Reading by Third Grade – A Key to School Success
(Click here for EveryParent article link)
Reading well by third grade is one of the most important predictors of high school graduation and career success, according to the national Campaign for Grade-Level Reading. Yet in Palm Beach County, just over half of third-graders are reading on grade level.
So why does third-grade reading matter?
During the first few years of school, children focus on learning to read. But once children hit third grade, they begin reading to learn. That means if children can’t read well, they will struggle in other subjects — science, social studies and even math, which increasingly depends on word problems as well as math facts.
Without strong reading skills, children fall further and further behind, making catch-up that much harder as the years pass by.
READING TIPS
Your first step in raising a reader is to develop a love for reading at an early age, according to local experts. Here is advice from EveryParentPBC.org to get you started:
- GET CAUGHT READING: By reading in front of your children, you set a good example and let them know you value reading.
- TALK, TALK, TALK: Talk to your infant, baby and child. Talk to them about books and stories, as well as everything else you encounter in daily life. Talk to them when grocery shopping, cooking, folding laundry, taking a walk. Point out colors, animals, vehicles. Discuss the weather, count out silverware. Tell stories and rhymes. The more words your children hear, the bigger their vocabulary and the better they’ll perform in school. Click here for how to read with your baby.
- READ, READ, READ: Point out print everywhere — on street signs and cereal boxes, as well as in books. If you can, make time to read with your children every day. Even 15 minutes is great. It shows you enjoy spending time with them and that you value reading. Click here for 6 tips to encourage reading.
- TAKE BOOKS ALONG: Keep books, magazines and other reading materials in your bag, in the car and anywhere else you go. The more you expose your children to reading, the better reader they’ll become. Besides, books are a great way to keep children busy at a doctor’s office, a bus stop or in the car! Click here for a video on how to raise a strong reader.
