By Danielle Smith, Keystone State News Service<\/p>\n
Photo courtesy of\u00a0Aaron Burden<\/a>\u00a0on\u00a0Unsplash<\/a><\/p>\n March is National Reading Month, and this week is\u00a0Read Across America Week<\/a>, a nationwide celebration encouraging children to discover the joy of books and stories.<\/p>\n In Pennsylvania, schools and libraries across the state are holding special events designed to get kids excited about reading or listening to books read aloud.<\/p>\n Beth Phillips, a\u00a0professor of educational psychology and learning systems\u00a0at Florida State University, said the observance is closely associated with the birthday of Theodore Geisel, or Dr. Seuss.<\/p>\n \u201cThe first thing we want young children to understand is that books are worth caring about,\u201d she said, \u201cand Dr. Seuss figured that out. He figured out how to make books engaging and worthy of paying attention to.\u201d<\/p>\n In 2024, data from the\u00a0National Assessment of Educational Progress<\/a>\u00a0showed that 38% of Pennsylvania fourth graders performed below the basic level in reading.<\/p>\n This year\u2019s national theme is \u201cCreate and Celebrate a Nation of Diverse Readers.\u201d Students at McIntyre Elementary in Pittsburgh are taking part in\u00a0literacy activities<\/a>\u00a0that celebrate reading and showcase diverse voices and stories.<\/p>\n Phillips said literacy development starts from birth by talking with children and surrounding them with language, adding that it\u2019s also important to introduce them to books and the alphabet early on.<\/p>\n \u201cThe most important thing to be starting really early is building these children\u2019s very strong language skills,\u201d she said, \u201cand then, as they get a little older, focusing on introducing them to how print works and how books work, like the idea that it\u2019s the text that tells the story.\u201d<\/p>\n