Can reading be the #1 predictor of academic success?

First and Foremost,

Reading is the #1 predictor of academic success.

Students NEED to READ!

Consider this my DISCLAIMER…

I am NOT  A  College Professor.

I do NOT have a MASTERS ( or above ) 

in ANYTHING!

I am just a teacher.

A first-grade teacher.

A first-grade reading teacher.

A Veteran (27yrs ), a first-grade teacher,

in a TITLE 1 SCHOOL!

I have seen a LOT! Done a LOT!

Students NEED to READ!

Hear me ROAR!!!!!

 So, I repeat.

I am a teacher. I teach reading.

circle of students looking at books

(Aren’t they cute????)

I have been through:

Whole Language

Environmental Print

Interactive Writing

Phonemic Awareness

Leveled Readers ( DRA, GSP, AR, Lexile)

Phonics

Words Their Way

HFW

Sight Words

High-Interest Reading Books

SIPPS

Read Naturally

Daily 5

And 

A MULTITUDE OF PUBLISHER’S CURRICULUM!

New sets every 7 years!

Next, having said this…

1 thing most curricula have in common :

Students NEED to READ!

READ A LOT!

And then…READ SOME MORE!

Young girl reading a book

So …

My little sisters…

YES…both of my LITTLE SISTERS  are 

PRIMARY TEACHERS!

We were discussing school.

Yes… we do that!

 We are trying to WRAP our minds around the

“READ…READ…READ more”

and they will 

“GET IT!”  (way of thinking.)

happy baby

Well, maybe

I  LOVE reading with kiddos!

See my post here about the

 GUIDED READING TABLE!

But then my concern is…

When I “release” them to read,

When I want them to become INDEPENDENT readers,

Where do they “learn” the skills to use when they “get stuck”?

Will they use strategies, when they don’t know what’s happening?

When a story isn’t making sense…do they keep reading?

If they keep reading…

Will all the skills and strategies come TOGETHER?

Students NEED to READ!

At a recent PD, my little sis said she understood the 

READ, READ, READ philosophy.

Integrate science, social studies, math, technology

INTO  literacy!

YES!

Writing and Reading
COMPLIMENT  and Coexist
WITH  each other!

You can’t have one without the other!

Students NEED to READ!

BUT…

-Me  SPEAKING-

on my soapbox

There needs to be a BALANCE of:

Skills & Strategies

in conjunction with independent reading & writing!

THERE!

I said IT!

Reading & Writing SKILLS:

Letter Sounds

Blends

Vowels

Word Families

Chunks

Grammar

Punctuation

High-Frequency Words

Capitalization

Handwriting

and MORE!

Comprehension

Questioning

Summarizing

etc, etc, etc…

(I sound like my Education College Professors!)

I was listening!

ALL of these “lessons” MUST be taught

IN CONJUNCTION with 

Reading & Writing!

Yes…To be a better reader…

Students NEED to READ!

BUT…to be a better reader who UNDERSTANDS…

You must have skills and strategies  to use

WHEN  you read and write!

NOW…CAUTION!!!

baby with glasses

Unless you are teaching ADULTS in a COLLEGE CLASS…

A 40-minute LECTURE on diagramming sentences

IS NOT…I REPEAT…

NOT

the way to do it!

If you WANT to spend 40 minutes discussing grammar…

CHUNK IT!

Read a little.

Discuss it.

Let it soak in.

And do it again. And again. and again!

READ!

Do 2-3 MINILESSONS over a few days…

Let it SINK IN!

Show  kiddos:

  What it looks like.

Where to find it.

How to use it.

Why we use it.

When to ask for help.

Kinder-Grade 1-Grade 2 teachers…

UNITE!

Mini-Lessons with a WORKSHOP!

Use SMALL Groups for STRATEGY & Skill Groups!

Let kiddos have a chance to PRACTICE

what YOU have taught them!

Let it SINK IN!

And Then…

Students NEED to READ!

and 

READ!

and

READ!

and then

WRITE…and write, some more!

2 kids reading books

readl to self

independent reading

small group reading

Skills, Strategies, Reading, Writing

They will become “BETTER”…

and isn’t that what we ALL want to be?

BETTER!

Need some HELP?

My friend, Alison, at 

Learning at The Primary Pond

 

Button from Learning at The Primary Pond

learningattheprimarypond.com

has a great post about

What Does Reading Workshop Look Like In The Primary Grades?

what does reading workshop loolk like in the primary grades?

Here are some “HELPERS” for YOU!

go to: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/1stgradefireworks

Click HERE for more reading & writing products!

   

  

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12 thoughts on “Can reading be the #1 predictor of academic success?

  1. Mascha

    I totally agree with you! I used to read a lot and it helped me with spelling etc. more than I realised at the time…
    My son (7) loves me reading to him, but he doesn’t like reading at all… maybe you have a tip for me?

  2. 1stgradefireworks Post author

    Ask him about themes he likes. Sports, comic books, dinosaurs, etc. Find books ( library, scholastic books, etc) in his theme. MOST IMPORTANT…talk about the content after you read together, Reading is commnicating. Instill the LOVE for reading with him.

  3. KassyGolden

    I’m going to make my 8 year old little lady read this post. 🙂 VERY IMPORTANT! She came a long way this year..

  4. Momo C.

    Yes! I read a lot growing up and even built my own library. I find it hard trying to get my nieces and nephews to read nowadays, though.

    Momo C. | Herpetitecloset.com

  5. LepresLearningLog

    As a middle school teacher, I can tell you that reading affects EVERY SUBJECT, which makes it even that much more crucial! Thank you for this reminder about the importance of reading!

  6. Tara

    I love using reading workshop in my classroom. Since we implemented it two years ago, my students have been reading so many books and applying strategies on their own. Strategy groups and conferences really allow me to meet the needs of all my students.

  7. inspiredtoliveandlearn

    I love your tone of voice! You had me laughing throughout your post. Aside from that, I think every parent need to read this post. I feel like they are so quick to question why their child can’t read in kindergarten. Well, your post is their answer!!!

  8. Brooklyn

    I could not agree more with the importance of emphasizing foundational literacy skills across the content areas. Well said!

  9. Rachel Davidson

    As a first grade teacher, I agree with you 100%. Reading is the key to success, but there are so many levels of reading that you must teach in order for students to be successful.

  10. sciencewithstephanie1

    I have to agree with the importance of reading. I’m currently trying to find more ways to incorporate reading in secondary science lessons.

  11. amazingmaterials4you

    This is absolutely true! I have taught preschool, K, 1st, 3rd, and 5th. By the time students get to fifth grade, there is a HUGE chasm between the good readers and the struggling readers. It’s really sad, The ones who struggle are so ashamed. Also, NO ONE is “just a teacher”! You’re amazing and first grade teachers ROCK. It was not my cup of tea. I’m thrilled that there are teachers who love it!

Leave me some LOVE! :)

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