As our 16th President Abraham Lincoln is quoted to have said, “a capacity, and taste, for reading gives access to whatever has already been discovered by others.” The ability to read is the cornerstone of a good childhood education. While no one may ask whether or not you can do long division, reading is a requirement if you want to attend college. It is also necessary for most jobs, and leads to a more fulfilling life.

The Ability To Acquire Knowledge
Learning to read is intrinsically positive. Reading exposes children and adults to new ideas, opens their minds to creative thought processes, and for many people is an activity that relieves the stress of a long day. But in addition to the joy of ready for fun, the ability to ready allows children to acquire knowledge on their own. This independent learning is a healthy part of the process of education where the student learns to teach his or herself. Without the ability to read, thousands of years of recorded knowledge are inaccessible.

Improved Language Fluency
From a very young age, children learn language through exposure. When parents speak to their children and read them books at night, those children absorb new words and learn how to understand their meaning through context clues. As children grow older and are able to read for themselves those same tenants apply. Reading books that contain unfamiliar words or that are written with more grammatically formal language pushes children to expand their vocabulary as well as their comprehension skills.

The Consequences Of Not Reading
A study by Donald J. Hernandez and The Annie E. Casey Foundation shows that students who aren’t reading proficiently by third grade are much more likely to leave school without a diploma than their counterparts. You read that correctly, the ability to graduate high school depends on a child’s reading skills in elementary school. And while that may seem to be a lot of pressure to put on a young child it also demonstrates the critical need for children to be exposed to reading education at a very young age. The consequences of not reading can be dire for some students as earning a high school diploma determines their ability to gain entrance to college, get a good job, and so forth.

Reading education starts at home before a child ever sets foot in a classroom. You may not realize it now, but the time you spend each night reading books and telling stories to your children will ultimately shape their educational future. Plus, as your child learns to read whole new worlds will open up to them as they did for us when we were children. If you’d like to learn more about how to instill a love for reading in your young student, or if you’d like to learn more about our commitment to reading education, contact us today.