Learning to read should be affordable for all children

We have an educational achievement gap in the United States that occurs before children enter the Kindergarten classroom. Adults today according to research are not reading. How do we expect our children to want to read?

Research continues to share the number one predictor of a child’s academic achievement is parental involvement. All parents want what is best for their child and early literacy is part of that process.

How do parents take the first steps?

1.Start the early literacy process today! Once you begin working with your child on early literacy the key to advancement is daily practice.

2. Children thrive off of beginning literacy program consistency in as little as 15 minutes a day. This will not become a daunting task. Parents and caregivers can do this with an an easy to use program.

3. It should not cost a fortune – Most programs require parents/caregivers to invest considerable amounts of money to help their child learn to love the beginning literacy process. This should not be the case.

• You need to obtain basic beginning literacy tools and use them daily with your child.
• Materials should consist of a choice of reading material for your child at their level and daily opportunities to write, discuss and interact through games with literacy.

4. Parents should NOT be taken out of beginning literacy programs.

• Parents, the number one predictor of academic success, are often taken out of the beginning literacy process for expensive one on one tutoring which ends with each tutoring session.
• Weekly tutoring instruction will not help a child make significant literacy gains unless daily practice is a part of this regiment.

5. Online programs cannot replace the necessary human interaction necessary for beginning literacy.

• Online reading games and programs serve as a great way to practice skills.
• Reading comprehension and higher order critical thinking skills that beginning literacy learners  need to develop are often missed with online beginning reading program.
• The goal of reading is to understand. Beginning literacy skills requires human interaction to assist with application, analysis, and reformulation of content understanding in a meaningful way.

What frustrations, successes or experiences have you had with your child and beginning literacy? Do you have beginning literacy questions? We got answers!