We all use strategies throughout our day to remember the variety of facts and ideas we need to retain. It is valuable for teachers, therapists, and parents to understand the memory process in order to become better equipped to help our students understand and use strategies.
Over the last 25 years, the federal government has made a concerted effort to find out why so many children struggle with learning to read. This research has yielded a rough consensus on the best ways to teach reading, and we now know much more about how to identify children at risk and how to intervene effectively. The challenge that remains is getting this research-based information out to educators, parents, and others who work with children. The following are major federal reports on reading readiness and instruction, ordered alphabetically. Whenever possible, we’ve provided links to a free, online version of the research article, study, or book. In other cases, you’ll find a link to a publisher, journal, or online bookstore where you can obtain the resource. Before you buy though, we encourage you to check to see what community and university resources may be available to you. Universities and some public libraries often buy access to online databases and journals. Users should check to see if those resources are available to them.
In many states, third graders who cannot read proficiently are required to repeat that year. This policy, known as mandatory retention, can greatly impact students’ emotional and cognitive development. In an effort to reconcile the academic and social needs of young learners, this article addresses the pros and cons of mandatory retention, global treatment of the problem, and possible solutions.
Language learning offers a unique and exciting opportunity to integrate music. Many people have had the experience of learning a world language and singing simple, silly songs in class. The introduction of music provides a light-hearted and fun way to interact with another language and culture.
Neurodivergent people experience, interact with, and interpret the world in unique ways. The differences in how their brains are “wired” are normal variations, rather than deficits. Understanding can help reduce stigma around learning and thinking differences.
From changing the classroom space to adjusting groupings and lesson delivery, find ten practical ways to make changes in your classroom so that students with different abilities can learn and succeed.
Eli, a young boy, tells us what it is like to have dysgraphia. Regina Richards, a well-known expert on dysgraphia (and Eli’s mom), explains how to help children who struggle with the challenges Eli describes. Practical techniques discussed include POWER: Prepare, Organize, Write, Edit, Revise.
Research shows that inclusion is best for students with and without disabilities, and yet there are still many misconceptions about what inclusion in the classroom really means. Here are the top three misconceptions, from inclusion expert Nicole Eredics.
Does your child need to be evaluated for a learning disability? Learn how to find the best professional, prepare for evaluation, and get the most information from the experience.
Developmental language disorder (DLD) is a language problem. Children with DLD have difficulty with language whether they are speaking, listening, reading, or writing. About half of children with DLD also have dyslexia or ADHD.
Reading fluency is a child’s ability to read a book or other text accurately, with reasonable speed, and with appropriate expression. A fluent reader doesn’t have to stop and “decode” each word and can focus attention on what the story or text means. Fluency is the bridge between decoding words and understanding what has been read!
Visit your local library to take advantage of all the fantastic activities and resources it has to offer. At the library, you can find reading challenges, writing competitions, book clubs, author talks, craft classes, maker space workshops, STEM programs, awesome book recommendations, and much, much more.
National experts Don Deshler, Jack Fletcher, and Rick Wagner provide information and answer questions about using Response to Intervention (RTI) to help students with learning disabilities.
Most mobile devices come with assistive technology (AT) that can help with reading, writing and organization. Common built-in AT features include text-to-speech and dictation technology.
Use the power of stories to explore what’s different and the same, new and shared, about ourselves and our experiences. These nine books find wonderful ways to express universal themes through African Americans, both fictional and real.
