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1440
Invention of the Printing Press
Johannes Guttenberg invented the printing press, allowing books to be printed at a higher rate. This made books easily accessible to everyone, which in turn increased literacy. -
New England Primer Published
This book was published by Benjamin Harris and was the first reading primer designed in American colonies. The book used phonics to teach morality lessons involving good and evil. This is one of the first major books in the U.S. to teach reading and spelling using phonics. -
Lev Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory Published
Vygotsky emphasized the idea that language was the basis of learning and that this language is the root of culture. It is important for children to be proficient in language development so they can communicate within their environment to further develop. Without language, the children can't develop in literacy. -
Emergent Literacy Theory by Marie Clay
Emergent Literacy Theory states that children learn and create foundations from exposure to various literacy elements before they are actually taught the skills in school. Clay also adds that literacy development is largely due to their experinces at home and other environments. -
National Literacy Act Signed
This act was established the National Institute of Literacy and allowed officials to make grants to create adult literacy resource centers to improve literacy rates among adults. -
Every Student Succeeds Act Signed
This law provides funding for literacy programs in order to provide all students with a high-quality education. This law also requires yearly standardized testing to monitor the progress of students.