At Unite for Literacy, we picture a world where all families have access to and read an abundance of books that celebrate their language and culture. We want them to create a daily family routine of shared reading. We invite you to explore and share this collection of blogs and articles that expand on our vision, and represent some of the best thinking and a lifetime of work by our founders—Mark W.F. Condon and Mike McGuffee.
Supporting a new reader is one of life’s greatest opportunities for personal or professional success. Before you know it, new readers will be finding their own books and joyfully reading them.
Getting children who can read, but don’t, to become children who can read and do is challenging, but not impossible.
The key to growing avid readers is to provide new readers with ready access to abundant, relevant, potentially enjoyable books, and then offering encouragement, conversation about the book, and guidance about next steps.
Literacy instruction changes have been cued by National Assessment for Educational Progress test results, however, that doesn’t seem to have improved subsequent test scores or enhanced children's engagements with books. Perhaps we can apply what we know about the habits of avid and capable readers to grow avid readers.
