[img_caption src=”https://www.erikson.edu/wp-content/uploads/Bowman-Barbara-175×152.jpg” link=”https://www.erikson.edu/about/directory/barbara-bowman/” align=”right” caption=”Barbara Bowman” alt=”Photo: Barbara Bowman”]Professor Barbara Bowman talked to Education Week about a new focus on how soon children should be expected to “read to learn” — that is, draw information from text.
According to the article, a shift from “learning to read” in third grade to “reading to learn” in fourth grade may not be as clear-cut as traditionally thought. Children in fifth grade and beyond still show evidence of processing words differently than adults.
The concept of children continuing to develop reading skills through elementary school potentially has major implications. The Common Core State Standards call for students to begin drawing information from text as early as kindergarten. The concept also calls into question the policy of retaining third-grade students who struggle to read.
Bowman says the pressure for students to master literacy sooner is likely to increase as common standards increase the rigor of early grades.
EDUCATION WEEK: Should 3rd Grade Be the Pivot Point for Early Reading?
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