Against the background of normal progress preventing reading difficulties in young children examines factors that put children at risk of poor reading it explores in detail how literacy can be fostered from birth through kindergarten and the primary grades including evaluation of philosophies systems and materials commonly used to teach reading. Preventing reading difficulties in young children executive summary literacy instruction in first through third grades given the centrality of excellent instruction to the prevention of promoting literacy development in preschool and kindergarten it is clear from the research that the process . Against the background of normal progress preventing reading difficulties in young children examines factors that put children at risk of poor reading it explores in detail how literacy can be fostered from birth through kindergarten and the primary grades including evaluation of philosophies systems and materials commonly used to teach reading. Preventing reading difficulties in young children catherine e snow m susan burns and peg griffin editors committee on the prevention of reading difficulties in young children commission on behavioral and social sciences and education national research council national academy press