“Liberty, taking the word in its concrete sense, consists in the ability to choose.”
— Simone Weil
Articles
Overcoming Reading Anxiety: Helping Students Feel Confident
Reading anxiety can significantly impact a student's reading performance and overall academic success. This article explores the causes of reading anxiety, including fear of failure and negative self-beliefs, and provides strategies for reducing anxiety, including mindfulness practices and positive self-talk.
Visual Processing and Reading: Supporting Students with Visual Challenges
Visual processing difficulties can make reading a challenging experience. This article explores the impact of visual processing challenges on reading comprehension and provides strategies for supporting students with visual processing issues, including assistive technology and visual aids.
Language Processing and Reading: Strategies for Supporting Language Challenges
Reading comprehension difficulties can be exacerbated by language processing challenges. This article examines the impact of language processing issues on reading comprehension, such as difficulty understanding figurative language and interpreting complex sentence structures, and provides strategies for supporting students with language processing challenges, including providing clear explanations, using visual representations, and offering scaffolding strategies.
Unlocking Understanding: Active Reading Strategies for Students
Active reading involves engaging with the text beyond simply reading the words. This article explores various techniques like highlighting, note-taking, and asking questions to make reading more interactive and meaningful.
Seeing the Story: Using Visualization in Reading Comprehension
Visualizing the events, characters, and settings described in a text can greatly enhance comprehension and engagement. This article explores techniques like drawing, mental imagery, and using graphic organizers to bring stories to life.
Making Informed Guesses: The Power of Prediction in Reading
Predicting what might happen next in a text can keep readers actively engaged and improve their understanding. This article explores how to teach students to make predictions based on clues, prior knowledge, and text structure.
Building Bridges: Connecting Reading to Personal Experiences
Connecting what is read to personal experiences, prior knowledge, and the wider world can enrich comprehension and make reading more relevant. This article explores techniques for making connections between the text and the reader's own life.
Mapping the Text: Understanding Text Structure for Better Comprehension
Understanding the structure of a text can help readers navigate complex ideas and follow the author's flow of thought. This article explores how to teach students to identify different text structures like compare-contrast, cause-effect, and problem-solution.
Deeper Dive: The Importance of Rereading in Reading Comprehension
Rereading sections of a text or focusing on specific details can help readers clarify understanding and overcome comprehension challenges. This article explores different techniques for rereading effectively and strategically.
Collaborative Learning: The Benefits of Discussing Reading
Discussing the text with others can reveal different interpretations, deepen understanding, and promote critical thinking. This article explores different discussion strategies like think-pair-share, fishbowl debates, and collaborative note-taking.