Importance of Reading
Research shows us that children begin to develop their language skills in infancy, and the more children know about the nature and purposes of reading before kindergarten, the more teachers have to build on in their reading instruction. In fact, children develop much of their capacity to learn in the first three years of life, when their brains grow to 85% of their eventual adult weight.
According to the National Research Council, to prepare children for reading instruction in the early grades, it is best that they be exposed to high-quality language and literacy environments—in their homes, childcares, and preschools. And the best time to start sharing books with children is during infancy, even when they are as young as six weeks. The more words a child hears, the larger the child’s vocabulary, and the more likely the child will be a proficient reader.
- According to a 1991 study, 35% of children come to kindergarten unprepared to learn.
- Furthermore, a 1998 study showed a startling 88% of children who have difficulty reading at the end of first grade display similar difficulties at the end of fourth grade.
- A similar study at Yale University study indicated that 75% of students who are poor readers in third grade remain poor readers in high school.
Long before any child is exposed to formalized education, there are already children far ahead of the curve and even more lagging far behind. The good news, we can improve reading achievement by starting in early childhood.
- The size of a child’s vocabulary is a strong predictor of reading. One study reported that children read to at least one hour per day during their preschool years come to school with a 10,000 to 14,000-word vocabulary. In comparison, children read to only 30 hours during their first five years come to school with a vocabulary fewer than 4,000 words.
- Research also indicates that children whose parents read to them become better readers and do better in school.
- According to a 1991 study, for the poorest children, the biggest obstacle to literacy may be the scarcity of books and appropriate reading material.
Children who are given books by pediatricians are 4 times more likely to be read to by their parents and this is 8 times more likely for women on welfare.
Source: National Research Council
Imagination Library
Sends books each month to every child under the age of five through the Dollywood Foundation’s Imagination Library program. Books are sent directly to the child's home and are age and developmentally appropriate. Parents who live or work in Minnehaha, Lincoln, McCook or Turner Counties are eligible to sign up their children. The cost is free. However, if you would like to contribute to the cost of the books for your child, you can give additionally through the United Way campaign. The program costs our United Way $27 per child, per year. Click here to learn more or sign-up online.
Reading Festival
The Sioux Empire United Way helps fund an annual reading festival. This festival is free for everyone. It is for families with young children, childcare and preschool providers, and anyone who wants to learn about early literacy. The Festival includes fun, motivational, and educational literacy activities. Local experts provide educational sessions for providers and parents, i.e. how to read books to children, what are age-appropriate books, how to make a home or center library, early childhood brain development. There is storytelling, theatre productions, hands-on activities, guest authors and special children's characters for the children. Every child who attends can receive a free book.