Science, and being a scientist, is not much like it looks on TV. There’s all the worry about getting funding to do anything, for a start. But if you think being an actual scientist is all about hands-on activities and experiments then you might be in for a bit of a shock.
One of the most important skills a scientist needs is the ability to read, and to read well. One study found that scientists and engineers spend over half of their working time reading, interpreting and producing text. This makes high levels of reading comprehension imperative to the continuation of science as a discipline, not to mention as a profession.
Without research, there is no science. But without communication – the ability to explain discoveries to others, or even to articulate just what one is looking into and why they should be allowed to continue it – research would grind to a halt.
The importance of reading – and reading comprehension – is high at all levels. 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 (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) 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 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.
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.
