My Smore Flyer
A note from Principal Graham:
Why Read?
“Why read 20 minutes a night?” I’ve heard that a lot this year from students and parents. So, I thought it might be helpful if you knew a little bit of research behind why your child should read 20 minutes a night. Or why you should read to them. (I understand that all children are on different levels)
Researcher Sally Shawitz says, “Good readers spend more time reading each day, so that they read many more words in a year compared to poor readers.”
· A child who reads 1 minute a day will learn 8,000 new words a year.
· A child who reads 4.6 minutes a day will learn 282,000 words per year.
· A child who reads 20 minutes a day will learn 1.8 million words per year.
Generally, the more time you are exposed to something and the more time you spend practicing it, the better you’ll become at performing it. This is absolutely true for reading. Research shows that children who have repeatedly been exposed to books from birth generally exhibit strong reading abilities.
I like to use the analogy of learning to drive. At the age of 16 children are learning to drive a car. In the beginning parents are on pins and needles while in the car with their child, but with lots and lots of practice, they usually become better and better over time. It does not happen overnight. Neither does reading, it takes time. In the beginning students are learning to read and once they have mastered that, then they are reading to learn.
In all honesty, I could write pages and insert graphs about all the benefits of reading, but maybe the best reason to read is some “one-on-one” time with your child. There is nothing more wonderful than bonding with your child over a good book!
Happy Reading,
Susie Graham
Susie Graham, Principal