Whether it is applying for a passport, scanning the football pages, or reading the works of a great philosopher, modern life demands adequate literacy skills. However, a worrying number of people struggle with reading, and many are concerned about the growing gap between the 'haves' and the 'have-nots'.
Government-prescribed and legally-binding curricula bringing adult values into what used to be the sacred world of childhood seek to address this gap, such as the Early Years Foundation Stage, with its mandatory focus on early literacy development from age four and five.
From here the reasoning seems to go something like: 'The earlier you begin, the better you'll become. And the more you read, the more you'll learn, making you a more productive and worthy citizen'. Although much of this may be true, the idea that 'the earlier the better' applies to reading needs closer consideration.
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