Learning to Read, Reading to Learn: Why third-grade is a pivotal year for mastering literacy

The young children who enter your classrooms each year are eager for new knowledge and new experiences. They live in a world of words— sung, spoken, written, displayed on signs and screens, words of power and meaning that they are keen to grasp. The children’s needs are many: for safety, good food and health, affection, confidence, and all the care their families and teachers can provide. But their most important academic challenge is learning to read. A White Paper by the Center For Public Education with the Black Council Of School Board Members, Hispanic Council Of School Board Members, National Caucus Of American Indian/Alaska Native School Board Members and Council Of Urban Boards Of Education