As we are nearing the beginning of a new school year, I wanted to give some hope to those who are concerned about the literacy gap caused by the COVID-19 school closings some 5 months ago. The concern by parents and teachers alike is that children have not retained the information taught to them before and perhaps even during the shutdown. There will be regression particularly in the area of literacy. This concern is a valid one, but giving hope is what I am here to do.
There is a simple way to start bridging the literacy gap. This is not a new idea. In fact, research has been done on this idea for decades and has shown its effectiveness on a child’s literacy development. If the idea has been researched for decades, then why am I writing about it now? Think of it like this. You know you should exercise and eat right. You plan when you are going to turn over this new leaf. You make your preparations: new exercise clothes, exercise equipment, recipes in hand to make healthy meals, etc. You make it through that first day. Whew! A little exhausting but you look forward to the next day. Right around Day 3, your willpower is lacking. You think, “I can skip just one day.” Then one day turns into 2 days which turns into 3 days. And before you know it, your exercise clothes are buried in the drawer, your exercise equipment is collecting dust (or laundry), and those healthy recipes are replaced with chocolate chip cookies! Who hasn’t been here? Some of us multiple times.
So here is the connection. The idea to bridge the literacy gap is to read to or with children. Really? That’s it????? I can hear the moans and groans since this idea is not anything you haven’t heard before. But really think about it. Think about its importance. Think about what it really means to read to or with a child. Let’s go back to the exercise example. There is great determination to exercise at the beginning, but as the days wear on, so does our enthusiasm. Exercise and eating right takes mental determination as well as physical determination. So does reading to or with a child. Things get in the way. Other priorities take precedence. At first, that time set aside to to read is actually looked forward to. But as the days wear on, the reading dwindles. And before you know it, there is no reading occurring.
As this new school year is about to begin in its many forms, let’s work together to make time each day (or if that is not possible at least every other day), to read to or with a child. Start slow – 5 minutes a day – and work up the stamina to add to that time. Just as consistent exercise improves our health, so will consistent reading be a step in the right direction for bridging the literacy gap.