Gateway to Reading
St. Louis County Library is launching a new initiative in 2025 called Gateway to Reading, aimed at improving literacy in the St. Louis region. Using a research based approach, the Gateway to Reading program includes a series of literacy workshops for caregivers and children, along with kits that can be checked out to work on reading skills at home.
Gateway to Reading Workshops
Caregivers and children will learn about a phonics-based approach to reading and engage in fun activities together. Workshop attendees will take home a toolkit of materials to continue the learning at home. The workshops are geared towards ages 5-8 and their caregivers. The workshops are free, but registration is required.
Gateway to Reading Kits
Gateway to Reading kits contain a series of decodable books bundled with hands-on resources that guide children and families in building decoding skills. Each kit features a guide with tips, skill progression, and strategies to support decoding. Kits will be available for elementary students (K-3) and striving readers in grades 4+.
How the Kits Progress
Each kit focuses on specific reading skills that help students build their knowledge in a logical order. Kits are designed to be used progressively, starting with easier skills and moving toward more advanced ones.
Featured Resources
Additional Resources About Learning to Read
- ABCmouse - Sign up for free ABCmouse Home Access with your library card and play fun decoding games.
- Flyleaf Publishing - Read a variety of free decodable books online.
- Open Source Phonics - Help older students learn to read with these free phonics lessons designed for families, tutors and teachers.
- Reading Buddies - Watch an animated show teaching phonics skills developed by the Reading League.
- Reading Rockets - Discover how to support your child’s growth as a young reader and writer with literacy resources for parents and educators.
- Scholastic Teachables - Access thousands of searchable and printable educational materials for Pre-K through 8th grade with your library card.
- Starfall Phonics Activities - Build decoding skills while playing free phonics games.
Background
Recent studies and test scores show that young students in St. Louis are struggling with reading, highlighting the need for an effective community approach to literacy. The Gateway to Reading project is designed to help all children become confident, competent readers.
Schools throughout the country are adopting new curriculums based on the science of reading, the study of how people learn to read. Central to the science of reading is the importance of explicit phonics instruction for developing foundational reading skills. Phonics is a method of teaching children to read and write that connects the sounds in spoken language with letters in written language. Through decodable books, children apply the phonics strategies they have learned to build their ability to read.
Funding provided by PNC Foundation
