Chapter 5:  Reading  Volume

The more practice children have reading, the more easily they can identify letters and words automatically, without dedicating much attention to the task.  This frees up their attention to focus on the natural breaks of language and text, and to think about the meaning of words and stories.  Books also provide children with opportunities to learn words that are not often used in conversation and about topics that may be new an unfamiliar.  For these reasons, frequent reading is important for vocabulary growth and the development of general knowledge, both skills that help older students succeed in many academic areas.

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