Common Sense Media Review
By JK Sooja
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Effective warning in inspiring docu about kids' literacy.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Right to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In THE RIGHT TO READ, Kareem Weaver works to better the nation's education methods of teaching children how to read. With many states, districts, and schools falling behind with historically-low reading proficiency levels, it's imperative that effective, scientifically-backed, and research-based pedagogies and curricula be used instead of decades of "whole language" methods that are simply not effective. The kids, teachers, schools, districts, and states who have gotten rid of "balanced literacy" type methods have seen immediate benefits.
Is It Any Good?
Quick and to the point, this documentary highlights an important educational issue facing children, parents, families, teachers, and educators. Thankfully, The Right to Read also emphasizes the solution for it. Unlike many good documentaries that just talk about a serious problem without pointing to any progress on solving the problem, this documentary at least gives the viewer hope. After establishing the stakes of literacy and education for all and after establishing how the U.S. is failing its children (at least over the last 30 years, since 1992) when it comes to teaching them how to read, clear and solid evidence and examples show how we can turn everything around. Various states have reacted similarly to the decades-long low scores of NAEP that shows, for example, that 2/3 of 4th graders aren't reading at proficiency for their grade level and that 1/3 of 4th graders can't even read at a basic level. Statistics get worse for certain racial groups, socioeconomic groups, and other factors.
But again, all studies that have tried research-backed teaching methods have seen immediate benefits. The film is smart to present literacy in the context of actual families with young children learning to read. Alongside the statistics and positive examples of places that are getting things right, viewers also get to see kids at home and in the classroom literally learning how to read the right way, in the moment.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the value of education. How does The Right to Read talk about the "right to literacy" and the power of knowing how to read?
How do characters show communication and compassion? How do they show perseverance and teamwork? How do kids learning how to read show these traits as well?
Why is it so important to start early when learning how to read? Why is it so important to know how to read?
How does what happened with Ms. Causey, her class, and students show the importance of listening to research and science?
Why do you think Kareem Weaver places so much emphasis on literacy being a historical right and significant piece of achieving "freedom," as he calls it?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: June 19, 2024
- Studio: Roco Films
- Genre: Documentary
- Topics: Activism , Numbers and Letters
- Character Strengths: Communication , Compassion , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Run time: 70 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: August 11, 2024
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