Almost from birth, an infant’s murmurs and cries get the attention of their parents and caregivers. As toddlers, they mimic words and phrases and learn how to respond to them. When they hear stories read aloud, they begin to recognize language patterns. The act of reading becomes an act of making sense of the world around them. As they grow, they might write down or draw what they see using simple words and symbols. When they pick up a book or a tablet and read for themselves, children experience the joy of imagining and learning through stories—unlocking empathy and critical thinking skills in the process.
No matter where a child grows up or what challenges she faces in her earliest years, learning to read and write opens doors. In the United States, literacy is the best indicator of future graduation and career success. Globally, literacy has the power to disrupt cycles of generational poverty and increase access to education, employment and a higher quality of life.
LITERACY AND FUTURE SUCCESS
From age 0 to 3, children learn words and sounds, their first communication tools. At this age, 700 new synapses form every second across all areas of a child’s brain, which builds the architecture for learning capacities and social behaviors. The number of words a child hears in just his first 18 months affects his ability to build on that foundation and learn new concepts later in life. This is why early education experts encourage parents to talk, read and sing to children from the moment they are born.
Ninety percent of brain development occurs by age 5, and grade -level reading comprehension by age 8 correlates to positive future outcomes.
THE WORD GAP
Groundbreaking research shows a direct relationship between the vocabulary children hear at home and literacy proficiency along socioeconomic lines. A recent study (Hart/Risley Study) captured the daily communications among 42 families of diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. Results indicated that children from low-income families hear, on average, fewer than 1/3 of the words heard by children from higher-income families. By the time they are 4 years old, those children face a 30 million word difference from their more affluent peers. Later down the road, they also have less access to quality early learning programs and experiences.
By the time they reach 4th grade, 74 percent of students in the us who are reading below grade level are from low-income families.
Word gap consequences extend beyond reading comprehension. Differences in vocabulary among families of all backgrounds have lasting effects on their children’s communication styles. Speaking words of encouragement, singing interactive songs and telling stories to reaffirm lessons and values are among the many ways that caregivers can prepare children for future success.
WHY AGE 8 MATTERS
When children achieve literacy proficiency by age 8, research shows that they move from simply learning to read to reading to learn. Literacy becomes a tool for understanding complex ideas in school curriculum and advancing future learning. Ninety percent of brain development occurs by age 5, and grade -level reading comprehension by age 8 correlates to positive future outcomes. With healthy and supportive learning environments in place, children are more likely to achieve this developmental milestone. Yet today in the United States, 66 percent of all students (and 80 percent of students from low-income families) are not reading at grade level by age 8.
Children who achieve literacy by age 8 are also more likely to graduate from high school prepared for career success and personal fulfillment. If children miss this key milestone, the opportunity gap widens. Children with the lowest reading scores represent 33 percent of all students, yet they make up 63 percent of all children who do not graduate from high school. If we look globally, 101 million children worldwide are behind on literacy goals because they are not attending primary school.
Learn more about why age 8 is a crucial year for literacy: Download PDF.
READING WELL, LEARNING WELL
The critical skills embedded in learning to speak, read and write can equip children to pursue future opportunities. Proven models for mentorship and tutoring that show parents and caregivers how to create positive reading experiences are crucial ways to fuel long-term literacy. Interactive technology and other resources that pioneer different ways to teach language and literacy are great tools to get all children on track and reading well.
If we can improve access to literacy tools and experiences in the first eight years of life, we can advance solutions that empower children to thrive. No matter where they start out in life, children can break cycles of poverty and unlock future opportunities if they get reading skills on track by the time they turn 8.
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