How Closed Captioning Can Improve Literacy

If you want to learn to read well, watch TV — with closed captioning. Captions provide readers, and especially emergent, struggling, or English Language Learning readers, with additional print exposure; and they offer an inexpensive way for students to build and improve their foundational reading skills, including phonics, word recognition and vocabulary building, and fluency. … Continue reading “How Closed Captioning Can Improve Literacy”


The Science of Reading – Part 4: Online Reading

[Editor’s note: This is the last part of our five-part series on the best practices of learning to read and learning to read better.] To read Part 1, “Unlocking Language,” click here. To read Part 2, “Vocabulary and Comprehension,” click here. To read Part 3A, “Developing Fluency,” click here. To read Part 3B, “Developing Fluency” (continued),” click here. … Continue reading “The Science of Reading – Part 4: Online Reading”


Physical Exercise and Learning

When you want to make your body fit, you exercise. When you want to make your brain sharper, you also exercise? And we’re not talking about crossword puzzles or mind games here, but actual, physical aerobic exercise. Why should that be? Let’s take a look at what we know so far about the correlation between … Continue reading “Physical Exercise and Learning”


Sleep’s Role in Memory Formation and Its Effect on Reading

Sleep plays a crucial role in learning in general and reading in specific. WebMD reports that researchers believe sleep affects both learning and memory formation in two ways: 1) An individual’s ability to focus on reading material or lecture presentations to learn efficiently depends on adequate sleep, and 2) Cementing a memory so that it … Continue reading “Sleep’s Role in Memory Formation and Its Effect on Reading”