Reading to Learn and Learning to Read: Two Sides of the Same Coin

The ability to read, and more importantly, comprehend what is read, is absolutely essential to life-long learning. Therefore, learning to read during childhood has a huge impact on both childhood and adult reading to learn—reading in order to better understand subject- or topic-specific content. But can they both be done at the same time? The research indicates that they can, and that the process should begin in early childhood.

Whether you call it contextualized, place-based, or situational...

...learning within a specific setting, subject area, event, or environment provides a framework for connecting prior learning to new learning, according to the National Reading Panel (2000). Reading books about a specific subject area provides context for young children to build on in the future, a foundation on which to construct more advanced, abstract concepts.

At the same time that young children are reading to learn, or listening as you read to them, it is helpful to reinforce early literacy skills essential for learning to read. Making a point of promoting alphabetics, fluency, and comprehension assists young children in making essential progress toward the ultimate goal of becoming life-long learners.

For instance, "no" is the wrong answer to teachers' eternal question...

"But do we have to spell (write, read, etc.) in here? This is math class!" It is becoming increasingly clear that children must be able to transfer and apply skills and concepts across multiple content areas, and reading forms a major link in that process. A case in point is the standardized assessments prompted by NCLB (No Child Left Behind) in many subject areas. These tests require comprehension of written materials regardless of the subject area being assessed. On statewide math tests, for example, children as young as 3rd grade must not only comprehend mathematical functions and notations when written in words, they must also be able to take the written word and transform it into a mathematical sentence or sentences. Without adequate reading abilities, how can they comprehend—let alone analyze—written items well enough to think mathematically about them? To read about some of the comprehension skills required and find out how certain states are handling this, go to Designed Instruction's brief Exploratory Report - It's Math! It's Reading! No, It's SuperTest!

Fortunately, there is much evidence in the NRP report that supports formal teaching of comprehension strategies in content areas such as math. Recommendations in U.S. voluntary national standards, such as Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (NCTM, 2000), are similarly supportive. So in addition to reading books about math to learn about math concepts, parents and teachers should purposefully teach comprehension strategies and support these from the early ages onward by helping young children learn vocabulary and begin to develop fluency and phonemic awareness (PA). In light of this, the PreKorner™ early childhood learning specialists have assembled (see below) numerous suggestions for using excellent children's literature to help young children not only read to learn about math concepts, but also to reinforce their early literacy toolkit, thus making them better able to learn to read.

Get the PreKorner™ Child Activity Series - Integrating Mathematics and Literacy, or check out the free html sample.

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. (2000). Principles and standards for school mathematics. Reston, VA: NCTM.

National Reading Panel. (2000). Report of the National Reading Panel - Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction. Rockville, MD: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.