Why Reading By Grade 3 Matters

Reading is the most crucial academic skill because it is the foundation for all learning.

Did you know that a child’s ability to read at grade level by 3rd grade is the single greatest predictor of future success? 

This is because 3rd grade is when children transition from learning to read to reading to learn.

Without a strong foundation in reading, children continue to fall further and further behind. By the end of third grade, 74% of struggling readers won’t ever catch up to grade level. 

Read more here.

And as scary as this statistic sounds - there's A LOT we can do to shift this number and prevent children from falling in this gap. 

Reading proficiently by the end of third grade is a crucial marker in a child's educational development.

3rd Grade is that line in the sand - where children shift from "learning to read" to "reading to learn". And without that solid foundation of literacy skills - 3rd graders are unable to make that shift successfully.

Early intervention will have a massive impact on your child's academic future, especially when it comes to reading and literacy foundations. When children are younger their brains are able to absorb and retain information at higher rates, making support at an early age essential for future academic success.

Think of literacy development like Lego bricks. 

Piece by piece, lesson by lesson, skill by skill, students piece together a solid foundation for the bigger structure. It starts in Kindergarten and early letter//sound skills and year by year, those skills layer on top of one another to support your child's reading and writing skills this year and beyond!

At Next Step Education, we work together to move children from overwhelmed & frustrated to confident & proud to take on the rest of this academic year and ensure they are ready with a solid foundation for all the years to come!