This past week I told a 12th grade 4.0 student that we would soon be applying our reading skills to her Advanced Placement book. Her response was the typical. “We don’t use that book in class and I already have a 4.0.”  So, I retorted, “Let me get this straight. Your teacher is providing you […]

Have you ever challenged yourself with a big jigsaw puzzle, one with 500 – 1,000 pieces? The pieces all appear to be the same size (and equal in importance), though the shapes and colors may vary. Reading can be viewed in the same manner, with the pieces of the puzzle being the words within the […]

Did you know that some highly intelligent people often struggle with reading skills? The reason is that smart people tend to think in a unique way. They like to know all— every little detail— so they are great information collectors and memorizers. Where smart people get tripped up is not having a natural way of […]

“I don’t have enough time to study!” This is a common complaint. With outside commitments, including school activities, students who come home after a long day just want to “chill” and relax a bit. But they can’t because school grades are way too important. So their noses immediately hit the books and they work into […]

Standardized testing is not about grades. It’s about aptitude—the ability to learn something new. Aptitude testing also assesses the development or proficiency in a specific area (if provided with education or training) Aptitude is an individual’s “talent” to accomplish a task. Aptitude testing is quite different from achievement testing, which measures how much an individual […]

In today’s information era, many classrooms around the country focus on interactive instruction that includes computers, movies, PowerPoints, class lecture, and discussion. This seems like a well-rounded learning experience, but it is missing an important component—textbook reading, which builds the foundation for deeper conceptual understanding. Although the 400-page, 5-pound textbook has become the dinosaur to […]

During the latter part of middle school and the start of high school, many bright students start to struggle with test taking. So why has testing become so challenging? If  you have studied the review packet for hours, or have re-read the passages over and over, then you probably do not have a conceptual understanding—an ability […]

When people read, they want to open a book or website, read it, and understand it the first time. But sometimes, a particular “reading personality” gets in the way. Most can read information that they can relate to or like, but difficulty arises with uninteresting material. When this happens, readers struggle, so they put on […]