Reading Facts
Literacy Statistics 2024- 2025 (Where we are now):​
The capacity to read and write, commonly known as literacy, stands out as a pivotal determinant in shaping an individual's career trajectory. Individuals with literacy skills have access to a broad spectrum of career possibilities, including highly skilled and well-paying positions. Conversely, those lacking literacy face severely restricted options, with even entry-level, low-skilled jobs posing challenges to secure.
(The National Literacy Institute)
Why Does My Child Have to Read 20 Minutes Per Night After Being in School All Day?
Reading 20 minutes per day has been shown to have many positive benefits. Did you know…?
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Children who read 20 minutes a day/5 days a week are exposed to 1.8 million words in one school year. Compare this to students who read 5 minutes per day – they will be exposed to 282,000 words per school year.
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Reading helps foster empathy – a child experiences “walking in someone else’s shoes.”
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Children are exposed to different ideas and cultures.
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Reading also improves critical thinking.
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Reading increases knowledge of correct syntax and grammar, along with robust vocabulary knowledge, resulting in improved writing skills.
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Students who read 20 minutes per day score significantly higher on standardized tests of reading.
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Reading with your child, or having them read independently before bed, can help them to relax and wind down from their day.
(Alissa Talamo, PhD — Pediatric Neuropsychologist, NESCA​)
Struggling Readers
Types of Reading Disability
Researchers have identified three kinds of developmental reading disabilities that often overlap but that can be separate and distinct: (1) phonological deficit, (2) processing speed/orthographic processing deficit, and (3) comprehension deficit.​
(Louisa Moats, Carol Tolman — Reading Rockets Launching Young Readers)
10 Minutes of Reading a Night Can Change Your Child's Life
Kids who read regularly form identities as readers and they generally have a better relationship with the books (and other genres) that they read. Inexperienced readers almost unilaterally identify reading as a chore, something they have to do to please demanding parents or teachers. And, guess what? They do as little as possible. It turns out that kids who dislike reading may read less than 2 minutes a night on their own while kids who enjoy reading may read for 10-20 minutes a night, and that makes a huge difference. On average, reading 10 minutes a night equates to roughly 1 million more words a year! So a kid who reads an additional 20 minutes a night will read 20 million more words between kindergarten and high school than a kid who hates reading.
(Dr. Ernest Morrell & Dr. Jodene Morrell)