Giving Literacy a Shot in the Arm

Abstract

In the U.S., fewer than half of young children (aged birth to 5 years) are read to daily. Low-income and minority children are significantly less likely to be read to daily than non-minority children and children who live in higher-income households.1 This gap is associ ated with gaps in school readiness and achievement. Reach Out and Read is a model that promotes early development and literacy through pediatric primary care so that children enter school ready to learn. Doctors implementing Reach Out and Read give new books to very young children aged 6 months through 5 years. During well-child checkups, they also incorpo rate advice to parents about the importance and joy of reading aloud to children. Focusing on children growing up in low-income households, Reach Out and Read builds on the unique relationship between pediatricians and parents to encourage daily book sharing activities. Reach Out and Read has been shown to increase parent/child book-sharing activities and has a posi tive effect on child-centered literacy orientation in the home.2-4 Similar results have also been found in