With all the hoopla about interactive math and science learning, who’s looking out for the poor humanities?
I found countless static websites to help students make sense of the classics, identify themes, or gain historical insight, but nothing interactive until I stumbled across Dr. Roger Travis. This Associate Professor in the Modern and Classical Languages [...]

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Language is a uniquely human ability that evolved at some point in the six million years since humans and chimpanzees diverged. Even without being taught or having adults to copy, children develop sophisticated language systems. In contrast, reading is a skill that does not develop without intensive tuition and practice.
Since most of us learn to [...]

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“Systematic phonics instruction produces significant benefits for students in kindergarten through sixth grade and for children who are having difficulty learning to read.”
A study by New Horizons for Learning identifies these common components of effective reading programs:
1. Phonics Instruction
The July 2009 Johns Hopkins study, Effective Programs for Struggling Readers concludes that an emphasis on phonics [...]

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Is your child’s teacher confusing poor reading comprehension with a lack of background knowledge?
With so much focus on decoding and fluency, background knowledge is often overlooked when evaluating students for reading comprehension. This entertaining video by cognitive psychologist Daniel Willingham demonstrates just how critical background knowledge is to our comprehension.

“Prior knowledge is vital to comprehension [...]

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“America’s middle and high schools are stuck in the 20th century, using outmoded approaches to prepare students for a world that no longer exists.”
As children move into middle school, reading logs become a thing of the past. Teachers no longer demand students read 20-30 minutes a day; instead they give a vague reminders to “keep [...]

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From the depths of the Grand Canyon to the surface of the moon, a selection of children’s books is reviewed by the New York Times. The books are primarily geared to elementary school readers.
MULE TRAIN MAIL, Written and illustrated by Craig Brown, Charlesbridge.
There’s one place left in the United States where the mail is delivered by mule [...]

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ED Pubs has released five new reading guides for parents of young children. The Shining Stars series for toddlers through third graders focuses on how to help children learn to enjoy, read, and understand literature.
The downloadable pamphlets include tips on ways to explore and interpret ideas within a story; words, sounds, and parts of speech; [...]

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If you’re a middle or high school student, you can make a difference by becoming a literacy volunteer. On average, children lose up to 2 months of reading progress over the summer. The ideal way to maintain reading skills is by continuing to read, or be read to, all summer long.
To become part of the [...]

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A few days ago we recommended giving your family a summer of reading. Now all you need are some ideas for finding great books. Check out our new article, 3 Ways to Find Great Books. Then peruse award-winning books featured on various lists in our Ultimate Book List for Children and Young Adults.
You’ll have enough [...]

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This summer, TeamUP! Tutors is encouraging all of our students to read, read, read! If you’re the parent of a reading machine, congratulations! For those whose children may need a bit more encouragement, or who want to ramp up family reading time this summer, here’s expert advice on how to encourage reading at home:

find books [...]

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