | | | | understanding and distinguishing between the true |
| learn to read with ease, almost intuitively. | | | | facts and the "conventional wisdom" myths is the |
| An additional 20% to 30% learn to read with | | | | key to making improvements. This first step is |
| relative ease once they enter school andbegin | | | | education. Take these facts and myths to your |
| formal instruction. However, the bulk of children | | | | kid's teacher, your kids school administrators, your |
| (about 60%) have difficulty. | | | | school district and your friends. Ask them what |
| Source: -- Council for Basic Education | | | | they think. Ask them to dispute these facts and |
| Hard-to-Believe Learning-to-Read Myths: | | | | myths. Challenge them to face the truth about |
| Now, consider the following myths that we as | | | | what it takes to teach a child to read, and to |
| parents accept without thinking as true, but are in | | | | explain to you how they are addressing these |
| fact not true at all. These Learning-To-Read | | | | issues. Ask them if they are focused on |
| Myths help perpetuate poor reading skills and | | | | improving their reading programs? Ask them if |
| prevent us from taking action to make a change: | | | | they have a plan... are they embracing technology; |
| MYTH: Kids learn to read by being read to. | | | | do they have individualized reading programs? |
| FACT: Reading to young children will help develop | | | | What are they going to do? |
| their interest in reading. Many children learn bits | | | | Get active. Get loud. Email this article, or better |
| and pieces this way; however, "being read to" | | | | yet, print it out and take if to you kid's educators |
| does not equal "learning to read." And only 5% of | | | | in person. Make a difference for your children with |
| children actually learn to read by being immersed | | | | your school system. Quite literally, your child's |
| in reading. Learning to read is not like learning to | | | | future, and the future of our great nation |
| speak, where children literally "soak up" a spoken | | | | depends on it. |
| language. Children must learn the skills necessary | | | | What Parents Can Do On Your Own: |
| for reading, and for all but a few, this requires | | | | In part II of this article, we will offer help and |
| explicit instruction. | | | | suggestions as to what you as an individual parent |
| MYTH: Reading is a natural process that will | | | | can do on your own to help your young child to |
| happen on its own when a child is ready. | | | | "Read to Succeed". Stay tuned. The future of |
| FACT: There must be a certain level of reading | | | | your children, and our nation is in your hands. |