Tag Archives: reading

People who are good at reading have different brains

People who are good at reading have different brains

The number of people who read for fun appears to be steadily dropping. Fifty percent of UK adults say they don’t read regularly (up from 42% in 2015) and almost one in four young people aged 16-24 say they’ve never been readers, according to research by The Reading Agency. But what are the implications? Will people’s […] … learn more→

Innovation and Communication Technologies are not unstoppable, nor do they need to be at odds with books

Innovation and Communication Technologies are not unstoppable, nor do they need to be at odds with books

We start from a recent event that occurred in the Swedish elementary education system. After decades of investing in a public education policy based on the use of digital and virtual tools – which has made the country a global reference in the sector – the Swedish government is now striving to convince the current […] … learn more→

What do you do for your reader?

What do you do for your reader?

I often say, following John Wagner, that a paper, chapter or book ought to reduce a reader’s ignorance. In other words, when they’ve finished reading what you’ve written, a reader ought to feel that they know more about the topic than when they started. I like the modesty of reducing ignorance. It has none of the hubris […] … learn more→

How our brain learns to read: from reading mechanics to comprehension

How our brain learns to read: from reading mechanics to comprehension

Reading is determined biologically, like speech. It is the result of a complex learning process. The first signs of language could have appeared with Homo Erectus around 1.9 million years ago . Instead, the first writings date back to around 4,000 years before Jesus Christ . The brain has had almost two million years to develop the neural network […] … learn more→

Gen Zers and millennials are still big fans of books – even if they don’t call themselves ‘readers’

Gen Zers and millennials are still big fans of books – even if they don’t call themselves ‘readers’

Identifying with an activity is different from actually doing it. For example, 49% of Americans play video games, but only 10% identify as gamers. According to a recent survey we conducted, there’s also a small gap between reading activity and identity for younger readers: 61% of Generation Z and millennials have read a print book, e-book […] … learn more→

Can reading be encouraged among schoolchildren if their future teachers barely read?

Can reading be encouraged among schoolchildren if their future teachers barely read?

Reading is essential to integrate into society. We live surrounded by written information with which we learn. But it is also an excellent leisure activity. In Spain, for example, 98.1% of people over 15 years of age  can read. Recognizes spellings, letters and words and is able to follow the thematic thread of a text. But if there is no will […] … learn more→

Young children’s words predict reading ability — 5 ways parents and caregivers can help grow them

Young children’s words predict reading ability — 5 ways parents and caregivers can help grow them

Becoming a proficient reader holds endless possibilities for a child. These opportunties include long-term academic achievement and educational opportunities, daily life and eventual workplace success — and the magic of being transported to the world of fantasy and mystery, limited only by the imagination. It’s a complex process that unfolds gradually in recognizable stages. Young learners must see […] … learn more→

10 ways to help the boys in your life read for enjoyment (not just for school)

10 ways to help the boys in your life read for enjoyment (not just for school)

Reading is a critical skill for school and life beyond it. Young people need strong reading skills to learn and demonstrate their learning. Reading skills are not just about performing well in subjects such as English. They are related to performance in subjects like science and maths. When it comes to reading, girls typically do better than boys. This […] … learn more→

What is that voice in your head when you read?

What is that voice in your head when you read?

What is that voice in your head when you read? – Luiza, age 14, Goiânia, Brazil When you first begin reading, you read out loud. Reading aloud can make the text easier to understand when you’re a beginning reader or when you are reading something that’s challenging. Listening to yourself as you read helps with comprehension. […] … learn more→

Yes, young people are still reading. But differently!

Yes, young people are still reading. But differently!

Since the 1990s, there have been many questions about the reading practices of young people , deploring that they turn less to this hobby than previous generations. It is at the entrance to college that a dropout would occur: the declared number of books read drops from the age of 11. Yet the picture for children’s publishing is far from bleak: in 2020, […] … learn more→