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Early Reading
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At StudyDog, we believe that "Success in life begins with reading". Research and studies show that without a doubt, beginning early is the key to successful readers. We know that 4 out of every 10 kids will fail to meet a basic reading ability without extra reading help, and we know that 6 out of 10 will not meet "proficiency" without help. We also know that all children can benefit from extra help. Sadly, many children fail to become proficient readers. But there's good news -- it does not have to be this way! The majority of children who enter Kindergarten at-risk for reading failure can learn to read at average or above levels but only if they are identified early and are provided systematic, explicit, and intensive instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, reading fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension strategies. Don't take our word for it -- here are some quotes from the experts: "One-third to 40 percent of each class is going to need special help." Sally Shaywitz, M.D., "On the Mind of a Child", Educational Leadership, April 2003 "Unfortunately, it appears that for about 60% of our nation's youngsters, learning to read is a... formidable challenge, and for at least 20% to 30% of these youngsters, reading is one of the most difficult tasks that they will have to master throughout their schooling. Why is this so unfortunate? Simply because if you do not learn to read and you live in America, you do not make it in life." G. Reid Lyon, Ph.D., Director - National Institutes of Health "Learning to read is not a 'natural' process. Most children must be taught to read through a structured and protracted process in which they are made aware of sounds and the symbols that represent them, and then learn to apply these skills automatically and attend to meaning." Louisa Cook Moats, "Whole Language Lives On: The Illusion of 'Balanced' Reading Instruction," Fordham Foundation These statements from reading experts clearly outline why you need to investigate early reading help for your child. Regardless of anything else you should take action now. This is how the American Federation of Teachers sees it: "If children do not master [reading] skills in their first three years of school, they are certain to encounter difficulties throughout their schooling. And when they leave school, they enter the working world lacking the skills they need to find a job, develop financial independence, and take their places as citizens, parents and workers. Because the stakes are so high, it is impossible to overstate the importance of appropriate reading instruction, which combines phonics instruction with rich literature environments and opportunities to write. Those who learn to read with ease in the early grades have a foundation on which to build new knowledge. Those who do not are doomed to repeated cycles of frustration and failure." Furthermore, reading problems cut across virtually every social, geographic and cultural boundary. The NAEP reported, for example, that nearly 32% of fourth-graders whose parents graduated from college are reading below the basic level. These results indicate that every school in this country has a number of children who are failing the task of learning to read. It is vitally important to engage your child in structured reading help as early as possible, and to get appropriate help if areas for improvement are identified. The longer early readers are allowed to fall behind, the greater the gap in their skills. The graph below shows the gap that develops between a successful reader and a struggling reader without intervention. Help in the early years is the key to getting a child off on the right path.  | |||||||||
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