Early intervention is critical. Children who need additional support for early language and literacy development should receive it as early as possible. Pediatricians, social workers, speech language therapists, and other preschool practitioners need research-based guidelines and information to assist them to be alert for signs that children are having difficulty acquiring early language and literacy skills. Reading outside the classroom enhances learning inside the classroom. The report recommends that schools promote independent reading outside school by assigning daily at-home reading and summer reading lists, encouraging parent involvement, and working with community groups, including public librarians.
Children learn to read a language more easily when they can speak it first.
The 400-page report was commissioned by the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The panel that produced it was led by Catherine Snow of Harvard University.