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Tag: literacy
My love of reading was instilled in me by my mother, who is an avid reader, but my elementary school librarian was the person who opened my eyes to the wide world that was within my grasp through the library. I still remember the first time I read Shel Silverstein’s collection of fanciful children’s poems, […]
When my mother was a little girl, she lived a poor, challenging life in Puerto Rico. But when she turned 7, my grandmother – who I call Ita – packed up their few belongings, and moved my mother and her sister to New York. They had no money and they didn’t speak English. Children of […]
A few days after my family recently welcomed a puppy, I watched as my 7-year-old son held the fuzzy bundle on his lap and read one of his favorite books out loud to the dog. He pointed out things for the dog to look at in the illustrations and talked to the dog about what […]
The summer before I entered fourth grade, a new girl moved into my neighborhood, just a few houses down from me. Her name was Tanya and she was from Sri Lanka. She spoke very little English, except for “hi,” “bye,” “yes,” “no,” and “thank you.” There wasn’t much dynamic conversation going on between us that […]
Up until third grade, my son fought reading on his own. I kept buying books that I hoped would light a fire inside him, but failed repeatedly. And then one day, it happened. He discovered a book that made him laugh. Its characters were engaging. The story was entertaining, and luckily, it was the first […]
Learning can happen anywhere and everywhere – at home, in the grocery store, at the library or on a walk through the neighborhood. Take advantage of summer months to reinforce basic skills before your early learner heads to kindergarten this fall – or to brush up on skills with your elementary student. Encourage reading Help […]
“Let them eat cake!” my 10-year-old son proclaimed recently at dinner. “Marie Antoinette never said that,” his sister, 16, replied. The boy, who had heard the quote in the movie “Mr. Peabody and Sherman,” asked her to explain. “It’s a myth,” she said. “Everyone attributes the quote to Marie Antoinette, but she never said it.” […]
Reading and writing are necessary for learning, but children sometimes struggle as they attempt to conquer literacy skills. It’s a battle that can take a toll in the long-term: Research shows that students who read significantly below grade level in third grade typically struggle throughout their school years and have a greater likelihood of dropping […]
A child’s literacy journey begins at birth. Babies and toddlers see and interact with printed words in their everyday lives – in books, at the grocery store, on street signs and more. They hear sounds they will eventually learn can be used in communicating with others to express thoughts, feelings and ideas. As they grow, […]
Students have greater access to reading materials as electronic devices are incorporated into classroom learning, but some educators question how well students comprehend when reading in a digital format. The question is, can students actually “go deep” with digital reading? “Deep reading” is a concept frequently connected to Common Core Learning Standards. It’s slow reading, […]