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The Keys to Effective Literacy Education

Learn about the scope and impact of literacy education in the U.S. and get helpful strategies to improve PreK-12 language arts teaching.

Sadly, 32 million adults across the country are illiterate and millions more children in school struggle to meet grade-level expectations in reading. Today, American children face a future where proficient literacy abilities are all but essential for a productive and fulfilling life and career.

At McGraw-Hill we believe that literacy is a critical skill for lifelong learning. 

We’ve gathered key statistics from prominent educational research organizations to create an interactive quiz to help illustrate the importance of literacy education from early childhood through adulthood.

Click “Start” below to test your knowledge of literacy in America, and then download our free Literacy is for Life eBook full of research and best practices for teachers and parents.

Download our free eBook, Literacy is for Life: Seven Attributes of a High-Impact Literacy Curriculum Strategy to learn about the “7 Rs” of effective literacy education.

Download Literacy eBook

Here are the information sources and research organizations we referenced to create the questions in this quiz and inform our Literacy is for Life eBook recommendations:

Question 1: National Center for Education Statistics | The Condition of Education, 2016

Question 2: National Assessment of Educational Progress | The Nation’s Report Card, 2015

Question 3: National Center for Education Statistics | The Condition of Education, 2009

Question 4: National Center for Education Statistics | The Condition of Education, 2016: English Language Learners in U.S. Public Schools

Question 5: National Center for Education Statistics | The Condition of Education, 2016: English Language Learners in U.S. Public Schools

Question 6: National Assessment of Educational Progress | The Nation’s Report Card, 2015

Question 7: Annie E. Casey Foundation | How Third Grade Reading Skills and Poverty Affect High School Graduation (2012)

The data from these organizations highlight the importance of equipping language arts teachers with practical tools, strategies, and content for the classroom.

Visit our PreK-12 literacy page on mheducation.com to learn about our solutions and resources for improving literacy learning outcomes from early childhood through high school.