Reading is essential for learning, yet students across the U.S. are completing elementary school with inadequate reading abilities. So begins the announcement in The Harvard Gazette telling us about the new $30 million grant Chan/Zuckerberg will hand over to Harvard’s School of Education and MIT’s Integrative Learning Initiative (MITili). Learning to read, all of us […]
California’s Reading Crisis: Why Aren’t U.S. Kids Reading Well?
Children in California are not reading well. The New York Times reports that lawyers are suing the state on behalf of three schools, one a charter, for not following state literacy experts who are concerned about students learning English, those with disabilities, and African American and Hispanic students. Here are some thoughts when it comes […]
The Power of Invented Spelling: Giving Children Control
What we’ve found over the years is there seemed to be something with kids who are doing invented spelling on their own that’s really helping them learn how to read. ~ Gene Ouellette, Associate Professor of Psychology at Mount Allison University It looks like it’s best to hand young children paper and pencil instead of […]
Reading Instruction—Same Old Ugly Story
A conversation on Facebook about reading became touchy yesterday, reminding me that you only need to scratch the surface to find serious differences when it comes to education and public policy. While many come together against Common Core State Standards, yesterday’s arguing resulted from the same old differences about how to approach reading…phonics or whole […]
Twenty Ways to Break a Child’s Spirit—The New School Reforms
Part II 11-20 Here are the last of the 20 ways current school reforms could break a child’s spirit. Sadly, you probably will be able to think of others. Share them all with those who think the current reforms are going well. 11. Children are forced to take tests at an early age. http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/kindergarten-tough-multiple-choice-tests-article-1.1481197. 12. […]