STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects are some of the most important, both for our children’s futures and for the future of our world. But what role does literacy, and advanced reading comprehension, play in such hard-nosed, number-based areas of instruction? Why would a STEM student need to be a good reader as well as, say, an expert mathematician?
For a start, reading comprehension helps with literally everything they do. When students are learning how to build something, conducting a science experiment, or drilling down into the code of a computer program, strong reading skills help them process and interpret text so they can better follow instructions and understand what to do. Better readers can do all this better: faster and more accurately, with more room for critical and creative thinking, because their reading comprehension ability means they don’t get bogged down in the difficulties of understanding how to do something, but instead can think about why they are and what they’re getting from it – as well as how they can go beyond what they’re doing and do it better.
Reading comprehension skills also help students decode and learn the complex and unfamiliar vocabulary words that might crop up in STEM subjects more quickly, and without them causing worry or anxiety when first encountered. As with all aspects of enhanced reading comprehension, this has flow-on effects for every aspect of a subject. A highly competent reader will be able to better apply new knowledge to action when tackling a project, and do so quickly and with ease, while others might struggle or have a harder time of it.
The twelve reading strategies that underpin CARS & STARS Online are primarily centred on helping readers not just to be able to read, but to be able to understand. As students progress through the lessons, they are repeatedly engaged with questions on these strategies that gauge how well they have understood the text they have read and require them to think critically about it – a vital component of STEM understanding.
CARS & STARS Online has been designed to ensure that tomorrow’s readers can engage critically and informedly with texts they read. From the simplest levels of the program to the most complex, CARS & STARS Online is all about emphasising understanding and the development of excellent reading comprehension skills. This works hand in hand with all aspects of STEM instruction to create not just better readers, but students who are better positioned to take on all subjects – be they STEM or anything else they put their minds to.
If you are interested in learning more about the CARS & STARS Online subscriptions and how they can help children to achieve better results, then sign up for a free trial to be an integral part of your child’s reading success.
