Hey parents, you want your child to grow up to be a better reader? It's easy - either YOU read to them on a regular basis or find someone who can and will. Parental responsibilities don't end at the school yard entrance.

This isn't a "shame the parents" post. This is about a simple, highly effective strategy to deal with a real issue. And by the way - in my family, we grew up being read to up to a point, and then I had to strike out on my own with books, and I learned to read and comprehend with what is being described as "balanced reading".

"Balanced reading" in my life meant such as reading Greek mythology without any idea of how to pronounce the names. It meant that I read extensive history before I had the requisite geographical knowledge. "Balanced reading" meant to me that as soon as I was exposed to proper pronunciation of ancient Greek names, I could simply plug them in where before I had unintelligible sound placeholders. It meant I could look at maps and know the history of that region at first glance.

No, "balanced reading" is not learning in the still unfortunately standard grade pre-K through 12 sense - but it is learning in the real and applicable world sense.

In the meantime, parents and caregivers, read to those children. Read to them and do it again, and don't even waste one moment worrying about what they call it.

Bouncing off "Too Many Vermont Kids Struggle to Read. What Went Wrong — and Can Educators Reverse a Yearslong Slide in Literacy?", Seven Days, 10/04/23

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Submitted October 07, 2023 at 02:18AM by RamaSchneider https://ift.tt/6EdUFI7