Even after years of intensive intervention and tutoring, dyslexic students can continue to struggle with reading and writing. That’s why advances in technology tools have been invaluable to students who read and write slowly. Dyslexic students are finding they can complete assignments faster when they employ special features on a laptop or iPad that help work around their dyslexia-related issues. In order to fully maximize how technology tools can help students with learning differences, educator…
Immerse yourself and develop stronger reading skills with Boston Public Library’s summer reading program for youth 0-17 years old. The program runs from June 17, 2024 to August 25, 2024. This year’s theme is Adventure Begins at your Library, developed by the Collaborative Summer Learning Program. Check out these incredible options available at the Boston Public Library for their summer reading program: Want personalized reading recommendations? Fill in the Shelf Service request form, and one…
Just because school’s out doesn’t mean books should be returned to their shelves! Reading routines are an essential part of your child’s development, and summer is the perfect time to make reading strategies a regular part of the day. Think about it–without the pressures of a curriculum, homework, and after-school activities, your child has plenty of free time to explore the topics and genres they really want to read about. Here are our top summer…
Dyslexia presents itself in various ways, but a student’s age strongly factors into the symptoms teachers may observe. Students with dyslexia in grades K-5 struggle to remember letter names and sounds. Recognizing sight words also poses a problem. When reading aloud, these students may substitute words and confuse letters with similar appearances or sounds. For example, students commonly mix up the letters b and d. Students in grades 6-12 may have a hard time recalling…
What is economics? An inquiry into the nature and causes of the wealth of nations? The task of managing a household? The study of man in the ordinary business of life? When theorists and philosophers through the ages have offered very different definitions, how are parents meant to define economics for kids when they ask? Your children might well be wondering about the economy, right now. The current cost of living crisis means the state…
Today’s education system resembles much of what you’d see in the early 1900s: rote memorization, a teacher speaking to dozens of pupils who must remain silent unless called upon, curriculum at scale. Coronavirus-related distance learning pushed that same operation online, and because of the severity of the crisis, educators and parents understandably yearn for getting back to normal. But for educator Gholdy Muhammad, normal hasn’t served all students well, especially in literacy education, and no…
There’s a lot to like about digital books–they’re lighter in the backpack, and often cheaper than paper books. But a new international report suggests that paper books may be important to raising children who become strong readers. An Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) study across approximately 30 countries found that teens who said they most often read paper books scored considerably higher on a 2018 reading test taken by 15-year-olds compared to teens…
Every year brings us a plethora of incredible new books for kids, and 2023 was no exception. Here are some wonderful books for kids from the past year you shouldn’t hesitate to check out. 1. Big by Vashti Harrison. A young girl transcends opinions of her to hold space for herself and own the person she is both inside and out. Powerful, full-page illustrations and striking use of color push the limits of the picture…
Young people give us hope–young people who don’t give up or give in, who have loud voices and the courage to use them to say enough is enough. Young people whose empathy, compassion and sense of justice in the face of violence, oppression and tragedy are humbling. So, too, do books give us hope–they can save lives and change lives. Here are some of our favorite books for empowering students who are leading the charge,…
As protests against racial injustice spread to communities large and small in this year, many educators have been pushed to examine how systemic racism harms students. Some have publicly proclaimed the steps they will take to create anti-racist schools, including diversifying classroom and library bookshelves. That task may be easier than ever, thanks to six years of advocacy by the We Need Diverse Books campaign. “There’s no excuse for the books in your classroom and…
