The story is told of Jose who applied to be a janitor at a local grocery store. During the interview, the manager discovered he couldn’t read—a requirement for all employees at the store. Reluctantly, the man was sent away. But as a consolation, the manager gave him a box of oranges.
Jose was thankful for the fruit—but it wasn’t a job, and wouldn’t help him pay his bills. And he couldn’t eat all the oranges. So he sat at a busy intersection, and soon sold all of them. That was the beginning of Jose’s fruit business and soon a stand. Over the years, Jose opened five fresh fruit markets.
A friend, commenting on his success said, “Jose, you have done very well in business. Just think of where you would be if you also knew how to read!!”
“Yes,” Jose responded, “I would be a janitor at the grocery store.”
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Of course—it is just a made up story. But in real life, poor readers do have a hard time getting a job, and an even harder time succeeding in business. Reading and writing are important for “employability”—basic skills necessary for getting, keeping and doing well in a job. Reading with good comprehension and writing well are essential for moving up in any organization or building your own business.
Reading and writing are also important for success in school. This is why each student must have a good foundation in reading. When students struggle with reading, they will struggle and get behind in other subjects and likely become discouraged.
The Workplace newsletter gives a good summary on the need for academic skills at work:
“Although the academic skill level required by some entry-level jobs may be low, basic academic skills are still essential for high job performance. Ideally, new hires will have the ability and will want to learn. They also need the ability to listen to and read instructions and then to carry out those instructions. When asked for information, these individuals should be able to respond appropriately both orally and in writing, including recording and relaying information. Reading ability includes comprehending what has been read and using a variety of written materials, including graphs, charts, tables and displays. Entry level employees also need the ability to complete basic math computations accurately.”
Now is the time to give your student the reading advantage he or she needs. When a student learns to read well early, their reading skill will continue to improve over time. When an older student is struggling, learning to read better is a tool and an encouragement to do better in every subject.