Many people are searching for the solution to the literacy gap amongst urban students. In order to provide a resolution that will endure throughout generations, parents must establish a sturdy foundation. The foundational ages are vital to student development and should be nurtured throughout early childhood. There are several successful methods to creating a solid academic foundation which includes limiting electronics, purchasing picture and chapter books, and spending time reading together.

                Presently, students spend over 6 hours a day engrossed in technology such as the internet, text and instant messaging, downloading songs, listening to mp3 players, watching televisions, and playing video games. Constant exposure to such outlets is alarming to education professionals because student thought processes are being altered and they fear student development may be at risk. Developmental hiccups are even more severe during the early stages of learning. Toddlers use their environment as a learning ground. They develop behavioral patterns, speech capabilities, vocabulary, and personal interest based upon their surroundings. As a means of furthering development, exposure to electronic devices should be limited. More specifically, television, non-educational video games, and lyrics that are not conducive to learning should be limited. This is not to say that SpongeBob and Grand Theft Auto are evil, but during the learning stages digital outlets need to possess meaning to ensure that development is not halted. Consider educational programs featured on the old faithful PBS, educational board, card, recognition, and sound games, and songs that teach essential elements of vocabulary, rhetoric, and concepts that are the foundation for growth.

            As an urban educator, I frequently inquire about student reading practices as a teenager and previously as a child. Majority of these students gripe, mumble, and verbally complain about the need to read, and this occurrence always leads me to the same question; did you have a reading relationship as a child? Many students quickly admit that they did not and still do not read at home. These students are typically two years from adulthood and possess significant reading deficiencies that have the potential to limit their opportunities. Working towards remediation is great, but preventing this reality should be the goal of each parent.  Children need to develop a relationship with reading from the time they can walk. Picture books that feature colors, shapes, common objects, alphabets, and etcetera are Lego blocks for success. Children soak up the information presented within the books through simple perusal, but even more so when reading takes place as a team. Going through the books with your child can be considered their first academic lessons and you are the teacher. As time progresses and longer stories are introduced, reading to your child will stimulate their interest, teach them how to pronounce words, recognize objects, settings, and plot before they enter school. Continuing “reading dates” throughout elementary and middle school will provide meaningful information about your child’s literacy needs and progress.

            Developing a reading relationship during the early stages of childhood will aid in decreasing the literacy gap in the long run. Children who read often are strong students in all of their classes and are more likely to perform successfully on each classroom activity. Educators should be a child’s secondary teacher because parents are the first line of defense for literacy success.