Let’s figure it out ----- mathematically!
The following is from the U.S Department of Education, America Reads Challenge, 1999
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Student A reads 20 minutes five nights every week.
Student B reads only 4 minutes a night or not at all.
Step 1: Multiply minutes a night x 5 times each week.
Student A reads 20 minutes x 5 = 100 minutes per week.
Student B reads 4 minutes x 5 = 20 minutes per week.
Step 2: Multiply minutes per week x 4 weeks per month.
Student A reads 400 minutes per month.
Student B reads 80 minutes per month.
Step 3: Multiply minutes per month x 9 months of the school year.
Student A reads 3,600 minutes in a school year.
Student B reads 720 minutes in a school year.
Student A practices reading the equivalent of ten whole school days a year.
Student B gets the equivalent of only two school days of reading practice.
By the end of 6th grade, if Student A and Student B maintain the same reading habits, Student A will have read the equivalent of 60 whole school days while Student B will have read the equivalent of 12 whole school days. One would expect the gap of information retained to have widened considerably and so, undoubtedly, will school performance.

The Defer staff knows that students become better readers when they read. Helping your child to get into the reading habit is one of the most important things you can do to support their growth as students.
Check with your child’s teacher if you are unsure of the home reading expectations and then – start reading!
