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Research

Research findings from published studies show that Reach Out and Read works. The program begins at the 6-month checkup and continues through age 5, with a special focus on children growing up in low-income communities. Families served by Reach Out and Read read together more often, and their children enter kindergarten with larger vocabularies and stronger language skills, better prepared to achieve their potential.

In fact, what distinguishes Reach Out and Read from other literacy interventions is that it is evidence-based.

Our Results

A growing body of peer-reviewed research shows that Reach Out and Read works:

  • Parents who receive books and literacy counseling from their doctor are more likely to read to their young children, read to them often, and provide more books in the home.
  • Children who participate in Reach Out and Read score significantly higher on vocabulary tests and show improved language development – the single strongest predictor of school success. This represents a 6 month head start for an at-risk preschooler.

Reach Out and Read can even help adults who are struggling to read. When the conversation is directed toward their children, Reach Out and Read parents often feel more comfortable discussing their own difficulty with reading. By helping children, Reach Out and Read can help the whole family build a new world of literacy.

Learn more about Reach Out and Read’s impact

Download Research Summary (PDF)

Perri Klass“As a pediatrician, I know that at every checkup, I’m helping parents understand how reading aloud will help their children learn and love books and eventually succeed in school.  Reach Out and Read is changing children’s lives.”
— Perri Klass, M.D., Medical Director, Reach Out and Read, Boston, MA