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1440
The Printing Press
In 1440, the first Printing Press was invented by Johannes Gutenberg in Europe. This invention was important to literacy because it allowed for information to be communicated in a quick fashion through the use of reading and writing. Without this invention, media sources that teach literacy skills such as books, magazines, and newspapers would not be widely available (Foley, 2019). -
"Learning to Read: The Great Debate" by Jeanne Chall
The publishing of this book is an influential development in literacy education because it introduced the importance of direct instruction in phonics for students in schools. -
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Stephen Krashen Develops the Theory of Second Language Acquisition
Stephen Krashen created the theory of Second Language Acquisition. This theory states that formal instruction is not the best method when learning a language. Instead, she supports that to successfully learn a new language, the person learning should immerse themselves in an environment where they are able to consistently practice and interact with the language (The Inspiring Impact of Krashen’s Theory of Second Language Acquisition: 5 Key Hypothesis, 2023). -
Danny Taylor and "Family Literacy"
Danny Taylor introduced the term, "Family Literacy". She believed that literacy should be introduced and taught in homes and communities. She wanted to educate families and communities on literacy and language skill development. To do this, she started numerous programs and held events for families to attend. Some examples of these are Family Literacy Nights in schools or the Parent-Child Mother Goose program in Canada (Family Literacy | Encyclopedia.com, n.d.). -
The National Literacy Act of 1991
This act aimed to help improve the literacy levels of adults. It created the National Institute for Literacy. This Institute helped to provide opportunities for family and adult literacy programs (National Literacy Act of 1991. Report to Accompany H.R. 751. Including Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office. House of Representatives, 102d Congress, 1st Session., 1991). -
South Carolina's Read to Succeed Act
This law requires teachers to give reading instruction and intervention that is evidence-based. It also requires that students with reading difficulties are identified as early as they possible can identify them. Parents must also be updated on their child's progress in reading and literacy development. Teachers must also receive trainings to be able to achieve these goals. A third-grade retention policy is also presented by this law (Schwartz, 2022).