When teachers familiarize themselves with students’ reading lives and histories, they may uncover reading trauma — moments when students had a negative experience with a peer, teacher or librarian that turned them off of reading. Students with reading trauma associate reading with painful feelings of shame or stress and doubt their reading abilities, said Boston-based educator Kimberly Parker in a recent webinar organized by the Texas A&M Collaborative for Teacher Education. Take reading logs, for…
Reading is the way some find joy and spend the day unwinding—curling up with a favorite novel, poring over current news, or reading the latest trend in various topics. But for some, reading is a chore, another dreadful assignment to complete, and an anxiety-ridden task particularly when it involves reading in front of others. Reading instruction plays a central role throughout K-12 education, and much time and resources are allocated with the goal of ensuring…
We most closely associate dyslexia with difficulty learning to read and with other language and reading skills like writing and spelling. Dyslexia, however, goes beyond letters, spelling, and learning to read and write. Dyslexic students are more likely to have difficulty comprehending what they read, and even what they remember. It can also cause students to have difficulty following directions. Somewhere between 60 and 100% of people with dyslexia experience difficulty learning math. Dyslexic students often…
Addressing the differing needs of students can make teaching reading a daunting task. Students are expected to have a deep understanding of what they read and provide answers grounded in text. One way for students to interact with the text is through close reading, which can become a powerful classroom tool for fiction and nonfiction texts across grade levels. Teaching close reading to younger students is very doable–here’s how. SETTING THE STAGE At the beginning…
Let’s face facts: reading textbooks and e-books that cover academic information is not enjoyable. Effective textbook reading is a key study skill for student success, however, as nearly every class requires you read them. Reading textbooks is very different from other kinds of reading, which is why certain specialized strategies may really come in handy. Here are 3 hacks for reading textbooks that can help make studying more doable. SQ3R Method The SQ3R Method is…
Since the large bulk of schoolwork involves reading and writing, students who are learning with dyslexia often experience anxiety around schooling, especially when called on to read aloud or when they are expected to read or write large amounts of material. Many report feeling low self-esteem and believing that they are unintelligent or will never have the skills to succeed. Even when the proper diagnosis is handed down and intervention works, school life continues to…
For many families, reading is a pleasurable activity when kids are young, but then as kids get older, they start to hate reading. Parents are more aware than ever that strong reading skills are fundamental to academic success. Teachers also feel pressure to make sure students are reading on or above grade level, often with their evaluations and salaries hanging in the balance. On top of it all, kids may be quick to claim they…
The key to mastering the reading sections of the ISEE/SSAT tests is two-fold: reading the passage effectively, and answering the questions efficiently. The reading section of the ISEE/SSAT tests is designed to assess how well you are able to grasp the main idea and tone of a passage. The most important thing to remember is that you are not expected to retain details as you read. This is different from how you probably read other…
We work with schools to provide services for students with a variety of needs. If you’re looking for academic support, either for short-term or long-term contracts, we have tutors with experience working with students: With behavioral difficulties (including students out on suspension) With emotional difficulties (including anxiety and PTSD) On medical leave/treatment Special Education Certified teachers are available to work with students with: ADD/ADHD Executive Functioning Delays Non-Verbal Learning Disorders Autism Spectrum/Asperger Syndrome Speech/Language/Cognitive Delays…
September has arrived, and the feeling of fall is in the air. With the changing of the season comes the opportunity to put in place some back-to-school habits that can help your children build their literacy skills. Here are four practical ideas to help your family kick-off the school year. 1. Keep Up With a Reading Log Many schools request children to read at home several times a week. Even if the school does not…
