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Tag: literacy

Writing tips for anyone who puts pen to paper or fingers to keyboard

December 8, 2014 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary, High School, Middle Years

In our electronic world, everyone can be a writer. From blogs to Facebook posts to tweets, there’s a place for everyone who has access to the internet to publicly express themselves. But does everyone do it well? No, hardly. Chances are you’ve cringed at a Facebook post or email riddled with spelling and grammatical errors. […]

How to raise an eager reader

October 1, 2014 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary

If you love to read, it’s likely you hope that passion will be passed on to your children. You can play an important part in creating an eager reader before they ever step into a school classroom. More than just an enjoyable hobby, reading is the key to success in school and life. It is […]

What are you reading this summer?

June 10, 2014 | Posted in: Elementary, Middle Years

When you hear of parents and children reading together, you almost always picture a mom or dad with a toddler on their lap enjoying a book with pictures or rhymes, à la Dr. Seuss. We know early reading helps young children master the language, improve concentration, and strengthen speech and logical thinking skills – all […]

School success builds on foundation of early literacy skills

March 27, 2014 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary

“Dis is cumbersome,” our son said to no one in particular as he sauntered through the living room carrying a toy. My husband stopped in his tracks, surprised by what had come from the boy’s mouth. It was a fairly sophisticated word for a – barely – 3-year-old. “It’s cumbersome? What does cumbersome mean?” my […]

What would you like to discuss today, baby?

February 24, 2014 | Posted in: Early Learners

A new study suggests talking to babies and toddlers in full sentences is the best way to boost language development. The study, conducted by Stanford University Associate Professor Anne Fernald, showed that children whose parents talked to them, rather than at them, developed better language skills at a younger age. Children who were exposed to […]

A dropout risk in first grade?

A dropout risk in first grade?

January 14, 2014 | Posted in: Elementary

It’s a serious problem. Every year, nearly one-third of high school students across the nation will not graduate – that’s more than 1.2 million students a year. In New York State, the numbers are better, with 74 percent of students graduating. But those numbers aren’t nearly good enough, not for the children whose opportunities are […]

Embrace learning in the final weeks of summer

August 23, 2013 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary

If your child is heading to school for the first time – or moving to a new school to start kindergarten – you may have some anxiety about whether they can “keep up” academically, socially and emotionally with the other kids. Use these final weeks of summer to reinforce, and even enhance, the skills they […]

Fall into reading during National Family Literacy Month

November 2, 2012 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary

Whether it’s reading aloud to your child, taking a trip together to the library or being a reading role model, celebrate National Family Literacy Month this November by helping to foster your child’s love of the written word. Parents who read to their children every day and talk about what they are reading together promote […]

Catching up in the home stretch

May 11, 2012 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary

With little more than a month left in the school year, kids are starting to realize summer is on the horizon. Before they check out completely, take time to check in on whether they’re at grade level academically. If they are lagging behind, there’s still plenty of time to buckle down and help them bolster […]

March is Mad about Reading

March 13, 2012 | Posted in: Early Learners, Elementary

With so many distractions – particularly the electronic kind – it can be hard to get your child to sit down and read. March – “PARP month” at a number of schools across the state – offers a perfect excuse to spend quality time with your child and promote reading for enjoyment. PARP, an acronym […]