Change a Child’s Trajectory with Reading

In my previous blog, I shared the devastating impact on Timothy’s self-efficacy.  Shifting gears let’s take a look at how reading or the lack thereof will change the trajectory of Timothy’s entire life.    

I am a firm believer that facts should be our friends. Facts should help us to make thoughtful and laser-like decisions in both our personal and professional lives.  As you read the findings, imagine a young life counting on adults to guide his/her academic career from cradle to graduation.   More importantly, be willing to start the discussion at home, at work, in your churches and synagogues about the facts you are about to read: 

These findings are excerpts from the paper:  "Developing a Minnesota Reading Initiative to Promote Early Literacy" by Marika Ginsburg-Block, Ph.D. and Ann M. Casey, Ph.D., NCSP.

Learning to read is perhaps the most important skill for success in society that a child can gain from public education. Without reading competency, students are at-risk for many negative life outcomes, such as poorer income potential, limited employment options, and quality of life issues (such as reading for pleasure). Poor reading skills also lead to more immediate consequences in school. Without well-developed literacy skills, students will not gain the content knowledge they need to be successful in school. Academic success defined as high school graduation can be predicted by third grade reading skills (Snow, Burns, and Griffin, 1998). For full employment in our modern, technological environment, a person must have more than basic literacy. In 1994, fewer than 50 percent of high school dropouts were employed (National Center for Education Statistics, as cited in Snow et al., 1998). As one can see, there is a downward spiral for students who don't gain basic literacy skills. This trajectory begins in first grade when some children learn to read and others don’t. By the end of second grade, students who have not mastered basic reading skills begin this downward spiral that continues without significant intervention, resulting in students ill-prepared for school and for life.

There are several reasons for the development of reading problems. While reading problems are represented across income groups and educational settings, students from low socio-economic backgrounds are at greater risk for reading failure. Language ability is one of the most important precursors to learning to read. In their seminal work, Hart and Risley (1995) found that vast differences in language development exist between middle-class children and children from less advantaged backgrounds. The development of language and vocabulary is foundational and prerequisite to the development of literacy skills. Some children entering kindergarten already have a large vocabulary and early literacy experiences. Many children from middle-class homes have had hundreds of hours of storybook reading during their early developmental years. These experiences have helped foster their cognitive and language development, which leads to larger vocabularies. In contrast, children from disadvantaged homes may have had no experience with books and likely have had far fewer conversations with adults. Both of these lead to children entering kindergarten without the prerequisite language skills necessary for reading achievement. To be specific, these students lack a particular language skill - phonemic awareness.  

The association of poor reading outcomes with poverty and minority status no doubt reflects the accumulated effects of several risk factors, including lack of access to literacy-stimulating preschool experiences and to excellent, coherent reading instruction. 

Reading is the greatest predictor of life's outcomes.  Keep in mind the young are voiceless. They look to you and me for their most basic of needs.  The need to read and read well is like the need for food, water, and shelter.  Let us all actively ensure the basic need of reading is met.