Language & Learning

In case you missed it - the mid project report is available here ⬇️ aisnsw.edu.au/newsroom?Artic…

✨ New FREE resource! The Cross-Age Tutoring Toolkit helps schools & afterschool programs implement effective reading tutoring with easy guides, lesson logs, cue cards & more. From @MCPER_EDU, @YMCACTX, @VanderbiltU & YMCA of Middle TN. 🔗 meadowscenter.org/resource/cross…

Today is Face It Day - to raise awareness of kids with Childhood Dementia. We were asked this year if we would share our journey and because we know it will help many other families on the journey we have news.com.au/lifestyle/heal…

Here's our FREE math course from the NCII. Module 5 (particularly Module 5, part 2) is one of my favorites! Dig into word problems and fluency building! intensiveintervention.org/instructional-…

Read more about using strategy instruction to help students with both math AND reading! This is free to download! journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00…

New paper about a brief word-problem screener for use in the elementary grades. It's free to read this article! onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pi… And then download the screener at: piratemathequationquest.com

📚 Week 6 of #SummerSkillSaturdays is here! Summarization boosts comprehension (effect size = .79). Explore 6 top tools to teach it: infographic 👉 bit.ly/Kastner-Week6-… + full guide 👉 bit.ly/Kastner-FullNa… #GetTheGIST

Module 2 of the NCII Math Course is focused on assessment - particularly progress monitoring in math. Check it out! As a reminder, it's all FREE! intensiveintervention.org/progress-monit…

Need math progress monitoring measures? The TIER math measures are available across Grades K-6. And they are available in both English and Spanish. All FREE! spedsupport.tea.texas.gov/resource-libra…

New article out today! If you want to read more about math read-alouds in preschool, I have access to 50 free downloads of the article: tandfonline.com/eprint/ZMI7JMS…

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Today is McDonald’s Happy Day 2024!! It’s the day where McDonald’s will raise much needed funds for Ronald McDonald House Charities to provide support for families of seriously ill and injured children.

@acrichton33 thank you for the magnificent surprise for Josh! He & his older sister have a rare disease that is a form of childhood dementia & his sister and I have arrived home today from a week spent in hospital for surgery - thank you for his best day ever after a rough week

Looking for professional learning in adolescent literacy from the most respected researchers and practitioners in the field? Vaughn, Archer, Van Cleave, St. Martin, @Kearns, Diamond, Sedita, Hennessy, Tolman, @Literacyhow to name just a few. 44, yes 44 PD resources free from PaTTAN literacy here: padlet.com/pkastner/secon… @pattanliteracy @s_e_schwartz @EdWeekTeacher

Top 20 principles from psychology for teaching and learning of students with disabilities ⬇️

How learning happens in seven general principles ⬇️ 1. Working Memory Capacity is Limited: Our working memory, responsible for holding and processing information in real-time, has a limited capacity. This limitation means that when learners are exposed to large amounts of new information simultaneously, they may struggle to process it effectively. Focusing attention is essential because distractions or overload can lead to cognitive strain, reducing the ability to learn. Teachers can support this by breaking information into manageable chunks, allowing students to engage deeply with smaller parts before moving on to the next concept. 2. We Learn Through Meaning and What We Already Know: Learning is enhanced when new information connects to existing knowledge. When learners relate new content to things they already understand, they create a stronger foundation for retention and comprehension. This process, known as schema-building, helps students make sense of complex ideas by fitting them into an established framework. Teachers can facilitate this by introducing new concepts through familiar examples or linking them to relevant prior knowledge, making learning more meaningful and long-lasting. 3. Novices Think Differently Than Experts: Novices often approach tasks with means-end analysis or trial-and-error methods or simple strategies because they lack the knowledge to recognize patterns or apply sophisticated approaches. In contrast, experts draw on rich mental models, using prior experiences and refined techniques to solve problems more efficiently. This difference means that novices need structured guidance to develop these mental models over time. Teachers can help by gradually introducing students to expert strategies, enabling them to progress from basic skills to more advanced understanding. 4. To Remember, We Need to Forget: Storage strength is the measure of how well information is embedded in long-term memory, indicating its durability over time. Retrieval strength is the ease with which information can be accessed from memory at a given moment, which fluctuates based on recent use and context. Unlike storage strength, retrieval strength is influenced by context and interference from other information. To remember something long-term, it’s essential to boost its retrieval strength, which can be achieved by actively retrieving the information. Unlike passive studying, retrieval requires you to recall the item on your own, strengthening memory more effectively, especially when the retrieval is challenging. This principle explains why strategies like interleaving (alternating topics) and spacing (spreading out sessions) are so effective. By allowing time for slight forgetting, these methods make retrieval harder, ultimately enhancing memory retention. This “adaptive forgetting” is crucial for retaining core concepts. 5. Learning ≠ Performance: A high test score or good performance in the classroom doesn’t necessarily mean that true learning has occurred. Learners might perform well temporarily by memorizing facts or rehearsing specific methods without understanding the underlying concepts. This principle highlights the difference between short-term performance and deep, long-term learning. Effective assessment should look beyond scores to evaluate true comprehension. The rate of assessment matters which is why regular checking for understanding is so important. Teachers can use open-ended questions, application tasks, and reflective discussions to gauge whether students genuinely understand the material. 6. Achievement Leads to Motivation: Success in learning (however small) can foster a positive cycle of confidence, self-efficacy, and motivation. When students achieve their goals, even in small steps, they are more likely to believe in their ability to succeed in future learning tasks. This sense of accomplishment encourages them to take on new challenges and persist through difficulties. Teachers can support this cycle by setting attainable goals, providing regular feedback, and celebrating incremental progress to reinforce students’ confidence and motivation. 7. Learners Are Bad at Knowing How to Learn: Many students are unaware of effective learning strategies, often relying on passive techniques like re-reading, highlighting, or cramming. These methods feel productive in the short term but are less effective for long-term retention. Evidence-based strategies like retrieval practice, spaced learning, and interleaving have been shown to improve memory and understanding, but students may need guidance to adopt these methods. Teachers can enhance learning outcomes by teaching students about these techniques and encouraging their use, helping students develop more efficient and powerful study habits. (Thanks to @MrAlexKoks for the design)

Extremely important point from @CattsHugh at #dyslexiacon2024: The biggest piece missing from the IDA 2002 definition of dyslexia was the psychosocial problems associated with struggling to learn to read.

Yesterday the staff from Hunter Christian School presented the amazing results of @teachNELI over the last 2 years using the Whole Class NELI program AND the Tier 2 intervention NELI program at the 2024 Education Research Symposium held at ACU. @NatalieMunro3 @AISNSWEvidence

Happy World Teachers Day!! [as celebrated in Australia 🇦🇺]

FB memories reminded me today that 10 years ago today, I saw my first client. So on DLD Day 2024, Language and a learning turns 10! 🎂