I was a guest reader for my classroom at work for Florida Literacy Week back in January 2022!
Did you know this week was Read Across America week?
Read across America read is celebrated by having students enjoy time to read their favorite books. In Florida, the state had its own literacy week dedicated to celebrating the joys of reading back in January of this year. No matter which state you live in, the country knows that reading is important for everyone.
In fact, reading is beneficial for peoples' overall success in life, including people with disabilities. People are provided with background knowledge of the world through reading, which helps increase cognitive development. People connect their own lives with the characters and events in stories. Reading daily helps people increase various skills, from communication to social skills. By helping people read early on in life, it prepares them for academic success. These are the five skills essential for peoples' overall development in life:
Phonemic awareness- being able to hear and identify spoken words.
Phonics- connect letters of written and spoken words.
Vocabulary- words needed to communicate effectively with others.
Reading comprehension- ability to understand and know the meaning from stories read.
Fluency- being able to read quickly and accurately.
Importance Of Reading
The importance of reading is essential for lifelong education. These benefits mentioned will be carried on for peoples' entire lives. Here are some ways to get students/children with disabilities to enjoy reading:
Develop a special bond with your student or child by reading with them on a regular basis in their favorite place.
Schedule a time to read daily with the student or child.
Do some research about books the student or child may be interested in.
Go on a field trip to the library or bookstore with your student or child to help them find books they would love to read.
Help your student or child create a list of books they will read, so they can set a goal to read all of the books on the list.
Keep it fun!
Do you enjoy reading? Why does reading matter to you? Share your thoughts on the importance of reading in the comments section.