Texas Reading Initiative In January 1996, governor George bush announced his reading initiative for the state of Texas. The Governor's goal is for all children to read on grade level by the end of Grade 3 and continue to read on grade level throughout their schooling. Reading is central to a child's experiences in school. How well children learn to read sets the foundation for future success. Our reading program is designed around the 12 essential components of research-based programs for Beginning Reading Instruction. Children have opportunities to expand their use and appreciation of spoken language. Children have opportunities to expand their use and appreciation of printed language. Children have opportunities to hear good stories and informational books read alound daily. Children have opportunities to understand and use the building blocks of spoken language. Children have opportunities to learn about and use the building blocks of written language. Children have opportunities to learn the relationship between the sounds of spoken language and the letters of written language. Children have opportunities to learn decoding strategies. Children have opportunities to write and relate their writing to spelling and reading. Children have opportunities to practice accurate and fluent reading in decodable stories. Children have opportunities to read and comprehend a wide assortment of books and other texts Children have opportunities to develop and comprehend new vocabulary through wide reading and direct vocabulary instructions. Children have opportunities to learn and apply comprehension strategies as they reflect upon and think critically about what they read.

Reading Information

Your child's success as learners rests on their ability to read will. Learning to read is a process that takes thime and effort. At first, children hear stories and poems, learn the alphabet, understand how speech and print go together, and learn that printed words mean something. After much practice, children soon read and understand many books and stories. In their growth as readers, children move from "learning to read" in the early grades to "reading to learn" in the upper elementary grades and beyond.

You are your children's first and most influential teacher. Teaching and learning happen when you and your young children do simple, fun things at home. Reading books with your children for just a few minutes each day can make a big difference in how easily and how well they learn to read. Trips to a grocery store or a shopping mall can be used to help your children understand why we have print andhow we use it.

All learning activities should be enjoyable. At no time should your children be made to feel pressured or discouraged. If an activity is not going well, stop it and try again later. Working with your children in a positive manner can build their interest in reading.

• Enjoy reading even when texts are challenging.
• Be successful even when texts are challenging.
• Have opportunities to problem-solve while reading.
• Read for meaning even when they must do some problem solving.
• Learn strategies they can apply to their reading of other texts.
• Use their strengths.
• Have their active problem solving confirmed.
• Use what they know to get to what they do not yet know.
• Talk about and respond to what they read.
• Expand their knowledge and understanding through reading.
• Make connections between texts they have read and between their own world knowledge and reading.