Black children in America are in a reading crisis, and it’s getting worse.  In a 2022 national reading assessment, only 33% of all U.S. 4th and 8th graders scored at a competent reading level, and for Black students, that competency score dropped to 17%. These scores are lower than the last national reading assessment in 2019.   In the face of this crisis, how do we ensure our children can beat the odds and become good readers?  Carol dives into this important topic with early literacy expert Maya Smart. Maya’s new book, Reading for Our Lives: A Literary Action Plan from Birth to Six, is a practical guide to raising skilled, confident readers. In this episode Maya talks with Carol about how and why parents need to focus on reading from day one.   She explains the impact of engaging even the youngest children in conversation, and offers a detailed action plan to help young children get reading ready.  She and Carol also talk about the importance of proper parent-teacher communication about your child’s reading progress, and steps to take if your child is falling behind. Listen to this conversation to gain the skills you need to raise strong readers.    Follow us at @GroundControlParenting and on groundcontrolparenting.com 

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