Despite the US having one of the highest literacy rates in the world, millions of American children do not read at grade level, and a large percentage of children do not learn how to read at all.
Child illiteracy has many short-term outcomes. Children with poor reading skills struggle in school in all classes, especially after third grade. They may also develop self-esteem issues when comparing themselves to their reading, higher-performing peers.
Unfortunately, the consequences of childhood illiteracy can affect these youths well into their adulthood.
Childhood Literacy Linked to Long-Term Outcomes
By third grade, most classroom instruction is text-based. This means that struggling readers can slip in other subjects such as science and social studies. Research has shown that poor reading skills in elementary school correlate with a higher risk of dropping out of high school and a much lower rate of college enrollment.
Individuals who struggled to read in childhood are much more likely to be financially insecure and unemployed in adulthood. There is also a strong correlation between incarceration and reading skills. Finally, many youths in the juvenile justice system are functionally illiterate. Seven out of 10 inmates read at or under the fourth-grade level.
Reading Scores in Decline
Between 2022 and 2020, the average reading score for American nine-year-olds fell by 5 percent. This is the largest drop in the past three decades.
There are many reasons why American children are struggling with reading. Some experts blame the rise of the whole language approach, which emphasizes context clues over phonics. (Recent research has concluded that students learn best with a mixture of reading approaches.)
Further, for the millions of children who have learning disabilities like dyslexia and neurodevelopmental disorders like ADHD, learning to read is even more challenging. Many schools do not have the resources or trained staff to support them. As a result, these children lag behind their peers and have difficulty developing the needed reading skills.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, school closures made it more difficult for struggling students to get the support they needed. Children in low-income families were more likely to underperform in online learning environments due to a lack of access to a suitable computer or reliable Internet.
Many children also grow up in homes where their parents do not nurture their literacy skills. Parents may not have the time or resources to read aloud to their children regularly. At the same time, fewer children read for leisure (instead they have videogames, television, social media), which is essential for building strong literacy skills.
Childhood Literacy Interventions
School districts and nonprofit organizations have implemented several strategies to support struggling readers.
Literacy experts recommend implementing teacher training courses that focus on the science of reading. If educators have a deeper understanding of how children acquire reading skills, they can instruct their students more effectively. Federal grants have also funded professional development programs that train teachers to identify and address student learning disabilities.
Education policy advisors have also noted that students learning English as a second language have disproportionally lower reading skills. Not only are these children struggling in the classroom, but they are less likely to have parents who can support their learning. Bilingual interventions can bridge the language gap and support reading development.
Interventions outside of school can also support reading development. After-school and summer programs can provide students with one-on-one attention, which may not be available at school.
These programs can also encourage students to participate in literacy-building activities, such as group reading and leisure reading. The most effective interventions are delivered by trained tutors in connection with classroom educators.
In Conclusion
While child illiteracy is a growing problem, early intervention is an effective solution for supporting struggling readers. Governments, schools, and nonprofits must work together to give children the best start in life.