reading

On average, children take two to three years to learn to decode English. It is the most difficult alphabetic writing system in the world to master. In Finland, where there are no exceptions, each letter always stands for the same sound and children take only a few months to learn to decode. Like a muscle, the brain grows with practice. Brem (2010) showed that the visual word form area in the human brain begins to appear in the brain scans of non-readers after as little as five hours of training in decoding.  A number of brain regions are involved in reading and comprehension.

This section gives a brief history and overview of the key programmes used in Primary schools to promote reading.

National Literacy Strategy (1997+)

‘He that loves reading has everything within his reach’ —William Godwin

Reading is a complex cognitive skill that involves the extraction of meaning from printed or written text. It changes lives. Its transforming power is seen in promoting health and well-being. It builds creativity and imaginative skills. It promotes empathy and understanding. It makes a significant contribution to pupil attainment and closing the gap, especially for disadvantaged learners. It allows access to the whole curriculum and learning in Primary schools and remains one of life’s joys.

This MESHGuide has been designed to provide evidence on effective use of digital books with early years and primary school-aged children.