Communicating in a Word Desert

[Editor’s note: The content of this blog is the opinion of the author, writer Miriam Ruff, and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of AceReader, Inc. or its employees.] The word “communication” comes from the Latin noun communicatio, which meant a sharing or imparting having to do with an exchange or goods possessed by more than one … Continue reading “Communicating in a Word Desert”


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”


Dolly Parton’s Literary Legacy Continues

A short time ago, we discussed Dolly Parton’s creation of the Imagination Library program in 1995. The non-profit program, underwritten by local libraries and other community institutions, provides one free book a month to children from newborns to five years old. From its small start in Sevier County, where Parton grew up, the Library has grown … Continue reading “Dolly Parton’s Literary Legacy Continues”


The History of Writing and Reading – Part 13: The Evolution of Musical Notation

[Editor’s note: This is the fourteenth of an ongoing series that examines the rise of writing – and therefore reading – around the world. We will be looking at the major developments and forces that shaped the written languages we use today. Links to all the previous posts are listed at the end of this … Continue reading “The History of Writing and Reading – Part 13: The Evolution of Musical Notation”


The History of Writing and Reading – Part 10: Etruscan, an Undecipherable Language

[Editor’s note: This is the eleventh of an ongoing series that examines the rise of writing – and therefore reading – around the world. We will be looking at the major developments and forces that shaped the written languages we use today. Links to all the previous posts are listed at the end of this … Continue reading “The History of Writing and Reading – Part 10: Etruscan, an Undecipherable Language”


Giving Life to Words

In our technological Information Age, we spend our time “speaking” primarily by text, email, eBooks, or online forums. Gone seem the days of deep, personal conversations; cursive, handwritten letters; and real-paper, printed books. We defend our choices with their efficient outcomes, but few of us stop to consider what we might be losing in the … Continue reading “Giving Life to Words”