News and reflections from experts and practitioners on the latest literacy research, events and daily practice
Welcome to Learning Ally's blog. You've come to the right place if you are an innovative teacher who wants to transform more struggling readers into grade-level achievers.
October 2, 2023 by User
Stanislas Dehaene, Psychologist and Cognitive Neuroscientist, Ph.D., keynoted at Learning Ally’s 2023 Spotlight on Dyslexia to discuss his brain-based research at NeuroSpin, a world-renowned center in advanced brain imaging. Professor Dehaene is the Chair of Experimental Cognitive Psychology at the Collége de France in Paris. His research investigates the neural bases of human cognitive functions such as reading and language, with particular interest on the impact brain-based learning has in education.
The title of his presentation, “How Learning to Read Changes the Brain: Implications for Education,” began with an end goal in mind – to have a clear understanding of how a child’s brain truly learns to read. Based on his research, he examines how to best teach reading by focusing on letters, their order and their correspondences to phonemes, and how to diagnose different forms of dyslexia.
The Mind’s Ears and Eyes of Learning
New brain imaging and modeling studies paint a detailed picture of how the ventral visual cortex and associated language areas become attuned to reading. Analyzing advanced brain-based images of children learners, Dehaene’s research reveals that our brains are wired for spoken language at birth, and it has a strong biological basis early in a child’s brain -- long before they learn to read.
He says, “Reading acquisition recycles several pre-existing visual and auditory areas of the brain in order to reorient them to the processing of letters and phonemes.” Comparisons of literate and illiterate brains have revealed three major sites of enhancement due to schooling:
the early visual cortex,
the « visual word form area » (also known as “the brain’s letter box”, a region specializing for the visual recognition of letter strings), and
the planum temporale (a region involved in phonological processing).
“Reading starts in our brains like any other visual stimulation in the visual areas, but quickly moves into an area that is concerned with the recognition of written words,” he says. “Learning to read consists of recognizing letters and how they combine into written words, and then connecting them to the brain systems for coding of speech sounds and for meaning.” He refers to this area of the brain as the "letter box" because it stores our knowledge of letter recognition.
From that point, he says there is an explosion of learning activity happening in two important brain networks; one that concerns the meaning of words, and one that concerns the pronunciation and articulation of words. He describes this brain processing act as, “emerging readers ‘listen’ in their mind’s ear, and begin to connect what they hear to a spelling pattern or brain word in their mind’s eye in a specialized cortical area in the left hemisphere called the visual word form area. The beginning reader’s brain acts as a super-computer that must be fed with structured inputs, a well-designed curriculum, and explicit teaching of phonics and spelling. It is also essential for parents and teachers to converse with young children to build a solid base for language development.”
Improve Your Professional Knowledge on Brain-Based Learning
Reading develops the phonological areas of the brain and gives access to writing in all spoken language areas of the brain. Learning about the science of reading and how the brain learns to read can help you put many more early readers and struggling readers on a new path to become comprehensive readers.
To encourage more school and district administrators to update their professional knowledge on the science of reading and brain-based learning, Learning Ally is providing free access to 14 sessions from this year’s Spotlight on Dyslexia conference. These tutorials are available on-demand through December 31, 2023.
Listen to Dr. Dehaene’s full presentation on demand now.
Valerie Chernek writes about educational best practices through the use of technology and the science of reading in support of teachers, children, and adolescents who struggle with learning differences.
Categories: Brain Based Learning, dyslexia, Education & Teaching, Educators, General, Learning Disabilities, Professional Development, Reading Strategies for K-12, Student Centric Learning, Teacher Best Practices, The Digital Age
September 25, 2023 by User
Learning Ally is celebrating the release of Dr. Molly Ness’s new book, “Read Alouds for All Learners: A Comprehensive Plan for Every Subject, Every Day, Grades PreK–8,” with publisher, Solution Tree, a professional development company of educational material for K–12 educators.
Dr. Ness is Learning Ally’s V.P of Academic Content, and a former classroom teacher, reading researcher, and teacher educator. Her experience includes 16 years as an associate professor of childhood education at Fordham University, and a rich compilation of research focused on reading comprehension, teachers’ instructional decisions, and dyslexia. She is also the founder of End Book Deserts and co-founder of the Coalition for Literacy Equity.
Read Alouds for All Learners makes a compelling case for the reintegration of the read aloud in schools. It is a step-by-step resource for PreK–8 educators who want to improve reading achievement by integrating the use of read alouds in class instruction. It is supported by current research and Dr. Ness’s own personal experiences in the classroom, and ideally written for teachers, curriculum designers, and literacy coaches to gain practical guidance in these areas:
Understanding the role of read alouds in the science of reading.
Developing understanding of the three-step planning process for a read aloud.
Learning current read-aloud research and trends among elementary, middle, and high school teachers.
Gaining tips targeted for each age group’s social-emotional learning and cognition.
Capturing the importance of read alouds in all content areas.
Creating a read-aloud plan for social studies, the sciences, mathematics, physical education, the arts, and electives with hands-on tools.
Crystal Barreto, Academic Intervention Services Coordinator with the community superintendent’s office in the New York City Department of Education writes that Dr. Ness’s book is, “One of the best books I have read on how to develop a well-constructed read aloud. As a district instructional coach who only uses practical, research-based methods, I am eager to use this invaluable resource and thrilled to add it to my professional reading collection.”
Whether a longtime educator professional or new to teaching, Read Alouds for All Learners is designed to support young learners emotionally, intellectually, linguistically, and developmentally, and includes practical tools and lessons that have proven successful in creating an effective read aloud routine.
Dr. Ness says, “Read alouds have slowly been falling out of practice in homes and schools. This has had sobering consequences on children’s vocabulary acquisition and retention, verbal reasoning and syntactical understanding, and socio-emotional capacity. Read alouds benefits all readers, including multilingual learners, striving readers, and neurodiverse students. I aim to provide an easy-to-follow approach to planning effective read alouds that build language comprehension, enhance vocabulary, and build background knowledge across all content areas. At a time when there are so many national conversations about literacy instruction, we must understand the important role of read alouds in the science of reading.”
Dr. Molly Ness’s new book is now available to order at SolutionTree.com/ReadAlouds.
To view other books by Dr. Molly Ness visit: https://www.drmollyness.com.
Categories: Authors for Access, Books, Authors, & Movies, Brain Based Learning, Curriculum & Access, Early Literacy, Education & Teaching, In the news, Professional Development, Reading Strategies for K-12, Student Centric Learning, Teacher Best Practices, The Digital Age, Whole Child Literacy
September 5, 2023 by User
This blog recaps a webinar by Learning Ally’s Heather Wiederstein and Dr. Molly Ness, former educators and literacy leaders in education technology. Wiederstein, a software developer, and Ness, V.P. of Academic Content, engaged an insightful audience eager to learn the latest research of “how” students learn to read, and some beneficial ways emerging technologies can add value to early literacy development. Listen now to earn CE certificates by gaining new insight into how technologies create more learning opportunities for educators, students, and families, and by using guiding principles to choose technology wisely. This will ensure ALL children learn to read in an equitable learning environment.
Why Technology?
Innovative educators understand that the selective use of devices, apps, video, digital textbooks, ebooks, artificial intelligence, 3D printing, text-to-speech, and so much more can add value to their instruction. When we democratize early literacy, we consider a larger ecosystem of democratic principles and intention to make early literacy accessible and beneficial for all students. This system makes literacy a priority in ALL classrooms. ALL educators are knowledgeable in evidence-based instruction grounded in the science of reading. ALL emerging readers are taught using a Whole Child Literacy approach, taking into account their social, emotional and academic circumstances.
Early Literacy is the Right Time
Weiderstein and Ness agree that children must be taught to read as early as PreK using both phonics instruction and language development, and that technology enhances instructional opportunities for literacy.
An example of using technology to teach phonics is to integrate supportive videos that display images, or use multisensory auditory apps that render correct pronunciation of phonemes (a visual representation to see the mouth form words), or introducing an educational game that reinforces specific skill sets.
To enhance reading comprehension, early educators might consider Excite Reading™, a supplemental PreK-2 program that takes emergent readers on visually stimulating early learning journeys with engaging, culturally-relevant collections of stories in the form of e-books narrated by humans to strengthen children’s agency of knowledge.
Guiding Principles to Choose Education Technology Wisely
Wiederstein says, “Technology never replaces the educator, but by adding the right technology, teachers can become innovators and literacy leaders. These champions move the needle on equity and access because they balance their high quality reading instruction based on the research, with technology that can individualize, customize, and democratize the learning environment.
As you evaluate and purchase education technology, ask if the technology will:
Strengthen a ‘child-focused’ learning environment, such as using culturally-rich content?
Increase interactions and conversations to build better relationships?
Encourage reading practice, word study, vocabulary building, and background knowledge?
Provide access to content that is available outside the school walls?
Scaling Impact for Improved Reading Outcomes
In the wake of the pandemic, nearly a third of all children in early grades, especially those disproportionately from under-resourced communities, are missing early reading benchmarks.
“Recent NAEP scores remind us we’ve got a way to go,” says Dr. Ness, “especially with respect to reading, equity, and access. Student achievement is what matters most. The reality is teachers are tapped thin, and there are more diverse populations with reading challenges. If a child doesn’t have books at home and does not live near a library or have Internet, we’re failing them.” Read Dr. Ness’s blog, “10 Ways to End Book Deserts.”
What We Know About Literacy Today
Education is lagging behind almost all industries that benefit from technology. Adding quality technology can help educators level the learning field by amplifying opportunities to engage and interact with one or many children at once. Dr. Ness recommends doubling down on the evidence-based research that is now readily available and verifiable in study after study.
“The NAEP report is a motivator that we all need to look for innovative ways to get more kids reading,” says Ness. “Today, there’s a real urgency to grow our professional knowledge based on reading research, and technology can help us do that.”
Wiederstein says, "Choosing technology wisely can help educators balance instruction, broaden capacity, provide individualized instruction and equitable access, and strengthen relationships.
Dr. Ness says, “It takes about a decade for research to have an impact on actual daily instructional practice." She also cautions us that there are still educators and parents who believe using technology is somehow cheating, but we know that is not true.
Everyone must swing in the same direction regarding effective reading instruction. If we miss the mark, children will continue to struggle.
Literacy leaders must address politicization, and polarization of how to teach reading successfully, and commit to ongoing professional learning on the science of reading and brain-based learning.
Learning Ally’s reading Solutions, spotlight learning series and professional courseware can help you make an impact on reading outcomes for all learners.
Whether you use technology in your classroom, or have students use it on the go, in the library, or at home, the right technology can be a pivotal tool to accomplish varying education learning goals.
About the Presenters:
Heather Weiderstein began her career in education as a certified classroom teacher in Pennsylvania. She taught reading, English Language Arts, and Literature and Composition. She has dedicated the last 15 years to writing, designing, and managing the delivery of learner-focused educational software. Today, she is a Senior Advisor for Learning Ally, and in this role, Heather strives to bring our partners the highest quality, easy-to-use technology solutions.
Dr. Molly Ness is the Vice President, Academic Content for Learning Ally. She is a former classroom teacher, reading researcher, and teacher educator. She holds a doctorate in reading education from the University of Virginia and spent 16 years as an associate professor at Fordham University. With four books and numerous peer-reviewed articles, Molly’s research focuses on reading comprehension, teachers’ instructional decisions, and dyslexia. In 2019, she began the End Book Deserts podcast to bring attention to the issue of book access and equity. Molly serves on the Board of Directors for the International Literacy Association and on the elementary advisory panel for Penguin Random House.
Categories: Curriculum & Access, Early Literacy, Education & Teaching, Educators, Professional Development, Reading Strategies for K-12, Student Centric Learning, Webinars, Whole Child Literacy
August 21, 2023 by User
In childhood education, literacy and socio-emotional learning (SEL) are of the utmost importance. While traditional teaching methods play a meaningful role, play-based learning approaches can revolutionize the way children develop their reading skills—by fostering a love for learning!
There are many benefits for teachers in understanding the power of play in the classroom. Play doesn’t have to mean unstructured chaos; there are endless learning opportunities that can be found in hands-on, creative activities. The play-based approach nurtures a holistic learning experience for kids and can have a profound impact on their reading abilities.
SEL helps children learn to manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, show empathy, and establish and maintain positive relationships. This type of learning is an essential component of a child's holistic development, fostering their emotional well-being, self-awareness, and social skills.
By integrating play into literacy instruction, we provide children opportunities to develop their SEL skills, leading to improved reading outcomes and overall emotional resilience!
Play is the natural language of children. It’s through play that they explore, experiment, and make sense of the world around them. Play-based learning approaches leverage this innate curiosity and enthusiasm, creating an engaging environment that fosters language development, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
By incorporating play into literacy instruction, educators can tap into children's intrinsic motivation, making the learning process enjoyable and meaningful. Play-based learning is especially valuable for students who struggle with reading—alleviating pressure to perform and allowing them to explore literacy in a safe, fun, and engaging manner.
With play-based learning, children explore and discover new concepts independently (instead of absorbing information solely from the teacher).
Opportunities for play in the classroom can be self-directed by the child, guided by a teacher, or organized with a game.
With a bit of planning and creativity, any lesson can include a playful aspect! For example, in a literacy class, children could create a mini-theatre during a read-aloud. Activities like “What Is it?” also help build vocabulary through engaging guessing games (Edutopia). In addition, incorporating music can help children learn phonics, alliteration, and rhymes.
Create a thrilling alphabet treasure hunt by hiding objects or cards representing different letters around the classroom. Give children a list of letters to find, or give them clues related to each letter’s sound or a word that starts with that letter.
As they search for the hidden treasures, they’ll reinforce letter recognition skills and have a blast!
Engage children’s senses while exploring the alphabet through sensory letter play. Fill a tray or a large container with sand, rice, or any sensory material. Bury alphabet magnets or foam letters in the sensory material and encourage children to dig them out and see which words they can spell.
As they discover each letter, ask them to name it, make its sound, or think of words that start with that letter. This hands-on activity promotes tactile exploration and strengthens letter associations.
Transform learning the alphabet into an exciting physical adventure by setting up an alphabet obstacle course.
Use colorful tape or chalk to create a path around the classroom, forming the letters of the alphabet. Each letter can represent a different station or activity. For example, when a child reaches the letter “A,” they can act like an alligator. At the letter “B,” they can act like a bird, etc.
This activity combines movement and letter recognition to make learning interactive and dynamic.
Encourage creativity and reinforce letter recognition by creating a letter collage!
Provide children with various magazines, newspapers, or colored paper. Ask them to search for pictures or words that begin with a specific letter and cut them out. Then, help them glue the pictures onto a larger sheet of paper in the shape of the corresponding letter.
This activity enhances fine motor skills while developing letter associations and vocabulary.
As educators, we have a unique opportunity to foster the full potential of our students by integrating play into literacy instruction. By recognizing the multifaceted nature of literacy and the importance of socio-emotional learning, we can create an enriching environment that nurtures children's reading abilities while fostering their emotional well-being and social competence.
Through play-based learning experiences, children become active participants in their own learning journeys, driven by intrinsic motivation and a love for exploration.
Play-based learning empowers students to become confident readers, effective communicators, and empathetic individuals. Educators can harness the power of play to create a generation of lifelong learners who not only excel academically but also thrive emotionally and socially!
The Lingokids app provides a platform that harnesses the power of play, helping children thrive in learning a new language. Lingokids’ interactive learning universe immerses kids in a modern curriculum in English with an array of experiences that deliver learning through play. Most importantly, the app teaches literacy, along with other academic and life skills, through interactive games, quizzes, puzzles, digital books, videos, and songs—so engaging that kids don’t even realize they’re learning!
When children interact with Lingokids, they’re seamlessly blending play and learning in a way that is delightful and fun! Discover more activities, support, and educational tools on the Lingokids blog!
Morin, A. (2021) Play-based activities that build reading readiness, Edutopia. Available at: https://www.edutopia.org/article/play-based-activities-build-reading-readiness/.
Categories: Assistive Technology
August 1, 2023 by User
Illiteracy has become such a serious problem in our country that 130 million adults are now unable to read a simple story to their children. What if you couldn’t read above a third-grade level…follow a recipe, find a doctor, locate a destination on a map, or understand your child’s report card? Life would be challenging to say the least. Approximately 50% of Americans read so poorly that they are unable to perform simple tasks such as reading prescription drug labels.
According to ProLiteracy, 54% of adults in America read below a 6th grade level. There are more than 43 million adults who cannot read or write above a third-grade level. Children of adults with low literacy skills are 72% more likely to have a low reading level in school. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), estimates 65% of fourth graders in the U.S. read below proficiency levels, and these students are 400% more likely to drop out of high school.
Low levels of literacy result in $225 billion losses in U.S. workforce productivity, correlates to more juvenile and federal crimes, and greater dependence on social welfare programs. In the world, illiteracy costs the global economy $1.5 trillion annually. If all children in low-income countries had basic reading skills, 171 million people could escape extreme poverty.
Lack of literacy skills affects vulnerable and marginalized populations in greater proportions – Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC); low income; multilingual learners; and people with learning disabilities.
Literacy begins at home
A child’s home, community, and school all play significant roles in creating holistic environments in which a child learns to read. Family literacy and access to reading material is critically important in early reading development. This is the time when parents and caregivers must build a home learning environment that supports academic performance when a child enters school.
Reading to a child just twenty minutes a day enables them to experience new viewpoints. Speaking with a child about any topic expands their thinking, widens their world view, and fosters their agency to build background knowledge, a critical component to reading comprehension mastery.
Literacy in early childhood
In early childhood, children must acquire all the essential skills necessary to become successful learners to effectively move on to complex material and study grade level texts. At this stage, our brains are adept at learning new information, and children are sponges for knowledge. Yet, according to the Children’s Reading Foundation, 40% of children are entering kindergarten one to three years behind.
Fundamental reading skills
Immersing children in language-rich environments with evidence-based reading instruction that is grounded in the science of reading and brain-based learning, enables children to comprehend more of what they read, especially those with reading difficulties. These fundamental skills for reading mastery are critically important:
oral language (listening and speaking),
the alphabetic code (ability to discriminate sounds in words and vocabulary),
print knowledge concepts (understanding meaning, letters and sight words), and
writing.
Learn more about the definitions of these skills in this guide, Beyond the Buzzwords Glossary.
Literacy is for ALL people
At Learning Ally, we believe literacy is for everyone. Improving literacy skills will improve democracy, and support diversity, equity, and inclusion. It will improve our mental and physical health, our social and emotional well-being, our relationships, and our world.
Learning Ally partners with schools, educators and families to solve the literacy crisis through education, access, supplementary reading tools, and professional learning programs to share important information about how the brain learns to read and the science of reading. We foster a community of educators and parents, and stand behind a whole child literacy™ approach to encourage more educators to take a holistic view of the variables surrounding each child’s learning abilities, potential, and differences. Literacy is the gateway to all learning. It is Learning Ally’s mission, and we want to help you open the gateway so every child can learn, grow and succeed.
Sources:
Prosperity for America - 84+ Literacy Statistics in the United States
The World Literacy Foundation - The Economic-Social Costs of Illiteracy
The National Literacy Institute
Categories: Audiobook Library, Curriculum & Access, Early Literacy, Education & Teaching, Educators, Reading Strategies for K-12, Student Centric Learning, The Digital Age, Whole Child Literacy
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