"For the first time in modern history, less than half of the adult population now reads literature, and these trends reflect a larger decline in other sorts of reading."

"Americans are spending less time reading. Reading comprehension skills are eroding. These declines have serious civic, social, cultural, and economic implications"

Print Motivation - Being interested in and enjoying books. Print Awareness - Noticing print everywhere, knowing how to handle a book and knowing how to follow the written word on the page. Letter Knowledge, vocabulary, phonological awareness, narrative skills.