Reading comprehension is a hard concept to define, and an even harder one to assess. Though when asked, most people will say something on the order of “It means what you understand,” that’s really just substituting one undefined word for another. How can we get to the heart of the matter? According to Webster’s Collegiate … Continue reading “What is Reading Comprehension, and How Do We Assess It?”
Tag: reading comprehension
The Value of Reading to Kids at an Early Age
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents begin reading to their children as soon as they are born. While this may seem a little early to some, there is an increasing body of evidence that shows that kids who have early and regular exposure to books and stories – sometimes called “bookishness” – have … Continue reading “The Value of Reading to Kids at an Early Age”
The Thirst for Knowledge and the Critical Need for Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is an important strategy for today’s educational and job-related environments. It is important, therefore, that teachers and administrators understand the nature of critical thinking and embrace its many parts, all of which are necessary for true learning to occur. The first part of critical thinking, and one which has fallen by the wayside … Continue reading “The Thirst for Knowledge and the Critical Need for Critical Thinking”
Using Graphic Novels and Comics for Reading Comprehension
When you think of improving students’ reading comprehension skills, do you ever consider graphic novels and comics as handy instruction aids? If not, you should. The common cliché is that “a picture is worth a thousand words,” but it’s absolutely true that students who are having difficulty comprehending a rigorous text may benefit from visual … Continue reading “Using Graphic Novels and Comics for Reading Comprehension”
Understanding Dyslexia – Part 4
[Editor’s note: This is the final post of a four-part series on dyslexia. Links to the other segments are included in the blog.] Last week, we talked about how parents can work with their dyslexic children to ensure they get the proper support in the home environment. Today, we’re going to talk about one specific … Continue reading “Understanding Dyslexia – Part 4”
Understanding Dyslexia – Part 1
[Editor’s Note: This is the first in a four-part series on dyslexia, its origins, manifestations, and interventions.] Most people think that dyslexia is simply reversing letters or numbers; it is much more than that. Dyslexia is primarily associated with difficulty reading; leading some doctors, specialists, and educators to refer to it as a “reading disorder” … Continue reading “Understanding Dyslexia – Part 1”
A Healthy Diet Makes for Better Reading Skills
If you’re a child between 6 and 8 and are learning to read, a healthy diet may be a key to greater reading success according to a new study. Researchers at the University of Eastern Finland tracked children’s reading progress from grades 1 to 3; according to a study published in the September 2016 European … Continue reading “A Healthy Diet Makes for Better Reading Skills”
Teaching Your Child to Love Reading
Reading is an essential part of life, and better readers make better learners, no matter what they’re trying to learn. According to the American Library Association, “Individuals read to live life to its fullest, to earn a living, to understand what is going on in the world, and to benefit from the accumulated knowledge of … Continue reading “Teaching Your Child to Love Reading”
Targeting the Young to Promote Adult Literacy
As part of the Development Lexicon Project study, scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin are currently studying how words are read by people ranging from first-graders to seventy-year-olds. The researchers are focusing on three different characteristics of a word: its length, its frequency of use within the language, and its … Continue reading “Targeting the Young to Promote Adult Literacy”