5 Ways Parents Can Reinforce Their Children’s Reading Skills at Home

Read Across America: Empowering Children through Literacy

Every March since 1998, the National Education Association has used its Read Across America initiative to promote literacy and encourage a love of reading among children. It’s a wonderful program that features guest readers, book scavenger hunts, and character dress-up days to bring stories to life. Amid the celebration and fanfare, though, the nation must face an inconvenient truth — many kids struggle with basic reading skills, and the solution cannot be found solely in the classroom.

The Challenge of Low Literacy Rates

The problem is real and pervasive, proven through data that’s unmistakable. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reports that approximately 37% of American fourth graders and 30% of eighth graders score below basic proficiency levels for reading. In fact, only roughly one-third of fourth, eighth, and 12th graders are proficient readers.

Parents, let this be a wake-up call. While teachers play a crucial role in helping students succeed, it is parents who hold the key to unlocking a new level of literacy across America. There is no time like the present to change the future, and recognizing the issue is step one.

The Power of Literacy

The ability to read is arguably the most powerful tool on Earth. It allows children (and adults) to make sense of the world. Higher literacy rates are associated with healthier populations, less crime, greater economic growth, and higher employment rates. Reading exercises the brain, reduces stress, motivates, and teaches empathy.

Especially compelling for parents working to raise successful, career-ready kids is that literacy bolsters academic success and access to economic opportunity. When children excel in reading, their confidence grows, writing skills improve, and comprehension in other subjects, even in math, increases.

Research has found that people who had higher reading and math skills as children ended up with higher incomes and better housing and jobs as adults. Participants’ reading and math ability at age 7 was linked to their social class a full 35 years later.

The implications are even more reason for parents to take notice and get involved in their child’s reading journey. Building a strong foundation early is crucial. But so is getting help. The earlier a child who needs reading help gets it, the better. Parents can ensure their child’s struggles don’t get overlooked by knowing the signs and advocating for them.

Supporting Literacy at Home

So, what should parents look for?

Signals that a child is struggling to read include:

• Trouble breaking words into sounds
• Limited knowledge of letter names and sounds
• Difficulty rhyming
• Skipping words in a sentence
• Guessing words rather than trying to sound them out

Parents can start to become their child’s champion by:

• Contacting the teacher or principal to share their concern and asking for further evaluation
• Consulting their child’s pediatrician, since doctors are well-versed in childhood developmental benchmarks

But parents can also reinforce at home the reading skills learned at school. Here are suggestions for promoting literacy that have little or no cost:

1. Audiobooks: Instead of always playing music in the car, switch it up with an audiobook. These are free and instantly available through free library apps like Libby.
2. Keep books places kids frequent: Having books around gives kids the opportunity to interact with reading materials on a daily basis. Keep some in the car, bathroom, pretend play areas, living room, bedrooms, and other places kids frequent so they always have access. Borrowing library books is free, and many libraries have even done away with late fees.
3. Letter play: Remember playing with magnetic letters on the fridge? Younger kids still love this. It reinforces letters and sounds through a visual experience. Parents can also write letters in sand or Play-Doh and use foam letters in the bathtub.
4. Positive association: Sign up for reading challenges sponsored by libraries, where kids earn free rewards. Simply changing your phraseology from “you have to read” to “you get to read” can have an impact on a child’s mindset.
5. Games and Songs: You can turn anything into a game when it comes to little ones. As they begin reading, encourage your children to read one page and you read the next. Or read and then stop on a word you know your child can supply; shouting it out builds confidence. Build on younger kids’ reading skills with short sing-along videos featuring subtitles that connect what they hear to the words they see. For older kids, try karaoke. Use songs your child isn’t familiar with, so they’ll sing the lyrics by reading off the screen instead of from memory. Both activities promote reading fluency, word recognition, and comprehension.

Whatever supports parents choose, this March is a great time to start changing the literacy trajectory, improving children’s lives, and fostering their lifelong love of reading. This cannot be someone else’s problem. If parents don’t step in, who will?

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 4: Quality Education
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

The article addresses the issue of low literacy rates among children, which is connected to SDG 4: Quality Education. It also highlights the importance of literacy in improving economic opportunities and reducing inequalities, which are connected to SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities. Additionally, the article emphasizes the role of parents in advocating for their children’s education, which relates to SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable, and quality primary and secondary education.
• SDG 4.6: By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy.
• SDG 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, or economic or other status.

Based on the article’s content, the specific targets that can be identified are SDG 4.1, which focuses on ensuring that all children complete quality education, and SDG 4.6, which aims to achieve literacy and numeracy for both youth and adults. Additionally, SDG 10.2, which promotes social and economic inclusion, is relevant as it emphasizes the importance of providing equal opportunities for all individuals.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator: Percentage of fourth graders and eighth graders scoring below basic proficiency levels for reading.
• Indicator: Percentage of fourth, eighth, and 12th graders who are proficient readers.
• Indicator: Literacy rates among adults.

The article mentions several indicators that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets. These indicators include the percentage of fourth graders and eighth graders scoring below basic proficiency levels for reading, the percentage of fourth, eighth, and 12th graders who are proficient readers, and the literacy rates among adults. These indicators provide measurable data on the literacy levels of children and adults, which can be used to assess progress towards achieving the targets.

4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

The table presents the findings from analyzing the article in terms of the SDGs, targets, and indicators. It shows that the article is connected to SDG 4: Quality Education and SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities. The specific targets identified are SDG 4.1 and SDG 4.6 under SDG 4, and target 10.2 under SDG 10. The indicators mentioned in the article that can be used to measure progress towards these targets are also listed in the table.

Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.

Source: the74million.org

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