10 Ways to Help Your School-Age Child Develop a “Reading Brain”

May 31, 2016 by Hallie Smith, MA CCC-SLP

reading brainUnlike speaking and listening, reading is not a hard-wired human ability. It needs to be explicitly taught, but its complexities are often taken for granted. This is not so for parents of children who struggle with the process, however.   What can we do as parents to develop proficient readers at home?  And what happens when these things don't work? Read the advice from Dr. Paula Tallal, world-recognized authority on language-learning disabilities. 

3 New Research Findings on Fast ForWord

May 17, 2016 by Kristina Birdsong

Fast ForWord ResearchFast ForWord is one of the most researched reading interventions ever created, but what are researchers saying about it lately?  Here are three takeaways (translated from neuroscience-speak into terms you can understand) that have practical application for those interested in improving skills for those with dyslexia, auditory processing, language and reading issues. 

Poverty's Effect on Working Memory

May 3, 2016 by Carrie Gajowski, MA

PovertySometimes it's easy to think a child isn't paying attention because they're being defiant, or dare we say it - "lazy"? This is usually not the case, especially for children from poverty, and it behooves us to understand better what's happening in their brains. Read Dr. Eric Jensen's poignant and timely messages about how to help students from poverty build the skillls that will break the cycle of underachievement.