Learn to Read BEFORE School

Red Cat Reading Team Blog, Phonics, Reading, Red Cat Reading

Why Learning to Read is So Important for School Readiness…

According to a 2012 report by the Brookings Institution, “children with higher levels of school readiness at age five are generally more successful in grade school…” And the key to this readiness is helping your child learn to read before class even begins. Reading is the one skill that unlocks virtually all other skills your child will need to succeed in life.

We created Red Cat Reading to help any child get a leg up and learn how to read in just 3 months or less!

But before we get into the specifics of this incredibly simple and easy-to-use learning platform, let’s take a closer look at why exactly school readiness is so vital to your child’s long-term success.

Considering Early Education?

As a parent, it’s always important to begin thinking about when you would like to teach your children to read. Some children who are already in pre-kindergarten programs or Head Start programs might already be starting to learn basics. For parents and guardians who don’t send their children to pre-kindergarten programs or who do not have access to such programs, there are plenty of ways to help introduce your child to the wonderful world of reading!

Helping a younger child learn to read isn’t as difficult as you might think. Young children have a tendency to pick up on things rather quickly, and when they do pick up on things, it tends to stay with them. By having a lot of patience and making the experience fun and enjoyable for both you and the child, you can really make a difference and help them begin learning the foundation that they will build on for the rest of their lives.

If your child isn’t currently enrolled in a pre-kindergarten or Head Start program, no need to worry. If it’s something you believe would be helpful for your child, many public elementary schools offer pre-kindergarten classes for free. The first step would be getting in touch with the school. If you don’t want to place your child in a pre-kindergarten class, or none are offered near you, there are some alternatives. These include free online programs (such as RedCatReading.com) you can try that will help your child learn about letters.

5 Benefits of Knowing How to Read Before School Begins

1. Less Likely to Fall Behind in School

Children who begin school not knowing how to read are more likely to be behind their peers in critical skills by the end of the first year of school. And unless the problem is addressed quickly, the children who start school not knowing how to read will continue to lag behind their peers for years afterwards. So to help ensure school success, be sure your child knows how to read before classes ever start so they won’t fall behind and have to play “catch up”.

They may even be more likely to surpass their peers’ reading ability and become an advanced reader. With strong reading and writing skills, they will have a better chance of succeeding in other subjects as well and have a broader vocabulary.  

This can set a trend for their future performance in all of their classes and really allow them to shine in school.

2. Boost Self-Esteem 

According to the Child Development Institute, LLC, “Self-esteem is a major key to success in life. The development of a positive self-concept or healthy self-esteem is extremely important to the happiness and success of children.” 

Reading is a great way to boost a child’s self-esteem and give them a sense of independence by being able to read all on their own. Kids, exactly like adults, enjoy the freedom to choose what book they’d like to read and tend to feel much more motivated rather than if someone were to choose for them.

It is also crucial that parents and educators encourage and praise a child’s reading and help guide them along without putting them down or making them feel like they’ve failed. A “Good job!” or perhaps “That was a big word, but you could read it!” will do a lot for a kid’s confidence.    

3. Less Likely to Drop Out of High School

The high school dropout rate has soared in recent years and plunging literacy rates are a key factor. Children who begin their studies with a high degree of school readiness and the ability to read are significantly less likely to drop out of high school. There are several reasons that account for the lower dropout rate, including:

  • Easier to Make and Keep Friends: Knowing how to read reduces the likelihood that your child will withdraw from class activities and makes it easier to make and keep friends.
  • Improved Communication Skills: Reading helps with school readiness in many ways including better preparing your child for social situations through better communication skills.  Books help children learn about and understand the world by providing them with contextual cues about social interactions, making friends, and dealing with setbacks.
  • More Likely to Succeed in School: When your child knows how to read before class begins, they are less likely to fall behind their peers academically or be tempted to drop out of school.

4. Tend to Earn More as Adults

Studies indicate that students who know how to read as part of their school readiness actually earn more throughout their adult lives. So yes, what your child knows at age 5 can literally help determine how much they are making decades later. While the payoff may not be immediate, kids will benefit from their early reading ability even as an adult. So it’s not just school success that depends on knowing how to read but overall success in life as well!

5. Quality Learning Time Together

Remember reading Goodnight Moon over and over before your baby would finally calm down and drift off to sleep? Well, books are wonderful tools for children of all ages, and even the youngest of children will benefit from being read to. 

Eventually your child will begin to pick up on the rhymes and repetition and even start to help you read the story. While reading, be sure to point out letters and ask your child questions such as “What other words sound like cat?” Asking questions like this will prompt your child to think, and slowly begin to build up their knowledge of different letter sounds.

You can even take your child to the grocery store and ask them to find a food item that begins with each letter of the alphabet. Go on a walk in your neighborhood and find things that rhyme with certain words. Pick up some books on a rainy day and read together. There are lots of ways to introduce reading to your child and spend fun time together!

No matter what you choose to do, helping your child learn to read is a rewarding experience. Teaching children phonetic skills while they are very young will give them a big head start when they do go to school and begin their learning in a classroom setting. Not only are you providing them with the foundation that they will continue building throughout their lives, but you are spending extra time with them, and making memories that will be cherished for years to come.

Here’s How Red Cat Reading is Helping Prepare Kids for School Success!

We created Red Cat Reading to provide children with the critical reading skills they need for both success in school and life. In fact, Red Cat Reading is designed to help your child master reading faster than traditional classroom instruction in several ways:

  • We Have More Time to Help Your Child: Red Cat Reading has the time and resources to help each and every student.  We won’t let your child fall through the cracks and will work to ensure their school readiness includes knowing how to read before class begins.
  • We Assess Your Child’s Reading Level and Specific Needs—For Free: At Red Cat Reading, we don’t believe in a “One Size Fits All” approach to education. That is why we carefully assess all students first to determine their specific needs and identify which leveled books they need to read to attain reading mastery.
  • We Can Help Your Child Learn How to Read in Just 3 Months or Less: We use video and audio to assess your child and monitor their progress with our leveled books. Your child will practice reading and listening with our fun and educational videos, songs, interactive e-books and worksheets. Using our proven system, your child can and will be reading children’s books at or above their age level in just 3 months or less!

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