In recent years, Early Childhood Education has become a major focal point to set children up for success in their education and their overall future. In Louisiana, families continue to struggle with access to quality early care and education, and it continues to hinder workplace productivity and participation.
Capital Area United Way has a central focus on helping to reduce these access barriers by raising awareness for the essential needs of early care and education in our community through events like Early Ed Day and supporting programs that focus on early childhood development. The ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) population struggles tremendously with only 45 percent of preschool-aged children below the ALICE threshold enrolled in 2019 compared to 61 percent of their peers above the threshold, according to the new ALICE in Focus: Children report from United For ALICE.
You may be wondering why early care and education is so important, and one of the key skills learned during these early years is reading. Reading is critical to success in school, work and life. Research shows that students who are strong readers by the end of 3rd grade are more likely to graduate high school.
Until 3rd grade, kids are learning to read. After that, they’re reading to learn – and building the foundation for success in school, work and life. Kids with strong reading skills are stronger critical thinkers with a better vocabulary, for example.
Additionally, the cornerstones for that literacy foundation is laid long before a child learns to read. Pre-literacy skills develop in the first few years, fueled by parents and caregivers reading and singing to and with young children, and exposing them to books and other age-appropriate reading materials.
How important is it for kids to learn to read and build strong literacy skills? Most experts agree it’s essential. Research shows:
- An introduction to books early on is the single most significant factor influencing a child’s educational success. (1)
- Kids who read proficiently by third grade are four times as likely to graduate on time. (2)
- Earning a high school diploma helps kids avoid incarceration (3), find a job that pays a sustainable wage (4) and live a healthier life (5).
Literacy skills are vital because opening a book leads to so much more than reading. Books help kids develop new skills and abilities that help them in school and after graduation.
Here are four skills kids learn when they read:
Skill #1: Empathy
Books provide an opportunity for kids to learn about people, places, cultures, activities and other things different from what they’re experiencing in their current environment. Reading stories of how others handle situations allows them to gain a new perspective. It’s an idea that is supported by research. According to research from The New School in New York City, reading fiction improves a reader’s capacity to understand what others are thinking and feeling (6)
Skill #2: Self-confidence
Kids become what they see. When a character looks like or has similar characteristics to the child reading the book, the story can show them new possibilities. That could be a new career idea, place they can travel, food they can eat or even different ways to react to things that are happening in their lives.
Additionally, activities like choosing their own book, reading aloud and problem-solving while reading can help children develop agency which leads to self-confidence. Encourage their development while reading by asking questions about characters in the book, like “what should she do next?” or “why do you think he did that?”
Skill #3: Expanded Vocabulary
The more words kids read and hear the more opportunities they have to expand their vocabulary. Knowing more words fosters better written and verbal communication – an essential skill for school and the workplace.
When reading out loud with kids, identify one new vocabulary word and talk about it. If the story has the word “ spectacular,” ask them what they think it means, then share the definition as you know it: “Spectacular means very good.” Emphasize the pronunciation of new words to help kids connect the phonics to the letters within the words.
Skill #4: Pattern Recognition
Every story has a beginning, middle and end. The logical sequence of events in each story helps a reader understand what is happening. This story pattern can help kids start to recognize the order and sequence of effective communication. It can also help build pattern recognition that translates into other school subjects such as math and science.
Building literacy skills is critical to the success children can achieve. Having access to books and reading support is vital, and right now, too many children don’t have either. In the U.S., one in four kids grow up not knowing how to read at a basic level (7). The statistics are even grimmer for children who come from under-resourced neighborhoods. Three in five families who struggle to make ends meet have no books in their homes for their children (8).
As you can see, Early Childhood Education is vital to the success of our children, especially whenever it comes to literacy and reading skills. It’s why Capital Area United Way is committed to continue fighting for access to Early Childhood Education to ensure each and every child is set up for success in their future.
Sources:
- National Commission on Reading
- Donald J. Hernandez, Double Jeopardy: How Third-Grade Reading Skills and Poverty Influence High School Graduation. The Annie E. Casey Foundation; Center
- U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention
- The New School in New York City via Scientific American
- National Assessment of Educational Progress
- Reading Literacy in the United States: Findings from the IEA Reading Literacy Study
