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Celebrate the value of libraries and literacy this September

Ready Reader — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 16:02:48 +0000

International Literacy Day is Sept. 8

CHICAGO – Open the door to literacy and lifelong learning for students of all ages by signing up for a library card today.

Held every September, Library Card Sign-up Month is a time when the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries around the country work to remind parents that a library card is the most important school supply of all. Every day librarians and library staff are at work in the literacy trenches, bringing books and effective programs directly into the lives of children, parents, grandparents, childcare providers and educators.

In addition to it being Library Card Sign-up Month, Sept. 8 marks International Literacy Day. Created by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), International Literacy Day is a time to focus attention on worldwide literacy needs.

Statistics show the impact of reading on the quality of life. Low literacy is linked to poverty, crime, dependence on government assistance and poor health. And research has shown that parents who struggle with reading pass this legacy on to their children. Read Original Article

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Forget What You Know About Good Study Habits

Ready Reader — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 14:05:36 +0000

In recent years, cognitive scientists have shown that a few simple techniques can reliably improve what matters most: how much a student learns from studying. The findings can help anyone, from a fourth grader doing long division to a retiree taking on a new language. But they directly contradict much of the common wisdom about good study habits, and they have not caught on. For instance, instead of sticking to one study location, simply alternating the room where a person studies improves retention. So does studying distinct but related skills or concepts in one sitting, rather than focusing intensely on a single thing. Read Source

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Kindergarten: It’s the New First Grade

Ready Reader — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 14:01:51 +0000

Chicago Tribune

Forget cookies and milk, nap time and finger painting. Kindergarten has gotten serious in the past 20 years — and even more so in the past 10. Due to forces ranging from rising parental expectations to the No Child Left Behind Act, many children now attend full-day programs complete with homework and standardized testing. “Basically, kindergartens have become first grades,” said Nancy Carlsson-Paige, a professor of education at Lesley University in Cambridge, Mass. The growing expectations are controversial, with some experts saying the new kindergarten squeezes out forms of spontaneous play (building with blocks, for instance, or playing make-believe) that are vital to a child’s long-term academic success. Read Entire Original Article

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National Crisis: Not Much Training for Some Special-Ed Teachers

Ready Reader — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 13:56:35 +0000

Standing at the front of a large, darkened room in a Capitol Avenue office building in late July, teacher-trainer Betty Menacher clicked quickly through a presentation on a highly technical but essential topic — how to assess students’ reading. Her audience was a group of career-switchers who within weeks would be using what they’d learned during this five-week crash course in tackling one of education’s most difficult challenges: teaching special-education students.

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Charter Schools Being Urged to Serve ELLs