With the ominous Common Core math tests just a few days away in New York and other states, educators have begun to intensify their efforts to help students to solve “word problems–the bane of students and teachers alike. For the last several years, declining test scores have been blamed on these types of problems because…
The American Academy of Pediatricians (AAP) recommends that pediatricians encourage parents to read aloud daily, beginning as early as six months of age (2014). Dr. Pamela High, lead author of the AAP policy, explains the aim: “…those 15-20 minutes reading with a child can be the best part of the day. It’s a joyful way…
Why is vocabulary instruction so important? This quote from an article by Joan Sedita says it best: “Vocabulary knowledge is important because it encompasses all the words we must know to access our background knowledge, express our ideas and communicate effectively, and learn about new concepts. “Vocabulary is the glue that holds stories, ideas and…
How to help your kids to improve their reading skills Skillful reading is the key to excellence in all areas of school and life. Skillful readers use their knowledge of words, sentence structure, and specific subject areas to comprehend complex texts. To fully comprehend complex texts, students need an expansive vocabulary, an analytical understanding of…