When I was younger I decided to learn Greek. I learnt the letter-sound correspondences and could say the words – the sounds, that is. But although I could and still can decode these words, I can’t actually read Greek because I don’t know what the words mean. Being able to make the connection between the […] … learn more→

Because I conduct research about reading, parents often ask me the same question: “What can I do to help my child become a better reader?” I always give them the same advice: “Read with your children. Enjoy books together, and whatever you do, don’t worry about teaching them to read. Leave the teaching to the teachers.” […] … learn more→

Brain scans have revealed that reading aloud to young children on a regular basis contributes greatly to growth in the areas of the brain that provide mental pictures and reading comprehension. Although they cannot yet read, children under the age of five are building important skills they will need for their whole lives, and hearing […] … learn more→

Over the years, I’ve learned a few things about reading journal articles. One of the most important things that I’ve discovered is that spending time thinking about how and why I read, and practicing ways to become a better reader, is time well spent. After all, the ability to critically read journal articles—and lots of […] … learn more→

At the time of the Paris Book Fair flourish speeches on reading. And in this moment of introspection of our society on its relation to reading , the world of education finds itself particularly involved. But the question of reading is not clear. What are we talking about when we talk about reading at school? In reality, it covers different definitions that are not always […] … learn more→

The love of reading is one of the greatest gifts an adult can give to a child. Pragmatically, reading proficiently helps with school work. But it also widens children’s horizons. It can help readers to understand their own world better, and to explore other worlds. Parents often see reading as “school business” – something that […] … learn more→

I read San Manuel Bueno, martyr (Miguel de Unamuno, 1931) for the first time when I was fourteen years old. In my list of compulsory books of 2nd of ESO, Unamuno’s reading was after Marianela (Benito Pérez Galdós, 1878) and before La familia de Pascual Duarte (Camilo José Cela, 1942). On the day of the exam, the teacher asked us about the plot […] … learn more→

I read a lot of books about writing and research. That’s not surprising, as I write them too and I always want to see what others are writing. And today…  Helen Sword has followed up Stylish academic writing with a study of successful academic writers – it’s called Air & Light & Time & Space. […] … learn more→

There is a common perception that children are more likely to read if it is on a device such as an iPad or Kindles. But new research shows that this is not necessarily the case. In a study of children in Year 4 and 6, those who had regular access to devices with eReading capability […] … learn more→

Greetings! A few years ago I wrote an open letter to ninth graders about college readiness, trying to provide beginning high school students with a college professor’s perspective on what being ready for college really means (see “An Open Letter to Ninth Graders” in the January–February 2009 issue of Academe). As it turns out, “being […] … learn more→