James_September-October_2026_web - Flipbook - Page 39
E D UCAT I O N
BY D AY L E B U R N S
T
his year Georgia
made history with
the passage of the
Georgia Early Literacy Act of 2026, which
is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the future of literacy in our state. This landmark legislation will place a literacy coach
in every K–3 elementary school,
strengthen teacher preparation and
reshape the way we teach literacy
through the science of reading.
While this legislation marks a
significant step forward, it is only
the beginning. If we truly want to
transform literacy in Georgia, we
must recognize that the work begins long before a child ever enters
a classroom.
Ninety percent of a child’s brain
development occurs from birth
to age five. To become a national
leader in literacy and education,
Georgia’s greatest opportunity isn’t
in the four walls of a classroom. It’s
in homes, hospitals, communities,
churches, and businesses across
the state during the earliest years
of childhood development.
Every August, kindergarten
teachers across Georgia welcome
classrooms full of eager five-yearolds. Some children arrive ready to
listen, follow directions, and soak
up every new word they hear. But
too many walk through those same
doors with limited vocabularies,
little experience being read to and
few of the foundational skills they
need to be successful.
During my years as an elementary principal, I estimated that
nearly 60 percent of incoming kindergarteners arrived without the
language and basic behavior skills
needed to succeed. They struggled
with language sounds, had limited
vocabularies, and often found it difficult to follow simple instructions.
I’m not suggesting the solution
is to push academics onto toddlers
or expect preschoolers to read
chapter books. Nothing could be
further from the truth. I’m simply
suggesting that we must shift our
focus to the most critical time for
early learning. According to the
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), seven out
of ten Georgia children are not
reading proficiently by the end of
third grade. If we want different
results, we must begin much earlier by providing every child with
Language Nutrition.
Language Nutrition is the
communication that nourishes a
developing brain just as food nourishes a growing body. Even before
birth, babies can recognize familiar
voices and hear the sounds of the
world around them. From the very
first moments of a child’s life, every
interaction helps build the foundation for their success.
Whether it’s eye contact,
talking with children instead of
talking around them, singing songs,
telling stories, reading aloud every
day or the beautiful “serve-and-return” interaction where a baby babbles and an adult responds, those
ordinary moments literally build
the architecture of a child’s brain.
Parental Interaction
In a world where screens compete for so much of our attention,
the greatest gift we can give our
youngest children is our presence.
A child learns more from a parent
talking, reading, singing and playing than from any app or video ever
designed. During the earliest years
of life, no screen can provide what
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