Imagine that you are visiting a country for the first time and do not know the language or customs. Do you feel lost? How do you find your way around? How do you buy things that you need, including food? Do you understand what people around you are talking about?
Now, consider how people who are illiterate navigate their world. Do they feel lost? How do they find their way around? How do they buy things they need, including food? Do they understand what people around them are talking about?
As a lifelong reader and recent tutor for PSC, there were many things I did not consider about not being able to read. One of the first things that struck me when working with a student reader was that even though English was his first language, his exposure to descriptive language, geography, history, and literature was limited. For example, while reading a book excerpt, we came across the expression, “As wise as an owl.” The reader did not understand why owls were considered to be wise. He could not write his own address. He could not read a picture book to his child. He had not heard of Mark Twain. And he could not read a text on his smart phone.
Project Second Chance really does make a difference in people’s lives. The student now understands similes. he can not only read and write his own address, he can fill out a job application. He reads books to his child and for his own enjoyment. And he knows how to use his phone to look up words, send texts, and access the Internet.
Read Faster states that almost half of the adults in the United States are ‘functionally illiterate.’ “Since 1983, more than 10 million Americans reached the 12th grade without having learned to read at a basic level. In the same period, more than 6 million Americans dropped out of high school altogether.”
“Reading is a complex cognitive process of decoding symbols in order to construct or derive meaning (reading comprehension). It is a means of language acquisition, of communication, and of sharing information and ideas. Like all language, it is a complex interaction between the text and the reader which is shaped by the reader’s prior knowledge, experiences, attitude, and language community which is culturally and socially situated. The reading process requires continuous practice, development, and refinement. In addition, reading requires creativity and critical analysis. Consumers of literature make ventures with each piece, innately deviating from literal words to create images that make sense to them in the unfamiliar places the texts describe. Because reading is such a complex process, it cannot be controlled or restricted to one or two interpretations.” (Source: Begin to Read)
- According to Begin to Read, “Two-thirds of students who cannot read proficiently by the end of fourth grade will end up in jail or on welfare and will have a much more difficult time catching up.” This is a real concern, as ProLiteracy points out that one in seven people in our nation either cannot read or read at a lower elementary school level. People who are illiterate are much less likely to be in good health, have lower employment rates, and are much more likely to be imprisoned.
- As of July, fifteen percent of the inmates in the United States are illiterate (Source: StatisticBrain.com).
- And PEW Research found that one out of four adults in the United States did not even read one book last year.
So, in order to help a child become a proficient reader by the end of fourth grade, we must get them to understand that “reading is an active process that requires their involvement” (When Kids Can’t Read by Kylene Beers) and make sure that they do all of these things:
- Recognize that reading is done for a purpose, to get meaning, and that this involves the reader actively participating.
- Know many vocabulary words and how to use the context, word parts, and roots to help understand new words.
Recognize most words automatically, read fluently, vary their reading rate, and “hear” the text as they read. - Use a variety of comprehension strategies such as predicting, summarizing, questioning, and visualizing the text.
- Use prior knowledge about their lives and their world to inform their understanding of a text.
- Make inferences about the text.
- Monitor their understanding of a text, identify what is challenging, and have strategies to improve their understanding.
- Evaluate their enjoyment of a text and why it did or did not appeal to them.
Reading starts with natural conversations from the time a baby is born. Families should take time every day to read to their children and children need to see their families reading for pleasure as well as for knowledge.
- Go to the library together.
- Keep books and magazines available for use in the living room and bedrooms.
- Point out signs as you go on walks/drives.
- Run your finger under the text as you read and connect the word to the picture.
- Cook together., reading the recipe aloud.
- Write a letter to a friend or relative and include a note/picture from your child.
- Reminisce about places you’ve been and compile a photo/drawing/written journal.
- Make up silly rhymes.
- Keep magnetic letters on your refrigerator or file cabinet.
- Make up stories about pictures in magazines.
- Write out your child’s name and have them trace the letters as you say them together.
- Listen to and play music.
- Give verbal clues and have your child find an item around the house or at the park.
- Tell stories from your childhood.
- Taste foods and talk about how they smell, taste, and feel.
- Talk about your day and have them tell you about theirs.
- Write out your shopping list with their help. Take your child to the grocery store and give them a coupon with a picture of a food item that they can search for as you walk them down the aisles.
- Place items in a sock or shoebox and have your child reach inside, feel the item, and talk about how the item feels.
To see how your home rates in Get Ready to Read’s Home Literacy Environment Checklist, click here: Home Literacy Environment Checklist. Then, use the results to make your home a place for literacy. Happy reading!