Building a World of Frequent Readers: How Can Teachers Encourage All Students to Read?

Literacy is a fundamental social skill. Moreover, it is part of the way in which humans construct identities and develop psychologically; literacy is an ability that contributes to the overall health of a child. But how can teachers instil the value of reading in all young readers? In this article, Thomas and Burke discern and discuss the primary findings of Scholastic's Kids and Family Reading Report; namely, to become frequent readers, children and young adults need access to a variety of books that represent their interests, freedom to choose which books to read, as well as encouragement and time to read. These conclusions corroborate findings from other studies in the field of literacy education and might seem obvious but, unfortunately, the literacy needs of many children are not met either at home or at school. Additionally, in this article they discuss why poor and minority youth are less likely to become frequent readers, and they provide practical advice for teachers ...