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 […]

Many parents and students alike share the belief that there are “tricks” to standardized test taking and they search for those programs that specialize in helping students who are challenged by multiple-choice tests. These companies that market to increase scores are excellent resources for helping students to alleviate pre-test jitters. In many cases, these programs […]

Have you ever received comments on your essay or research paper that mentioned either lack of continuity or conciseness? Both issues, believe it or not, stem from how well you read. Strong readers are strong writers because they emulate patterns from reading. Strong readers are able to show words and then connect their messages. I […]

Many very smart and talented students fail to reach their potential because of one problem that goes unrecognized throughout their academic careers— poor reading skills. Students and their parents often are in denial about this problem because students work hard and are getting excellent grades. Signs That Your Reading Skills are Holding You Back You […]