Linguistic Diversity Cultural Diversity Racial Diversity Gender Diversity Recognizing our differences from one another is a first, easy step in coming to know, understand and hopefully accept those unlike us. We humans immediately detect those who don’t fit familiar or comfortable impressions of how things are supposed to be. We also pick up on the […]
Getting children who can read, but don’t to become children who can read and do is challenging. It’s such a triumph when we realize that YES they CAN read! Woohoo! And then it’s such a bummer to find out some of those same children actually dislike reading. What’s up with that?! Reading is such a […]
We named our company Unite for Literacy because our free, online library with books narrated in up to 30 languages has value for everyone, everywhere who is interested in promoting literacy. That is to say, we are not involved in any way in the ongoing debate about a one and only true way to advance […]
This Friday is Digital Learning Day, sponsored by the Alliance for Excellent Education. Ten years ago, no one would have conceived of such a thing. Now, folks may be asking, “Just one day!?” The focus is to call attention to all of the resources that are available for school-aged kids’ classroom learning, and how those […]
We have to stop kidding ourselves and call out the elephant in the room. Early literacy does NOT equate to early preschool education. News story after editorial after article after ivory-tower speech nearly all continue to equate early childhood education with preschool. Preschool of course IS early, but take a small step back from the current […]
New readers can get overwhelmed when presented with an abundance of books from which to choose. Beyond a random grab or selecting books based upon cover designs, novices don’t know how to select books the way more experienced readers do and little ones can get lost in the dizzying number of choices. So, how do […]
My brother sent me an article about the value added by parent and sibling small talk to the language development of infants. Presumably to entice people to read the article, from England’s DailyMail.com, it sported the inflammatory headline: “Mindless chatter is FOUR TIMES better at improving a child’s communication skills than bedtime reading, claims study” […]
Windows of opportunity, like house windows, only provide fresh air when they are open. A closed window of opportunity is like a wall in a house. Well, actually, procrastinators can see what might have been possible by studying a lost opportunity window, but once a window that offered choices is closed, there’s really not much […]
Many research studies exist about the fabulous benefits of repeatedly reading a well-chosen book to children. Good teachers know and use this tactic to promote fluent reading, enrich vocabulary, engender deep comprehension, and encourage richer conversation. However, this practice that research supports and teachers sometimes drives many well-intentioned parents crazy. When a child asks for […]
