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Guidance: Full Article

If we could give to the child we share with you a life-lasting gift, it would be the ability to read and read well. We place great value on reading ability and stress its importance from the time a child begins school until he or she graduates. Every teacher in school is a reading teacher as we try to make every student a capable reader.

Learning to read is not easy; it is a very complicated process which requires the cooperation of parents and school. It involves a concentrated effort on the part of parents and teachers, extensive practice on the part of the student, and continuing teaching of new skills as the student matures. It is important for us to keep in mind that reading is not a simple process that can be mastered in a brief period of time and with little effort. Sometimes, as adults, we forget how much is involved.

Reading requires a broad foundation of language that includes an adequate vocabulary and a well-developed "ear" for word order. There are several ways that you can help your child develop the "word sense" and vocabulary needed for reading success. Reading stories and books to your child, playing games that call for naming objects, and singing or saying rhyming words are activities that build a foundation for reading. Involve your child in conversations that call for decisions about whether two things are alike or different. Point out the ordinary things in your home that demonstrate likenesses and differences. These activities help a child gain the visual discrimination which strengthens his or her ability to recognize letters and numbers.

The importance of language in reading success cannot be overemphasized. As you talk with your child and as you read books and stories, comic strips, cartoons, road signs, and cereal boxes, you are paving the way to reading success.

At school we begin the emphasis on reading when the child enrolls. Language is expanded and auditory and visual discrimination are practiced as stories are read, told, and written. The alphabet is learned--along with the sounds each letter represents. The primary grades are filled with the learning of reading skills, with emphasis on recognizing words and understanding the ideas presented on the printed page.

Perhaps it could be said that a student's first four years of school are spent learning to read; the next eight years are spent reading to learn. In every subject at every grade level, reading is emphasized as the most important skill. Math classes involve students in reading the symbols and learning the vocabulary necessary for performing mathematical operations. Science teachers teach the vocabulary, formulas, and equations that are the heart of scientific knowledge. Social studies teachers develop the skills needed to read reference materials, maps, charts, and tables. English teachers involve students in learning to read the words written by authors from other cultures and other times so that students can broaden their understanding of the ideas of others. Music teachers teach the reading of music; vocational teachers teach blueprint reading; and driver education teachers teach students how to read instruments, manuals, and road signs needed for safe driving.

Reading is more important now than ever before. New technology and instant information on television have not taken away the need for all individuals to be capable readers. We still need to be able to read directions and other essential information. And we need to experience the sharing of ideas gained from reading the printed page. Reading is the key to fullness in life as well as the foundation of success in school and in the adult world. We are committed to the task of making all students capable readers.

As partners in the education and growth of the young person we share, we need to work together to place emphasis on the value of reading. If we can see strong reading ability in place on graduation day, then we can know that the foundation for success is in place for the child. If you have questions or concerns about your child's reading ability, please contact the school so we can discuss ways we can work together to give each student the life-lasting gift of reading.

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