ATLANTA — Literacy is the key to a solid educational foundation. This September, 11Alive is highlighting the importance of reading for National Literacy Month.
Jermal Riggins is the Director of Elementary Curriculum and Instruction for Atlanta Public Schools.
According to Riggins, when a child's first interactions with literacy are in testing, they can lose the connection to reading and it can become a turnoff. She also says a lack of exposure to reading can lead to anxiety.
However, she says that even just allowing young kids to follow along to a story with pictures sets a good foundation and prepares them to read for themselves.
"We always talk about literacy as being one of those things that are beyond a privilege. It is an absolute right that every child have a literate and choice-filled life," said Riggins. "One of the only ways that you can have a choice-filled life is to have preparation in your formative years for literacy that then prepares you for later on in life."
Riggins says when you hear about people comparing the success between different groups of students, you can often trace the differences to the student's access to books and literacy throughout their lives.
She says it can really make a difference in how children perform.
"If I'm doing it all of the time, you don't really think about the cognitive work that goes into reading and understanding a story, you honestly get used to doing that kind of work," Riggins said. "And so for kids who are used to reading and interacting with text and then answering questions about what they've read, that is a natural thing, so that when testing does come about a little later in their academic lives, it's easier."
You can help give our youngest students that ease and access, by joining in our 11Alive Book Drive, to benefit the nonprofit Children Read. The group provides books to low-income Pre-K students in DeKalb County and Atlanta Public Schools, along with Sheltering Arms and Head Start daycares.
11Alive invites the public to join the campaign to help collect books this month.
An Amazon wish list has been set up for this campaign. (Click here to see it.)
Additional options to drop off books for preschool children are available at the following locations:
- Children Read: 2936M N. Druid Hills Rd., Atlanta, GA 30329
- Tall Tales Book Shop: Toco Hill Shopping Center, 2105 Lavista Rd., Atlanta, GA 30329
- Greene's Fine Foods: 141 East Trinity Pl., Decatur, GA 30030
- Casseroles: 1393 N. Highland Ave., Atlanta, GA 30306
- Campbell Dental Group: 4840 Roswell Rd., Bldg. A, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30342
- Quinn Windows: 3910 Lawrenceville Hwy., Tucker, GA 30084
- Brave & Kind Books: 722 W. College Ave., Decatur, GA 30030
- Coffee Bar Atlanta: 1602 LaVista Rd., Atlanta, GA 30329