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The Beginning of Literacy
Romans believed that only males should learn to read. It was also believed that exposure to literacy was not necessary before the age of 7. Quintilian, a Roman rhetorician, believed the opposite. Supporting the idea that children should have early access to literacy. -
Massachusetts Creates Literacy Laws
The state of Massachusetts created a law that required parents to teach their children, servants, and apprentices to read. The purpose of it was to ensure they could understand the principles of religion and the capital laws of the country. -
Massachusetts Implements more Literacy Laws
The state required all towns with more than 49 households to assign a citizen to teach the youth how to read and write. Along with this change towns with more than 99 households were required to establish a grammar school. -
Connecticut Created A Literacy Law
The law stated that all children must be able to read in the English language. -
John Locke
"Some Thoughts Concerning Education" mentioned Locke's ideas of early access to literacy. He believed that learning should occur in the home, as soon as the child can talk and walk. Most importantly, he insisted the teachings be playful. -
Jean-Jacques Rousseau Published "Emile"
His book discussed his beliefs about the ideal citizen and how they should be educated in order to survive a corrupt society. -
The Implementation of Compulsory Schooling
The state of Connecticut required families to put their children in schooling, making literacy the government's responsibility. -
Televised Literacy
Sesame Street began a literacy focused show for children of low-income homes. Creating a door for more mainstream literacy content on television. -
Federal Implementation of Early Reading First
A subpart of the No Child Left Behind Act provided funding for private and public organizations to use to create "preschools of excellence." -
Every Student Succeeds Act
President Obama signed the Every Student Succeeds Act, replacing the No Child Left Behind Act. This allowed for more state control over schools and the way that they were assessed for quality and achievement. Putting a heavier focus on literacy achievement. -
Works Cited
American Educational History: A Hypertext Timeline. (2020, August 17). Retrieved from www.eds-resources.com/educationhistorytimeline.html Cleek, A. V., & Schuele, M. (2010). Historical Perspectives on Literacy in Early Childhood. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 19, 341-355.
