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 3A: Developing Fluency

[Editor’s note: This is the third 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. For emerging readers, text reading fluency generally refers to oral reading fluency, as students … Continue reading “The Science of Reading – Part 3A: Developing Fluency”


Study Skills Part 2 – Reading Comprehension

Last week we talked about the many types and aspects of listening. Today we’re going to address a somewhat related topic – reading comprehension. As with listening, reading has many different parts, and it is a skill; like any skill, you need to practice to get better at it. Children start learning to read with the … Continue reading “Study Skills Part 2 – Reading Comprehension”


Guest Blog: Dr. David Bloch, Optometrist and Reading Specialist, on the AceReader Program

[Editor’s note and disclaimer: This is another in an occasional series of guest blogs from a variety of AceReader users. The content came from an interview conducted by Miriam Ruff, and it has been edited somewhat for length and fluency.] MR: What is your reading background (i.e. schooling, specialty, personal reading habits)? DB: I have … Continue reading “Guest Blog: Dr. David Bloch, Optometrist and Reading Specialist, on the AceReader Program”


What is Reading Comprehension, and How Do We Assess It?

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?”