Learning to read: Difference between revisions

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'''Learning to read''' or '''reading skills acquisition''' is the acquisition and practice of the skills necessary to [[Reading|understand the meaning behind printed words]]. For a skilled reader, the act of reading feels simple, effortless, and automatic.<ref name="Rayner, 2001">{{cite journal|last=Rayner|first=Keith|year=2001|title=How psychological science informs the teaching of reading|url=http://www.psychologicalscience.org/journals/pspi/pdf/pspi22.pdf|journal=Psychological Science in the Public Interest|series=2|volume=2|issue=2|pages=31–74|doi=10.1111/1529-1006.00004|pmid=26151366|author2=Barbara Foorman|author3=Charles A. Perfetti|author4=David Pesetsky|author5=Mark S. Seidenberg|citeseerx=10.1.1.14.4083|s2cid=134422}}</ref> However, the process of learning to read is complex and builds on cognitive, linguistic, and social skills developed from a very early age.<ref name="Rayner, 2001"/> As one of the four core language skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cgcc.edu/literacy/resources/four-basic-language-skills|title=Four basic language skills, cgcc.edu, USA}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/skills|title=Learn English, British Council.org, UK}}</ref> reading is vital to gaining a command of the written language.

In the United States and elsewhere, it is widely believed that students who lack proficiency in reading by the end of grade three may face obstacles for the rest of their academic career.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nsba.org/-/media/NSBA/File/cpe-learning-to-read-reading-to-learn-white-paper-2015.pdf?la=en&hash=8E0E470C3E263C66E4491EC035224DC9018C6D5F|title=Center for public education, March 2015, NSBA.org}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://lincs.ed.gov/publications/pdf/PRFbooklet.pdf|title=Put Reading First, The National Institute for Literacy}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Docs/PracticeGuide/wwc_found_reading_summary_051517.pdf|title=Foundational Skills to Support Reading for Understanding in Kindergarten Through 3rd Grade, The Institute of Education Sciences}}</ref> For example, it is estimated that they would not be able to read half of the material they will encounter in grade four.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ccf.ny.gov/files/9013/8262/2751/AECFReporReadingGrade3.pdf|title=Why Reading by the End of Third Grade Matters, page 9, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2010}}</ref>

In 2019, with respect to the reading skills of grade-four US public school students, only 44% of white students and 18% of black students performed at or above the ''proficient level'' of the [[#Reading achievement: national and international reports|Nations Report Card]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/highlights/reading/2019/|title=Nations report card}}</ref> Also, in the [[United Kingdom]] it has been reported that 15 year old students are reading at the age of 12 year old students.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/education-20346204|title=Many teenagers can't read GCSE exam papers, BBC News|date=2012-11-16}}</ref>

As a result, many governments put practices in place to ensure that students are reading at grade level by the end of grade three. An example of this is the Third Grade Reading Guarantee created by the State of [[Ohio]] in 2017. This is a program to identify students from kindergarten through grade three that are behind in reading, and provide support to make sure they are on track for reading success by the end of grade three.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Learning-in-Ohio/Literacy/Third-Grade-Reading-Guarantee|title=Third Grade Reading Guarantee, OHIO, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://education.ohio.gov/getattachment/Topics/Learning-in-Ohio/English-Language-Art/English-Language-Arts-Standards/ELA-Learning-Standards-2017.pdf.aspx?lang=en-US|title=Reading Standards for Foundational Skills K–12, OHIO Department of Education, 2017}}</ref> This is also known as [[remedial education]]. Another example is the policy in England whereby any pupil who is struggling to decode words properly by year three must "urgently" receive help through a "rigorous and systematic phonics programme".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-primary-curriculum|title=National curriculum in England primary}}</ref>