Language philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein once wrote, “The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.” Wittgenstein knew that his world was limited to the words he could use to describe it. This has been borne out through more methodical tests, like those performed by Johnson O’Conner. For over two decades he performed a […]
Building Vocabulary, One Word At A Time Read More »
In 2011, innovative game designer Jane McGonigal wrote a book about her experiences with gamers and how to live better through games. The book was Reality is Broken, and it discussed how to improve life through gamification. Offering rewards for people to achieve has become a staple in our everyday lives, from points on credit
Challenging Students for Better Results! Read More »
The problem starts slowly. Students begin to struggle with their assignments. They work hard to understand the explanation of the concept, but it is just not coming to them as easily as it comes to their neighbor. When they go home to do homework, they do not have the same support system as other students.
Improving Literacy Improves Behavior Read More »
The impact of the summer slide has been the focus of multiple studies over the past several decades. Over the course of their school career, students can lose up four years of education by not studying during vacation. This affects graduation rates, employment rates, and incarceration rates. The impact on society is well documented. What
The Other Cost of the Summer Slide Read More »
Over the summer, home is an incredibly important place in the development of a love for reading. That center shifts when the days get cooler and school begins. The classroom becomes the place where children continue to build their literacy skills. Instilling this desire goes beyond lessons taught in English class. There are amazing stories
Teachers as Literacy Role Models Read More »
Like developing anything important, building better students requires providing the right environment. This is an easier task when the children are in school. A school is filled with teachers, staff, and materials that serve the purpose of encouraging students to learn. Outside of the classroom, that encouragement is not always present. Those materials are not
Home Libraries Transform Learning Read More »
Motivating students is complicated. School staff knows what is required of the students by the state. The challenge has been to find a way to get the class to not only see that goal but to instill a desire to achieve it. A healthy debate has existed for years whether or not rewarding student achievement
Rewarding Student Achievement! Read More »
In the middle of the summer, it can be difficult to keep children motivated to read. There are pools to play in, friends running up and down the street, and for many, little desire to be reading anything. School is not for another month, and there is not a scrap of homework in sight. They
Building Summer Reading Momentum Read More »
W.H. Auden said, “A poet is, before anything else, a person who is passionately in love with language.” For children, this love of language translates to an accessible introduction to literacy through poetry and a broader education on its beauty and intricacies. Introduced early and often during a child’s journey with literacy, poetry can mean
Three Ways Poetry Improves Children’s Literacy Read More »
As an adult, when you hear about fables, you very often can point to a clear lesson you once learned from one. You may even find yourself repeating the lesson–or moral–like a mantra to yourself as you go about your day. Slow and steady wins the race. One good turn deserves another. Birds of a
Happily Ever After: Lessons from Reading Fables Read More »
