Although the third grade may seem a bit arbitrary to some, it is a landmark time for children involved in education.  This is because the third grade is when a child usually makes an important transition in reading.  The transition is from "learning to read to reading to learn."  Specifically this means that up until this point the child has been learning their ABCs and ways in which to pronounce words correctly in of themselves to actually understanding the words as concepts in of themselves.  This is why third grade books transition greatly to factual materials that allow adept readers to begin to learn on their own.

What is most important for anyone teaching their child at home isn't that their child necessarily make the third grade jump at the age they are third graders, (7-9), but that they actually make the jump in reading to learn.  Studies have shown that in public schools a majority of students don't actually "read to learn" during the third grade.  Now what is important for any educator, especially educators in the home, is to customize their education to fit the needs of the child.  This means don't expect a child to read to learn if they are still stuck in the learning to read category.

The reason why it is so important to concentrate on this transition is because many students that do not make the jump to "learning to read" become frustrated with reading.  They are more likely to drop out of high school or education in general if they do not make the "jump".  

To facilitate the “jump” into reading to learn here are a few tips that will help motivate your child:

-Find a topic the child is interested in and find an elementary book associated with that idea

-Read to your child

-Encourage your child to read out loud

-Don't nag, bribe or criticize your child about reading

-Be consistent, read often and frequently

-Reinforce the ideas of how practical the skill of reading is and how better off a person is when they are an adapt reader.

All of these tips should be done long before the third grade.  The sooner you start with your child the better!