Illiteracy and the home school phenomena
How do I teach my child to read?
How important is reading anyway?
What if my child can't read by the time they are
four, five, or six years old?
I get it, reading is important, let's look at how important and then I shall tell you a story.
First, a homework assignment, take a peek at this article from the Library Journal from April 29,2020.
I'll wait...
WHOA! No pressure right?
What's that you say? "Jeanette I am already lost, what are you even talking about?".
Those of you that are confused perhaps did not do your homework and follow the above link,
and THAT'S OK!
Here are the bullet point take away's from the article, let's just consider me your study buddy that takes notes.
From the Library Journal .com article posted April 29, 2020
-Illiterate means a person cannot read, at all.
-Functionally illiterate means a person has a basic or below basic ability to read (From other parts of the article, I take this to mean below 4th grade level).
-Approximately 21% of adults in the United are either illiterate or functionally illiterate.
-Nearly 2/3 of fourth graders read below grade level.
(A note here, this puts us behind Japan, Scandinavian Countries, Canada, Republic of China and the UK)
-Illiteracy and functional illiteracy is a problem for all races, locations, and genders.
-Potential for employment, and income potential, show a marked correlation with literacy.
-3 out of 5 adults in prison can not read
- 85% of youth offenders struggle to read. EIGHTY FIVE PERCENT.
OK OK that's enough for now, you get the point. Now what.
In a formal school setting, it is difficult if not impossible for every child to progress at his or her own rate.
I do not think it would be out of line to offer help where it is needed to our formal school warriors. Teachers, parents, coaches, counselors, mentors, these people know who could use a helping hand where literacy is concerned. Maybe there is an after-school program in your area that could use readers to guide, new or struggling readers. Perhaps you have a docile animal that loves the cantor and attention that reading aloud offers (we have had three dogs in our family life that LOVE read aloud time), perhaps get them certified to visit a bookstore, library or community center for reading time. Do you have an elderly friend or relative that maybe shut in or isolated and would love to listen to a young one reading? Go digital! Record the student reading out loud and send it to their elderly cohort. A digital pen pal as it were. If both parties were comfortable with it, this could also be done live, through phone call, video chat etc. The child will get needed practice while serving connecting and loving on a shut in as well!
The home school angle is a bit different
This leads us to one of the many Home school perks! we glean from our journey. Each child at home can progress at their own rate, on their own timeline. Does this mean that we leave them to their own devices and do not attempt to teach them to do the hard things NO, of course not.
As promised, here is a story.
Once upon a time there was a happy little toddler, who's parents decided homeschooling would be the best option for her educational path. The parents and toddler played, learned, made messes, and adventured daily into the world. The toddler grew, and soon became a "kindergarten' aged homeschool student. Learning numbers and letters was a joy, colors and shapes were fun to manipulate and explore, chess, and baking were a daily delight. As the educational process skipped along, putting the letters that she so loved to play with, didn't quite make sense to her. Every letter had a sound, but smooshing the letters together to make the words her parents so easily recited, didn't work for her. There was no pressure, or frustration, no expectation or extra effort crammed into this year of discovery. They would play with the letters, and sounds, and "sound out" some words, and then move on to other skills. Math, Chess, baking, climbing, building, listening to stories, creating stories (dictation), acting out stories, playing the piano, filled her days. Other children her age put sounds together, and began to read however this was not something she was acutely aware of. She was learning every day and it was fun.
As she aged, this skill of decoding words continued to elude her. Her parents, while vigilant and persistent in their teaching the mystery of reading, did NOT WORRY, for they knew she would get to a point when her brain, eyes, and development were ready to read. They researched the child's abilities and challenges and came to the conclusion that there was not a developmental delay they were dealing with, but rather a bright child that was not yet ready to read. Oral reading occurred daily as a family, and it was a fun time of day, no tears, no pressure, no drama.
The girl turned nine years old. On a Monday (like every other Monday) the parents presented the words and materials they presented every Monday. The letters did not stay in their place today, they connected as never before. The letter sounds mingled in a magical serenade that the girl did not hear previously. She sounded out the first word, in an astonished discovery, and read that first word. She read, not in a forced artificial "learn it or your are failing at school" type of way, but in an organic discovery of one's own intellectual power sort of way. It was a monumental moment to say the least. Her mother happily grabbed the Nancy Drew novel they had been reading together, and she read the next page on her own, the whole page with ease and also excited jubilation.
Was she behind her peers in her reading progress? No she was not. Was she behind in her reading progress last month, yes she was. Did it matter today, not one bit.
The moral of the story. DON'T FREAK OUT.
Today this young adult loves to read, all the time, for fun, for work, for learning, for adventure, she loves it. Had she been forced to attain the expectations of her first grade peers, I am not certain her love for reading would have flourished so abundantly. The accomplishment was hers, not a forced expectation of some chart that said where an eight year old should be. We had the luxury of one on one attention, and time was on our side, as we knew what our objectives and reasons for homeschooling were. We school in the 12 year window, not quarterly, or per grade.
Will this approach work for everyone? Likely not. A child with developmental delays, will not "get it" if given a number of years to ruminate. It is important to either have your child evaluated, or research on your own "cues" to decipher the abilities and potential of your own child. Our pediatrician was on board with our philosophy, and was confident no developmental delays were present.
Once your child can read, let them read. Every single day every reading student should be reading. If your schedule goes sideways and no"school" happens be certain everyone READS. Model reading as well, if your kids see you crack open a book and not just stare at your phone when there is down time, it makes this vital habit more "normal" (and you may even enjoy it).
What should they read?
Assigned reading, reading comprehension exercises, spelling, grammar, writing do happen every day. However free reading time should happen too! Let them read just to read! My preference is an actual book, the tactile experience adds to the enjoyment, rather than a tablet or screen, for at least part of the day.
I control access for my young ones and what they can read, I do not turn my first grader loose in the library unattended and say to whatever they happen upon "well at least they are reading!".
I do my best to pre-read whatever they get their hands on, or the very least read reviews for what they find for all my kids while they are still kids/teens. If they find something a bit too edgy or racy or "inappropriate" we discuss the interest they have in an author or title and go from there (often finding a compromise).
So go forth, read on!
~ Jeanette
