News

July 30, 2018 Academics

Sioux City Schools introduces child literacy information campaign

The Sioux City School District says fewer than two in every five Sioux City preschoolers are academically ready for pre-k. That’s a number that preschools can’t raise on their own, so the school district is introducing something called “Prime Age to Engage.” it’s a program designed to encourage parents to become more involved in their child’s education from the time they’re born.

Experts say 80% of a child’s brain is developed by the time they’re three years old. That jumps to 95% by the time they’re six. Many parents don’t take advantage of this highly developmental time in their child’s life.

The program says the four ways to introduce language to your before preschool-aged child is talk, play, read, and sing. These four methods combined will present a child with more opportunity to learn before they enter school.

“People in our community know that it’s important to read to your children and to talk to them,” said volunteer Christie Finnegan. “But they really don’t know how much of the brain development occurs by age three, eighty percent.”

Introducing children to language, early, prepares them for school and beyond.

View the full story from KCAU
by Jacob Russo