Reading is a lifelong skill that requires repeated practice at a young age, and becomes part of people’s everyday lives as they get older. Reading can be powerful in many ways and people encounter countless reading opportunities throughout each day. Reading allows people to learn and absorb information about their interests and hobbies, communicate with others, and become an active member of society. It is a key factor in understanding all subject areas. Schools aid in building a solid foundation for children to become solid readers.

         As students enter school, the classrooms are filled with a wide range of reading skills. Some students have a passion for reading, and some have not been exposed to a lot of reading. To be an effective teacher, it is important to know and understand that there are students who struggle with reading skills. This could be because they have not been highly exposed prior to school, or that they need additional support due to a disability. These students tend to be academically lower than their peers, and require years of support in order to meet standard expectations. In order for those students to strive to be a strong reader, teachers are expected to meet their individual needs by providing more direct and explicit skills. When children apply the appropriate techniques that match their reading needs, they become more independent and require less educational support.

         One essential component of reading that must be explicitly taught in schools is fluency. Fluency is a skill that is learned at a young age and is gradually developed through practice over the years. By becoming fluent readers, students will be strong readers in the classroom and gain the skills necessary for success in their future.

         In order for students to become strong and fluent readers, schools provide multiple opportunities to learn and master the skills that are needed through modeling and practice. This can be done through reading a book by themselves or listening to someone else read a story. Both exposures help strengthen student growth. One way for students to gain additional practice with these skills outside of school is through at home literacy support.