Specific types of educational experiences provided for children by both parents and educators, from preschool through high school, can make a significant difference in children’s reading ability as young adults. Two national studies have recently confirmed the particular home, school, and extracurricular experiences that positively affect an individual's reading achievement throughout their educational experiences.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLING EXPERIENCES

In regard to elementary schooling experiences in general, the RDF Study (Siegel, 1987; 1990) found that those students who took grade level classes and avoided remedial classes and/or repeating grades, had higher achievement levels than those who did not.

Those students who spent more time in writing stories or papers, doing math problems, reading books, doing science projects, and/or working on spelling and language lessons had good school attendance records and high levels of reading achievement.

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT AND SUPPORT

Specific experiences provided by parents, at every grade level were clearly related to adult literacy levels. Results indicated that if parents expect their children to become literate adults, then they must provide guidelines for their behavior and encourage participation in reading and reading related activities, at least through high school.

For example, having house rules, chores, a consistent homework schedule, providing various types of literature in the house, and taking their child to the library or bookstore, museum, and educational outings, were all shown to contribute to the level of a student's high school reading achievement. Moreover, parental expectations in regard to students' educational successes are extremely important.

     Clearly, your child’s academic experiences and home life play a crucial role in future reading comprehension skills.