Literacy is a fundamental part of a child’s development. Literacy means more than just knowing how to read a book. It can also impact a child’s ability to learn other subjects, understand traffic signs when driving or crossing the street, and can be a major contributor to a child living a fulfilling life. until adulthood.
Despite its importance, two in 10 children enter kindergarten with skills two to three years below their grade level, and two others start school at a year’s disadvantage, according to the Children’s Reading Foundation. According to ProLiteracy.org, students who are behind typically only make one year of progress at each grade level, which keeps them behind their classmates throughout school and makes them more likely to repeat a grade.
Today, literacy is changing much more than the possibility of reading the newspaper or the latest bestseller. It is linked to things like graduation rates, socio-economic status, and even the development of socio-emotional skills like empathy.
There are many reasons why literacy is one of the most essential life skills, but some of the main reasons, especially in the early years, are highlighted below.
Literacy can make or break their future
According ProLiteracy, more than 43 million adults living in the United States cannot read, write, or do basic math beyond a third-grade level. Even more surprising are the statistics of the US Department of Justice linking incarceration and illiteracy, with an astonishing 70% of incarcerated adults unable to read above a fourth grade level. The outcomes of our children’s lives literally depend on resolving the teaching of literacy in our classrooms and allocating the right resources for early identification.