A,B,Cs and 1,2,3s are the basics of early education. But did you know that reading and arithmetic ability in childhood are actually huge predictors of a child’s future success? Studies have shown that young students with higher reading and math skills end up earning more income, having better homes and enjoying more professional careers later in life. How children are reading in third grade can influence the rest of their education because, at that point, kids stop learning to read and are expected to read to learn.
It’s a staggering thought, but instead of stressing over your child’s current skills, use this information as a reminder of the importance of keeping reading a priority in your child’s life. Some educators would even say the most important predictor of reading success is time spent reading with a parent.
Jacklynn Walters is a Kansas City mom with four children. She has a little bit of experience under her belt as a homeschooling mom, but she says her involvement with her kids seems to have a bigger impact than her curriculum. “I don't do formal lessons at a young age,” says Walters. “I want them to fall in love with the idea of reading.” Walters' children are ages 10, 7, 5 and 2. She says the youngest may not catch on to everything she reads, but as long as she keeps her occupied with other activities, she listens.
The importance of this practice is echoed by Allison Nelson, an elementary reading specialist for a local Kansas City area school district. She says to “make sure they are read to as young children. Having adults model reading is essential. They are exposed to rich language and learning what a fluent reader sounds like.”
Although there is no substitute for a parent or grandparent reading to a child, there are other ways to support the practice. You can have an older child read to a younger child, go to story time at the local library or use online resources like StoryLineOnline.net or YouTube to find people reading children’s books aloud. You can choose which book, who’s reading, grade level and even see the length of the story.
Nelson says that while you want to offer books that capture a child’s interest, it’s also important to read nonfiction, too. “This will be the majority of texts they will be reading as they go through school and beyond. Help them to cultivate a love of reading and not focus on using it as a punishment or ‘have to do’ before doing something fun.”
Reading aloud introduces vocabulary to your child. Walters says she recently read the Golden Book The Little Engine That Could to her children and was reminded once again of the depth. “It’s not long, but it’s a beautiful story and vocabulary rich. When new words pop up, my kids begin to ask what it means. I explain and use it in a different context, and now it’s been introduced into their minds.”
Nelson says it’s also vital that kids use phonics as they are learning to read or in improving their reading skills. Phonics, in its simplest form, is sounding out letters and words. This means kids will need to know the sounds each letter makes and how they come together. In reading terms, this is known as “decoding.” As children progress in their reading abilities, you can sit with them and have them read aloud to you. If your child comes to a word he doesn’t know, the first step is to try sounding it out. If that doesn’t work, you can skip it or replace it with a word that makes sense.
When you are allowing your children to read to you, patience is of utmost importance. Set aside a specific amount of time just for reading and don’t rush. Learning to read can be a slow and challenging process, but the skill is critical to their education. Reading out loud increases comprehension and builds fluidity. And when children can share their victories with you, such as getting through a whole book, reading a difficult word or increasing their speed, their self-confidence blossoms. As their confidence grows, so does their ability. It’s a beautiful cycle, but it can be undermined if you are impatient or critical.
“It’s important to encourage, not criticize. Children learn to read in certain ways. Let them enjoy it instead of making it an arduous activity,” Walters says. “You need to be consistent. Not drilling it in, just taking little bites off, allowing kids to grow and learn at their own pace within reason. It’s good to challenge them, but you can’t compare kids. Kids have different personalities and different styles.”
Finally, Nelson says you want to have a wide variety of books at home, in the car or in your on-the-go bag if you are running errands. “Make it a part of your everyday life. Less screen time and more reading, no matter what the level.”
An excursion to the library is a great field trip. The books are free, there are lots of options to look at, it gets kids out of the house and they can choose as many books as they want. Then, when they start to get bored with what they have, you can exchange them for something new.
Reading is not a natural process, but it is a foundational skill that can grow into a love of learning with a parent’s or grandparent’s involvement. It’s an incredible thought that you can participate now in your child’s future success with a little time, a little patience and a little consistency.
Although all children learn at their own pace, Nelson says there are times when they might need extra help. This is not a cause for worry, but the sooner you get the support your child needs, the less chance she has to fall behind in her reading skills.
Things to look for in kids’ reading journey:
- Preschool or kindergarten:
- Having trouble rhyming
- Unable to say the sounds of the letters
- Can’t hear the beginning and ending sounds of a word,
- First or second grade:
- Unable to read basic words or sound out intermediary words
- Relying more on pictures to tell a story instead of reading
- Don’t know how to put phonics rules into practice.
- Upper elementary school:
- Has trouble retelling about what he just read.
Christian Barnes lives in Kansas City with her husband and two nearly grown sons. She's fascinated by how children think and learn and enjoys sharing any information she's gathered with others.