Andrea Setmeyer (@asetmeyer)

Great thread - thanks all. If we begin looking at 'upstream' approaches to prevent future poverty and disrupt current cycles of poverty (and I think we should), teaching reading would still be at the top of my list. In the information age, earning a living wage or participating meaningfully in society is nearly impossible without literacy. There's no doubt in my mind that eliminating (or greatly reducing) poverty would positively impact students' reading skills, attendance, mental well-being, post-secondary outcomes, etc. But there's also no doubt in my mind that eliminating (or greatly reducing) illiteracy would also positively impact students' reading skills, attendance, mental well-being, post-secondary outcomes, etc. And I already know how to do one of those. I spend my time and energy advocating for evidence-aligned literacy instruction - - not instead of, but in support of reducing poverty and increasing human flourishing.