· Children who watch four or more hours of TV per day have poorer reading skills than their peers who watch less TV.

Impact Of Having Reading Materials In The Home

· Reading proficiency increases if the four types of reading materials (books, magazines, newspapers, and encyclopedias) are present in the home.

· States where homes have more reading materials generally have higher reading proficiency.

· One of the national poverty indicators is having less than 25 pieces of print material in the home.

Reading Proficiency And Prison Rates (Adult and Juvenile)

· Over 70% of adult prison inmates cannot read above a 4th grade level.

· 85% of children in the juvenile court system cannot read.

· When inmates learn to read, only 15% of them are ever arrested again.

Lack Of Reading Skills Affect Our:

· Healthcare  - low literacy averages $73 million per year in direct costs

· Delinquency and Violence

· Income & Employment - 75% of unemployed adults have reading and writing difficulties

Who Can Make A Difference??

YOU!!!

Every time you read to a child,

YOU are making a difference in their life!!!

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Sources:

National Center For Family Literacy

Family Literacy Centers, Inc.

“America’s Smallest School – the Family,” ETS, Princeton, NJ

Federal Interagency Forum on Child And Family Statistics—2002

Center For Media Education